Can Diet and Lifestyle Improve Mental Health?
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Medications and Counseling for Mental Health are Life Saving
Medications and counseling for mental health can absolutely be life saving. Whether you have depression, anxiety, or another mental health condition, diet and lifestyle changes can either improve or worsen symptoms. Though some people can manage symptoms of their mental health with diet and lifestyle alone, many see the best results pairing diet and lifestyle change with the right medications and counseling. Learn more about diet and lifestyle change to improve mental health below.
Diet and Lifestyle Changes for Improved Mental Health
The value of lifestyle choices is often underestimated and interventions are underutilized. If you are experiencing mental health symptoms try implementing some of the recommendations below to see if your symptoms improve. These recommendations pair very well with counseling and taking medications as prescribed by your physician to improve symptoms even more.
Sleep. Lack of sleep (either poor quality sleep or not enough hours) increases risk of mental health disorders including depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more. Most adults need 7-9 hours of good quality sleep for optimal health. If you struggle to get enough sleep, try these 5 Tips for Better Sleep, and consult your physician for additional recommendations and testing.
Exercise. Exercise has positive impacts in mood and mental health. A single exercise session can improve ADHD and anxiety symptoms, and consistent activity can help reduce symptoms of depression and overall mood. Work up to general recommendation of 150+ minutes of exercise weekly, and here are 3 tips to get started with exercise if you are not currently exercising.
Nutrition. The food you eat impacts inflammation, vitamin and mineral intake, and your microbiome (the bacteria in your gut) all of which can impact mental health conditions. In a previous blog post titled The Power of Food, the nutrition guidelines in that post align well with the Mediterranean diet and a diet that helps reduce inflammation which have been clinically shown to positively impact mental health. Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 are two vitamins that can be hard to obtain in the diet (especially a more whole food plant-based diet which is ideal for the microbiome). Talk to your doctor about testing for deficiency of these vitamins, and supplement as your doctor recommends. Otherwise it is best to eat a variety of foods from all food groups to meet your vitamin and mineral needs.
Connect with Others. Social connections - spending time with family, friends, or your community - help to improve mental health symptoms and outcomes. Prioritize connecting with others regularly. If you are living in a new place and don’t have many social connections yet consider volunteer or hobby groups that align with your interests and your health.
Other Lifestyle Factors. Low risk alcohol consumption, not smoking (1-800-QUIT-NOW), and losing weight if you’re clinically overweight can also improve mental health outcomes and symptoms. Losing weight can be highly individualized and if you feel that you’re unsure where to start or you know what behaviors you want to change, but are struggling to stay consistent click here to book a free consult.
Please be aware that this post is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice or examination. If you are currently taking mental health related medications do not make any changes without discussing with your prescribing provider - diet and lifestyle changes can be used at the same time as medications, but you should not stop your medication to try diet and lifestyle changes without first coming up with a plan with your health care provider.