Recently I attended an extensive training on the use of foods to improve mental health. It turns out that our gut health has a direct effect on our mental health, as there is a neuro-pathway directly connecting them. This explains why we feel queasy when we are very stressed, and also why our organs hurt or begin to be diseased when we are eating poorly, not exercising enough, or aren’t managing our emotions and stressors well.
It is really pretty simple to eat for happiness. Mixing in new foods, fruits, and vegetables to our diets is the most effective way to both improve our energy and emotional outlook. There is no need to weigh food, be on a special diet, or buy fancy combinations of foods. You can always use your hand to calculate the right balance of whole-grains, meats, and colorful raw foods. A reasonable portion for fruits or vegetables is the size of the open palm of your hand; they should have bright colors and varying textures. A lean protein portion should also fit in the open palm. Those can be combined with enough whole-grain carbs as your tightly-closed fist, and as much fat as the circle made with your thumb and forefinger. The beauty of this easy system is it works for all ages and stages; children have small hands, and adults have larger hands.
It is just as easy to blend in the right amount of exercise to keep our gut and mind healthy. Research now shows that working out or walking In one-to-three minute intervals of alternating low, then high, intensity, maximizes calorie use. This sequencing also better regulates the stress hormones than does steady or prolonged exercise. It further maximizes benefits to exercise only about 20 to 30 minutes a day.
Another key to great gut and mental health is to avoid excessive use of nutritional supplements. When someone uses high doses of herbs and vitamins over time to boost energy, they actually disrupt the brain chemistry and increase stress hormone levels! These may also dis-regulate the gut biome and reduce mental alertness and wellness. If you feel out of balance, occasional use of magnolia bark will reduce inflammation, Guayusa will increase mental awareness, and adding a probiotic after a course of antibiotics will help restore gut health. I hope you make it a rule to simplify and maximize daily eating and exercise. Try rotating a new fruit or vegetable into your meals every week or two. Vary your exercise from indoors to outdoors, and move different parts of your body. It works, and life is more interesting and fun. I wish you a happy body and mind!