How diet can affect mental health and recipes to boost positive thinking

A well-balanced, healthy diet can dramatically impact our mental health. Be mindful about what you’re putting into your body. If possible, try to buy one organic food item per week.

Being more conscious about the environment and eating healthy can impact our positive feelings as we feel we are doing something good for ourselves and the environment.

Reducing refined sugars and carbohydrates is very important. Consuming these foods can bring on an instant lift in mood; however, that initial energy and instant gratification is shortly followed by a crash and feeling worse. 

The following vitamins and minerals can assist with positive emotions and help sustain a longer, happier mood.

• Omega 3 fatty acids can prevent low mood in people as they affect the neurotransmitter pathways in the brain. Omega 3s are in oily fish, chia seeds and walnuts, to name a few.

• Omega 3 fatty acids can prevent low mood in people as they affect the neurotransmitter pathways in the brain. Omega 3s are in oily fish, chia seeds and walnuts, to name a few.

• Vitamin D is found in oily fish, eggs and yoghurt. It can increase levels of serotonin in the brain

• Selenium is found in Brazil nuts, oats, legumes, seafood and seeds. There is a link between low mood and reduced levels of selenium.

• Vitamin B has been known to impact on those who suffer depression. Making sure your levels are not low by consuming enough of this vitamin in foods will help reduce depression and negative thinking. Foods that contain vitamin B are eggs, broccoli, dairy and meat. It is important to note that alcohol consumption depletes our levels of vitamin B.

How to keep a positive mindset

Thinking in a positive way is something that we all need to work on. There are many times throughout our lives when we doubt ourselves and critique ourselves.

A good way to prevent negative thinking is to stop reflecting on the past and anticipating the future, and start living in the present with gratitude for what we have – rather than what we don’t have or comparing ourselves to others.

Surrounding ourselves with positive people who make us feel good about ourselves can also help.

Recipes to help boost positive thinking

Some tasks to help manage negative thinking include:

• Exercise daily and make sure it is something that you enjoy. Exercising to music that you like is a great way to boost or change your mood.

• Keep your room and spaces tidy to help declutter the mind and create more positive emotions.

• Keep a daily journal where you write down one to five things that you are grateful for will focus your energy in a positive direction.

• Organise your week by writing a to-do list to help you cope emotionally with a busy schedule so that it does not overwhelm you. It can also have a positive impact on sleep if you are not waking up in the middle of the night thinking of the day or week ahead.

• Ensure that you stay hydrated because dehydration can lead to headaches and fatigue that can make more negative.

• Visualize your goals and imagine how satisfied you will feel once you have reached those goals. This can help with motivation.

• Try to do something to help others. Knowing that you’re making a difference in someone else’s life puts your own problems into perspective and makes us feel good.

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