Mental Health Awareness Week 13-19 May

Mental Health Awareness Week 13-19 May

Please be aware that this blog post is NOT aimed at those who are clinically depressed or those taking medication to ease depression, but simply an aid to lifting and lightening mood and boosting energy.

Mental health although of vast importance, remains to be a subject of taboo. This year Mental Health Awareness Week falls between the 14^th–20^th May, and is therefore the perfect time for us to highlight the significance of mental health within the workplace and the benefits that can brought to the forefront when you choose to eat foods than boost your energy, mood and outlook.

Ensuring that we are fully equipped to cope and overcome life’s pressures will enable us to become the best we can be, both in and out of the workplace.

Food & Mental Health

Science has shown that a depressed brain is an inflamed brain, and what we eat largely dictates the amount of inflammation we experience. Sugar and simple carbohydrates are highly inflammatory and are best eaten infrequently, if at all.

Our brains use approximately 20% of the energy we put into our bodies each day, which means that it is vital that we fuel our bodies with as many positive building blocks as possible.

Aim to be consuming 3 main meals each day, with snacks if necessary. All of these meals and snacks should be made using the food items in the table above. Feeding your body with mood boosting ingredients will help to boost your mood, increase and stabilise your energy levels, helping you to maintain a positive outlook on a day-to-day basis.

Food	Health Improvements
Leafy green vegetables Kale, cabbage, collard greens	Improved energy levels Protects against depression
Oats	Provides stable energy levels
Oily fish Sardines, mackerel, salmon	Helps to keep brain cells flexible, improving brain health and mood
Sweet potatoes	Helps maintain energy levels
Brazil nuts	Linked to increased mood
Lentils	Maintains an improved mood Increase the brain’s production of serotonin
Yoghurt	Improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety
A wide selection of fruit & veg	High in antioxidants, helping to protect omega 3’s within the body (consumed through oily fish)
Chicken	Boosts serotonin levels and improves mood
Dark chocolate	Releases endorphins and boost your serotonin levels

 

 

For full details of our Employee Nutrition Services, please find our brochure here and to chat through how this may be implemented in your workplace please call Anna on 07810 716758.