Top 5 Reasons to Work with a Personal Fitness Trainer in Dallas
The fitness scene in Dallas is booming, and the Top 5 Reasons to Work with a Personal Fitness Trainer in Dallas are becoming more apparent
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Choosing between personal training studios and traditional gyms is crucial for your fitness journey. Both options have their own advantages and challenges, catering to different
Can you build muscle with smaller weights?
It can be hard to work out with so many distractions and difficulties keeping us from the gym. When we are able to work out,
Health experts warn that the coronavirus pandemic could cause a lingering mental health crisis. While therapy and medications for stress and anxiety are often necessary, the foods you eat can also impact your well-being.
In March, an American Psychiatric Association poll revealed that 36% of Americans felt the COVID-19 pandemic seriously impacted their mental health. People primarily worried about their finances, the risk of contracting the virus, and the possibility of becoming seriously ill or dying.
The gut-brain connection
People call the gut the “second brain,” and they recognize the link between the two, even if they don’t realize it. You may feel “butterflies in your stomach” when you’re nervous or “go with your gut” when making an important decision.
Naidoo said the two are connected physically and biochemically via the gut-brain axis, the complex communications network that links the emotional and cognitive centers of the brain with intestinal functions.
Foods that can hurt mental health
Fried foods, processed foods, trans fats, nitrates, and foods high in salt, saturated fat, and refined sugars contribute to worsening depression, anxiety, and stress.
Naidoo explained that eating processed foods and fast foods every day makes the bad gut bacteria thrive, which leads to problems with inflammation.
Too much caffeine and alcohol can worsen your mental state, but moderation is usually fine. Naidoo said drinking 400 mg or less of coffee per day shouldn’t impact anxiety.
People respond to alcohol intake differently, but generally, heavy drinking is considered to be four drinks a day for men and three for women.
How to start eating for your mental health
To shift your diet with mental health in mind, Naidoo recommends starting small. Trying to change too much too quickly can overwhelm you and reduce results. “Slow and steady changes over time will build a healthy gut and provide the nutrients that support your brain,” she said.
Check your diet. Write down everything you ate over the past 24 to 48 hours, circle the unhealthy foods, and decide on one simple change to make. You don’t have to give up your favorite less-than-healthy foods entirely.
Taking steps to improve your diet for your mental health is especially important today, she said, as the effects of the pandemic will persist. Concerns over jobs, finances, food insecurity, gaps in children’s education and more will take a toll.
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A healthy diet can help mitigate or buffer one from these types of effects as it sets the stage for a beneficial gut microbiome and less inflammation, both of which are tied to mood, anxiety, depression and even sleep.
Begin with a diet self-check. Write down what you ate over the past 24 to 48 hours, circle the foods that are unhealthy, and then decide on one simple change you can make. You don’t necessarily have to give up some of your favorite less-than-healthy foods, though.Contact us to know more.