Effects of Nutrition on Mental Health

It has been an enduring belief that nutrition plays a significant role in the state of mental health of an individual. But is this true or not?

Recent as well as previous researches have proven that nutrition (or the lack of it) does have effects on how a person's brain functions, his moods and his behaviours.

Say for example, a person who has skipped a meal is observably weak, out of focus and irritable. This case worsens when extended to a certain period of time when the person becomes severely moody and indifferent to the demands of his environment thus showing decreased speed in reaction time.

These behaviours occur due to the lack of nutrition supply to the brain. The brain requires high energy and nutrient supply. It comprises, in fact, 20% to 30% of all the energy consumption of the body during rest periods. Thus, any change in diet or nutrition level of the body directly reflects in the mental functioning.

Chronic energy deprivation, such as the case of malnourished people, results to the eventual shutting down of the body by decreasing its activities and redirecting all its energy sources towards the systems that require higher energy supply. This results to altered levels of activities, changes in hormonal levels, lessened immune system efficiency and transport of nutrients and oxygen to certain body parts, all of which could directly or indirectly influence mental health. People with extremely low nutrition are more likely to become sad, depressed and emotional as compared with those who have adequate nutrition.

Newborn babies and fetuses are also susceptible to brain damage if they are subjected to lack of necessary nutrition. The type and degree of damage is dependent on the severity of malnutrition. Also, malnutrition among babies has proven to produce low level of intelligence, cognitive defects as well as functional abnormalities.

Protein, carbohydrates, lipids and vitamins all have individual effects on the brain. Lack of supply of these necessary nutrients result to alterations in the activities of the neurotransmitters, a chemical component in the brain that transmit one nerve impulse from one nerve cell to another. Malfunctioning of the transmitters could influence a person's mood, thinking and even sleep patterns. Additionally, deficient levels of nutrition may result to nerve cell damage that could disrupt cognitive and mental functions.

Neurotransmitters are partly made of amino acids, the building block of protein. Trytophan for example, makes up the neurotransmitter serotonin. If the required amino acid is lacking, the functions of the neurotransmitter could not be executed affecting the normal functioning of the brain. In case of deficient protein consumption and failure to supply the necessary amino acid to make serotonin, the body would experience low mood and perhaps, aggression. On the other hand, diseases that could cause the build up of certain amino acids could lead to brain damage thus affecting the mental health of an individual.

Mood regulation could also be associated with the sufficient intake of dietary fats. Some studies have yielded inconclusive results on the correlation between serotonin level and intake of omega-3 fatty acids, a certain type of fat found only in white fish to stress and symptoms of bipolar disorder (a mood disorder having the representations of both mania and depression).

Directly or indirectly, nutrition has an effect on mental health. Changes in the nutritional intake of a person could lead to alterations in the mental health and vice versa.

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Make Self-Care A Top Priority!

The role of 'mum' is certainly complex! It is a multi-layered function made up of a vast variety of unrelenting roles, duties and tasks. A good definition of the main role of a mum is 'carer'. We care for the health, education, development, success, shortcomings, strengths and weaknesses of our children. We care about the cleanliness and tidiness of our homes. We care about the needs, happiness and worries of our partners. We care about the well-being of our extended family members. So why do we find it so difficult to care for ourselves?

Women tend to have many reasons for disregarding self-care but here are a few:

- Lack of time.

- Lack of self-worth.

- Procrastination.

- The belief that the needs of others are greater than our own.

These reasons may feel valid to you but do you also feel worn-out, under-valued, frustrated and unfulfilled? If you are honest with yourself, you are probably feeling a few of these emotions as well as a lot of other negative ones too!

Try practicing this as part of your new belief system: "Self-care leads to happiness. Happiness makes me a better mum."

When you accept this as being true, you will quickly learn to value self-care and all that it can offer you. You must learn to prioritise moments of time out so you can fulfill your own needs and achieve your own goals.

Do not get caught in the trap of thinking you cannot leave the house else everything will fall apart! Rely on your support network: husband, partner, extended family members and babysitters who can all help to take care of your children while you take some vital time out to care for yourself.

Set aside some time in your diary to do something that will help you to relax, something that you enjoy or something that will help you to attain a certain goal. Ensure whatever it is you do with this time makes you feel good. Prioritise this time and do not cancel it to satisfy the needs of someone else. It is okay to put yourself first sometimes!

Looking after your own needs will invigorate you and restore your energy levels. Allow yourself to focus on your needs so you become a more content woman. A happier woman always makes a better, more loving mum - so what do you have to lose?

If you are desperately in need of time out and want to clearly focus on creating the life you really want, contact Empowering Mums today: you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Start your journey today - achieve confidence, balance and joy.

Tracey Wall is a professional personal coach and director of Empowering Mums. Empowering Mums enables mums to live their dreams and aspirations, to become confident, balanced, fulfilled and happy women. We work by supporting and encouraging mums to take ownership of their lives, make positive changes, fulfil their potential and live their lives to the full, achieving life-long ambitions and goals in all aspects of their life. Become the woman you strive to be and live with intention, not regret! Contact Empowering Mums today on 01606 785 357 or visit http://www.empoweringmums.co.uk for more information.

If you have enjoyed this article, Empowering Mums produces a quarterly newsletter, Empower, which aims to support mums on their journey towards achieving confidence, balance and joy. Please visit http://www.empoweringmums.co.uk to subscribe to the latest issue of Empower.

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Postpartum Depression in Men

Men Also Get the Baby Blues

Society tells us that a new baby should be one of the most joyous of all life experiences. Well, for many new parents it can be quite the opposite.

Who Does It Effect?

Postpartum depression is an incapacitating psychological illness. It affects more than 15 percent of new mothers and 10 percent of new fathers. Many parents simply do not tell anyone that they are not coping with their new role as parents. It is common to experience very painful emotions after the birth of a new baby and men in particular do not ask for help. How many men visit a doctor when they need it, let alone get help when they are not coping emotionally or experiencing the baby blues?

Having a new baby brings massive changes to your life and there are a lot of 'fairytale' expectations from the world around us that are impossible to live up to. Men are often totally unprepared for the new stresses having a young family can bring: suddenly they have to juggle work, extra financial pressures and trying to support their partner who is going through her own life-flip!

How Do Men Feel

Add to that a loss of freedom, lack of sleep, probably less sex - let alone the huge identity change that comes with being a new dad. All of this can lead to resentment towards their baby, their partner and everyone around them that is still living the life they used to have.

Postpartum depression in men, or baby blues, can bring with it mood swings, drug taking or drinking, anger, anxiety attacks, becoming withdrawn from loved ones and a general feeling of unhappiness. Many men then try to brush off the negative feelings they experience and struggle on without seeking support.

It's Okay to Not Love Being a New Dad

If postpartum depression is left untreated it can be devastating for the whole family. Men need to know that it is okay to have negative feelings about their new role as a parent and reaching out for help is the right thing to do.

Postpartum Depression in men is treated with therapy or counseling and sometimes antidepressants as well. Joining a support group for new parents is also a good way to understand that you are not alone and that there are plenty of other men sharing the same experience.

Cherish and be marveled at by the family you have created. For more information about being new parents and how it affects your marriage visit [http://makingmarriagebetter.com/marriage-after-baby]

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Yoga for Mental Health: Mental and Physical Benefits of Yoga

Living in today's fast-paced world can be very stressful. People go through their lives without having time for rest and relaxation. One would think that after all the advancements in technology life would be so much simpler and relaxed. However, life has actually become busier with the advent of all these new technologies. Even if you are always piled up with work at the office or you find yourself always having to travel from one place to another not for leisure but for business, it is still important to take some time for yourself. A good way to make your free time more relaxing is by doing some yoga. The primary focus of yoga is on the general well being of the individual. Yoga is good for your mental health and stress reduction, as it encourages the mind to focus and relax.

Doing some yoga, whether in a class or at home by yourself can have a lot of positive benefits for your overall mental health. Yoga can help your mind relax and by constantly engaging in both the physical and mental practices of this discipline, you will find that it is much easier to deal with stressful situations. Yoga for mental health offers so many benefits. Yoga can teach you to learn how to quiet your mind so that you can focus your energy into being at peace. While work and other worldly endeavors are an important part of your life, it is important to feel from time to time that work is not all there is in the world. By doing yoga, you can focus on positive thoughts and you can let go of all the bad energy and focus on things that make you happy.

Doing yoga for fitness is beneficial for your body as well as your mind. Yoga will keep you physically fit, as it improves you body's flexibility and your overall health. Yoga significantly improves energy, vitality and respiration. By doing yoga, you can lose a lot of weight, as it helps improve metabolism. When you feel good about the way you look physically and when you constantly think of positive thoughts, you will be much more satisfied with your life. Yoga for mental health may just be one of the best things you can do for yourself. Go for a session or two of yoga over the weekend and you will find that you are much more alert and energetic when you go back to work. Yoga for mental health will also help you become much more alert and mental alertness can help a lot as you go about you daily activities.

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Kristen Bell Explains There Is No Shame In Feeling Anxiety & Depression

Meditation and Mental Health

If you want to live a more fulfilling and satisfying life, it pays to strengthen your mental health. The stronger the pillars of your mind are, the better able you are to live the life you truly want.

A healthy mind takes action, unhindered by fear, confusion or distractions. And it keeps working when things get tough.

Your mind is the product of your entire lifestyle (and, I suppose, the reverse is also true). Looking after it is like looking after your body. You'll want to live right, eat right and sleep right. Your mind needs social contact, interesting puzzles and physical movement to stay at its best.

Looking after yourself draws on every aspect of your life. So meditation is not the whole answer, though it's certainly part of it.

Q: How does meditation improve your mental health?

Firstly, nothing I say here should be construed as medical advice. Only a licenced professional who has, you know, spoken to you would be qualified for that.

But, for most people, meditation is great training for your mind's health. Just like physical exercise keeps your body strong, meditation develops key mental skills. Focusing on the present moment keeps you from dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Accepting what you experience reduces the sting from any negative emotion.

You don't lift weights to get good at lifting weights. You do it to become strong in your everyday life. Meditation is the same.

Some quiet time also allows your unconscious mind to work through any issues behind the scenes. When you meditate long enough, you'll have days where you come out of it feeling great. You won't know what resolved, but you'll know something did.

That makes you stronger for whatever happens next.

Q: How much should I meditate each week?

If you've never started before, take it slow. Maybe you want 10 minutes a day, three days a week.

You want to build that up. Most people find it better (and easier) when they do 20 minutes every day. That's what I do, at least.

Then sometimes I will meditate twice in a day or have a longer session (about an hour).

Whether that's right for you is up to you. I encourage you to try longer sessions, though.

Q: Does meditation help with more serious mental health issues?

It can. There's a lot of evidence that meditation is great for things like anxiety, stress and trauma - even PTSD. For serious conditions, I recommend seeking guidance - at the minimum, talk to your doctor. You probably want a good meditation coach too.

Meditation generally isn't recommended for people who hallucinate or have split personalities.

Q: I have something I want to work through but meditation isn't helping. Any thoughts?

Give it time.

If that doesn't help, learn self-hypnosis. It teaches you to get to the symbolic essence of your issues and resolve them.

Read on:

https://guided-thought.com/downloads/unlock-vault-self-hypnosis/

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Tips for Better Self Care

Tips For Better Self-Care

It can be difficult to make time for self-care in our busy schedules. We run from one commitment to another, filling every gap in our life with work, study, family and social events. The chaos of modern life makes it even more important that we take the time to care for our individual wellbeing, both physically and mentally.

If you are struggling with your own self-care, consider these five tips to improve your habits.

1. Add self-care to your normal routine
When planning your weekly schedule, make sure that you have time for self-care. Cementing its place in your routine means that you will be more likely to commit to self-care as you will have allocated time specifically reserved for it. The more often you practice self-care, the more it will become a habit and part of your regular life.

2. Do what suits you
Self-care looks for different for everyone. Some people enjoy getting outdoors, others like catching up with friends and some people prefer sitting at home losing themselves in a good book or movie. Identify what makes you feel better and commit to that. Donít feel pressured by what others consider self-care; long walks arenít for everyone.

3. Practice gratitude
Engaging in regular gratitude practice is a valuable habit and a worthwhile way to spend your allocated self-care time. Take some time each day or week to write down three things that you are grateful for. Try to think of unique things that have happened for that week, rather than repeating the same common things each time. It may be difficult at first, but the more you practice gratitude the easier it will become. Regular participation in gratitude exercises trains your brain to be more thankful and positive about the things you have in your life, rather than focusing on the things you donít have or things that arenít going so well.

4. Be brave and try something new
Trying something new is a great way to break the monotony of everyday life. Your mental health will benefit and you will learn new skills, both through the actual activity but also in regard to managing your nerves and being open to new opportunities. Itís a great way to take care of your mental, and depending on the activity, physical health.

It's time for you to make you a priority.

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How Are You Influenced and Motivated?

Negative motivators are those influences that drive us to certain and specific actions; based on a fear of some kind and maybe dislike of a certain outcome. The negative motivator may even be related an apprehension around the result; of the outcome which our inaction, or failure to undertake a specific task or fulfil an obligation; generates.

Positive motivators on the others side of the equation are those influencers which hold a desirable image, emotion or effect in our minds or habit nature.

These are interactions we know that, when completed successfully will add value to the quality of our lives, may even enhance our current situations, bring about a wonderful effect to our circumstances, or even progress us in one way or another.

These positive motivators also are borne of the understanding that when completed they will bring a better harmony, a peaceful effect to the environment, workplace or home... where we find ourselves investing in productive endeavour.

Know What Effects The Difference

The primary difference between how we perceive the difference between the two motivator categories is our freedom of choice.

Where we have negative experiences manifesting from specific actions such as, a loss, being reprimanded, receiving criticism or even a sense of discord within ourselves. We mentally and emotionally create an automatic associate between our actions and those negative connotations; and therefore, the outcome of these effects become negative motivators.

In this regard there may even be certain actions or undertakings that we really enjoyed doing; however, after repeated criticism, perhaps being mocked by the uninformed, or even receiving a reprimand, we lose our enthusiasm or joy derived and we begin to categorize these as negative.

However, with positive motivators these are thoughts, ideas, desires that let us to place ourselves above the pessimistic viewpoints of the average, beyond our current reality into a state that is future focused on the benefits and abundance attached to the enthusiastic completion of said action.

What we begin to understand is that in fact the primary difference between the two motivator categories is that it is actually our own personal approach to the specific action: our perception, our energy, our enthusiasm, our thoughts, our feelings... OUR ATTITUDE; which will decide the key differences between how the two opposite motivators influence and affect us moving forward.

A fundamental understanding that we need to resonate with, a key success minded attitude we need to adopt is: knowing that everything we do, every action we take, every thought we allow to enter our minds has the capacity to take us closer towards our desired outcomes or take us further than we had previously envisaged!

Maximizing Your Potential

'Efficient Action' and 'Acting in the Certain Way' as articulated by Wallace D Wattles in his book The Science of Getting Rich, educates us in the understanding that everything has purpose and a potential attached to it, and we need to grow out of our current situation by completing everything we do in a certain way... i.e. as a positive motivator!

This may prove to be a highly challenging prospect which leads us into conflict with our existing paradigm. Nonetheless when we begin to internalize our focus on where we are and where we are progressing to, aligned with the potential we have within us waiting to be expressed, then the influences of others or the feared outcomes do not have a bearing in our applications or responsibility.

What Choices Are Making?

So, as we continue to re-assess every action as one that will grow us, we experience an emotional and mental evolution that perpetuates like effects and like results! The ongoing perpetuation of the good allows us a resilience to reject what we do not want and a continued focus on what we do want!

So, what we close with, when we are increasing our understanding of what our specific motivators are, is that our freedom of choice will in fact decide what class any future exchanges will fall into. Our freedom of choice is a phenomenal gift that is given to us free at birth, but it is also one we give up too freely and too readily!

A simple story that illustrates this is the parable of the talents as related to us in the bible [Matthew 25:14-30].

When we assess this parable, we see that the key difference in the approaches discussed.

The fear of punishment, the fear of loss, the fear of failure and the fear of reprimand led to inaction which in turn resulted in a negative result as well as the manifestation of all the fears; for the one servant. Yet, on the opposite end of the spectrum the servants that took their responsibility seriously with a positive motivator reaped their own specific rewards.

In the case of all three... they all had the potential for the same consequences and in the instance of two of them there was a risk of greater loss therefore more severe consequences.

Let us choose to take action in an efficient and certain way so that our gifts increase through action taken with positive motivation!

At invinciblemind, we believe in the unlimited potential of the mind and are striving to share the life-changing effects of a renewed mind!

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How Are You Coping As Lockdown Restrictions Ease?

How have you found these past few weeks of lockdown? It may be that the weeks have seemed like a lifetime and many of us have been finding the loneliness and isolation a real struggle.

Without our normal daily distractions we may have started to realise that we live quite an isolated way of life, going to work then home, perhaps looking after children, maintaining our homes, maybe running a homebased business. Omit human interaction and socialising and it can be quite a lonely way of life.

It's only when something like a global pandemic occurs that we realise how important the incidentials like office banter, coffee mornings, gyms and quiz nights really are. They're not just places we pass through; they provide opportunities to catch up, socialise, discuss problems and enhance relationships.

Now that those restrictions are easing how are you coping with lockdown? Are you ready to revert back to 'normal' or do you need a little time to decide what you want, to readjust and regain your trust in the outside world?

At a time like this it's important to look after yourself, your mental health and do things that invest in a positive mindset, support your wellbeing and make you feel good.

- How comfortable is your home? As we've been spending more time there it's important to continue ensuring that it's a welcome place to return to. We may have used the time well and expended effort in tidying, cleaning and maybe introducing some brightness and colour by way of fabrics or pictures on the walls. All ways that have made your home feel good to come back to. Fresh bedding or a relaxing bath rather than a shower can be ways to treat yourself with more kindness. It's still tough at the moment, so be gentle with yourself. parents or children can become a little fraught if there's no respite and still no clear end to lockdown in sight.

- How have your relationships been at home? Living in each other's pockets, being full-on with a partner, Good manners, consideration and a sense of humour are especially important during these exceptional times. Continue planning constructive ways to spend your time together. Even if you're tired and don't particularly feel like making an effort, remember, home is not only about you. Maybe get the board games out, kick a ball around outside, revisit your music collection or old photograph albums. You may find these times become treasured moments where you enhance your family connection.

- Pay especial attention to mealtimes. Rather than simply grab food on the go or eat whatever's around, instead commit to making more of a feature of your meals, as they may well be the most important part of each day. Ensure that you're eating enjoyable, healthy, nutritious food and look after yourself. And these good habits can continue long after lockdown is over.

- Be wary of drowning your sorrows! Alcohol is actually a depressant and when we overindulge we consume an excess of toxins, hence becoming intoxicated. This then requires our body to work extra hard to clear those toxins out, so causing dehydration, headaches and low mood.

- Have you internet access? Keeping in touch with colleagues, family, friends and social groups online can be a great way of maintaining connections, discussing concerns and minimising loneliness. Many people enjoy skype and zoom calls, sharing photos, tips, support and advice, all valuable ways to feel less alone, especially in lockdown. And it's interesting to see how successful some people have become when they've moved their business to an online offering. Workshops, classes, delicious foods and clothing have adapted well to a home-delivery service.

- Plan for your down time. If you live alone, still plan your reading and TV viewing in advance. It's good to have something to look forward to. Make the most of an evening phone call by settling down with a brew for a leisurely chat with a friend. Treat yourself extra well; those little touches can make all the difference to how well you cope.

- Keeping a journal might be another way to find comfort and support. Record how you're feeling, the thoughts you're experiencing. Note a daily success or achievement and start to remind yourself of your value, worth and accomplishments. Focus on the good things you encounter, the beautiful sunrise, an unexpected kindness and stop discounting or taking these things for granted. It can take a little discipline to incorporate this routine into your daily life, but your journal may gradually start to include photos, pictures and other mementoes, so becoming a friend and making the entries more special.

Remember that everyone's been touched by this unprecedented pandemic. No one's been exempt. Whilst some will been more affected by it than others it's important to be kind both to yourself and to those in your life. Be mutually supportive and as we come out of lockdown appreciate what really matters to you. These tough times can bring with them great insights and inner peace.

Susan Leigh, counsellor, hypnotherapist, relationship counsellor, writer & media contributor offers help with relationship issues, stress management, assertiveness and confidence. She works with individual clients, couples and provides corporate workshops and support.

She's author of 3 books, 'Dealing with Stress, Managing its Impact', '101 Days of Inspiration #tipoftheday' and 'Dealing with Death, Coping with the Pain', all on Amazon & with easy to read sections, tips and ideas to help you feel more positive about your life.

To order a copy or for more information, help and free articles visit http://www.lifestyletherapy.net

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