HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) – May is the start of an important month – Mental Health Awareness Month. What we eat and how we move can have a major impact on how we feel mentally.
Rocket City Dietitian Rachel Brown joined 48 Now to talk about the powerful connection between nutrition, physical health, and mental well-being.
“What you eat directly affects our mood, how we feel, and our health,” Brown said.
Brown said there are quite a lot of foods that can boost your mood and energy, including foods that have Omega-3, Vitamin D, and Vitamin B, which she said are good for brain health, gut health, and our overall emotions.
When people consume a lot of unhealthy food, it can cause their energy and mood to decrease. Brown said when it comes to eating unhealthy foods like fast food, you need to eat that in moderation because the less healthy you eat, the more you won’t feel the best physically and emotionally.
“Fast food is fine every now and then. If that is part of your routine, make little changes to that. So if you’re used to getting two fried things and a sweet drink, instead, try one fried thing and maybe a water,” Brown said.
If people are going to fast food for quick meals because they don’t feel like they have time to cook, Brown said sheet pan meals are a quick, easy, and healthier alternative to cook.
Brown said in more research, it is being shown that gut and brain health are connected so she said it is important to eat gut healthy foods like fermented foods such as kumbucha, yogurt, kimchi or sauerkraut. She said this is one of the best ways to improve both your gut and mental health.
For people who have diabetes, Brown suggests going on a short walk after eating, which will help lower blood sugar numbers, which she said will help reduce feeling irritated.
Brown suggests to “start low and slow” when incorporating new, healthy habits into your routine.
“Being healthy is not all or nothing. It’s little habits that you change,” Brown said.
“Pick a new fruit or vegetable to eat every week and get daily movement, even if it’s just watching your favorite show and walking in place for a few minutes or lifting weights or water bottles while watching a show.”
Brown emphasizes the importance of incorporating a lot of protein and fiber in your diet and incorporating some type of movement every day to maintain good physical and mental health. She said it is important to give yourself grace, and once you start one healthy habit, it will continue to become something that easily falls into your everyday routine.
“Start simple, then it will start snowballing into a habit and the next habit,” Brown said.
To hear more of Rachel Brown’s advice on maintaining a healthy lifestyle to help with both your physical and mental health, the full 48 Now interview can be viewed at the top of this page.
To follow more of her journey, advice, and to get involved with her work, visit her website, Instagram, and Facebook pages.
If you would like to join her Taste Buds group, visit the Taste Buds group Instagram and Facebook pages.
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