I finally broke down this week.
I could see it coming as I became more tired, more emotional, and disengaged from social media. And I’m not at all surprised it happened.
This year has been full of the unexpected and we’ve all had to find ways to cope. It hasn’t been easy. And to be honest, it’s taken its toll on my mental health. How about yours?
If you’ve been watching everybody else’s highlight reel on social media while feeling the weight of your own anxiety right now, I gotchu, boo.
With Christmas only a few days away, I wanted to give you some tools to support your mental health during the holidays.
- Support your gut by eating lots of plants. They provide prebiotics which feed the good bacteria in your gut, the primary communicators between your gut and brain. Include more fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, nuts, and seeds.
- Consider taking a probiotic. Under stress the balance of good bacteria can be altered. Supplementing can help support your mental health. Ask your healthcare practitioner which strain might be best for you.
- Get outside for some vitamin D at least 20 minutes each day. It can help stabilize your mood and improve immunity, which is primarily located in your gut.
- Limit sugar and alcohol intake. They reduce your good gut bacteria, cause nutrient imbalances, and contribute to leaky gut. All are important to balance for your mental health.
- Balance your blood sugars. If you’re eating lots of carbohydrates, refined foods, and sugar then your blood sugars may be unstable. Support your mental health by eating protein or healthy fat-rich snacks in between meals, like trail mix or fruit with nut butters
- Consider supplementing with fish oil. Fats are important for a healthy brain and supporting your mental health. Consult with your healthcare practitioner about which supplement might be right for you.
- Exercise for 30 minutes each day. Stress lowers your stomach acid which can cause an imbalance in gut bacteria and nutrient malabsorption. This impacts the gut-brain connection. Exercising daily can help manage your stress and protect your gut and mental health.
- Drinks lots of water. Toxins circulating in the body or a damaged gut can have a negative impact on your mental health. Drinking at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily can flush out toxins and protect your gut.
- Eat fermented foods. As mentioned in number one and two, balanced gut bacteria is key for supporting mental health. If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or anything related to your mental health – balance that bacteria. Yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, and pickled vegetables are great options.
- Avoid any known or suspected food sensitivities. That’s because the health of your gut has a direct impact on your mental health. Food sensitivities aggravate the lining of the gut and prevent nutrient absorption. Avoid those foods while you focus on improving your mental health.
- Focus on good quality sleep. Stress, anxiety, and other mental health struggles all impact the quality of your sleep. But it’s also key to managing and healing it. Aim to get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night and plan to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
- Connect with others and seek help. Times are weird and you may be feeling isolated. Reach out to friends and connect over zoom or book in with a therapist for a safe place to talk. You can also book a consultation with me and I can help you improve your mental health through nutrition.
It’s okay to not feel okay, but just remember there’s a lot you can do to support your own mental health. And it’s always okay to ask for help!
Take a good look at this list and choose one or two things that you want to focus on over the holidays. If you can do more to support your mental health, I’d encourage you to do it.