All throughout my counselling and help that I've received for my mental health there has been a reoccurring theme and something that I've always been told will help me with my mental health. It's never really something I paid close attention to until this year but it's really changed me and the way I deal with some of my mental health issues.
The piece of vital information that has helped me a lot this year is the idea that a healthy mind works off a healthy body. What I mean by that is that your diet and exercise really impacts on your mental well-being. I honestly thought this was a load of bollocks when I was first told this at the age of 16, but it couldn't be more beneficial and helpful to my life right now.
For a very long time I didn't really pay attention to what I ate or how much exercise I did each day. I would each absolute crap and wonder why I felt so lethargic and groggy. I would sleep in and not wake up when my alarm went off, I didn't really have a good routine and this was so clear during my first year of university. I had a massive set back with my mental health and self harming tendencies during my first year and I don't really think that it helped that I was eating crap and barely doing any exercise.
In first year we were catered for with breakfast and dinner during the weekdays and at the weekends we had to cook ourselves food as well as lunch during the week. My diet that first year was horrific. Every weekday morning I would have a full English breakfast and a bowl of cereal, then some sort of carby dish for lunch and then for dinner whatever I ate, it was accompanied with chips. At the weekend I would just snack and then have a Domino's or McDonald's. Needless to say I gained a lot of weight, and by a lot of weight, I mean about three stone over one year. I didn't really do much exercise either, just three hours of dance a week that was compulsory with my course. I had barely any energy and I found that it affected my depression and anxiety so much, I was way more groggy and depressive, more things triggered my anxiety and I couldn't work out why until this year.
At the start of my second year of university I decided to go on a massive health kick and lose all the weight I put on during first year due to my awful eating habits. I went on something called a teatox, you drink these two different teas and they help get rid of all the toxins in your body and help it be clean and fresh ready to start a new healthy lifestyle. Over this year I've done the teatox three times, one 28 day one, and two 14 day ones. With the teatox you have to eat really healthily, you can't drink and you attempt to do more exercise. I also calorie counted and bought myself a Fitbit to see how much exercise I was doing. Over this last year my eating habits have changed dramatically and all for the better, I've lost most of the weight I put on through eating bad food and because I live a 10 minute walk away from uni I've been way more active than I have ever really been.
I feel so much better and confident within myself having lost the weight and knowing that whatever I put in my body determines how I will be feeling. If I eat well I'm more likely to have more energy and want to be active, whereas if I eat bad food like fast food or freezer food, I feel groggy and lethargic. Since doing the teatox and having a bit of a health kick I've realised the huge different a good healthy diet can make to your life.
I'm not claiming that having a healthy body and diet cause my depression and anxiety to disappear, I'm just saying that it helped me to deal with the problems I faced due to my anxiety and depression. I found it easier to get up in the morning and my mood was considerably improved. I guess what I'm trying to say is that there is a link between being healthy and having a healthier mind. Your body is a temple and whatever you put in it is what you get out. If you chose to eat badly that could have an impact on your life and how you feel about everything. There's nothing wrong with being naughty with food every once in a while but I think it's so important to maintain a healthy life style, especially if you're suffering from any mental health issues. Exercise also releases endorphins which make you feel better all over. I think it's important here to get a balance with exercise and food, I'm not saying just eat salad and exercise all the time, but have a balanced diet and try to be a little more active in your life style and see if it makes a difference to you. I know it made a huge difference to my life and mental well being.
Stay awesome.
For a very long time I didn't really pay attention to what I ate or how much exercise I did each day. I would each absolute crap and wonder why I felt so lethargic and groggy. I would sleep in and not wake up when my alarm went off, I didn't really have a good routine and this was so clear during my first year of university. I had a massive set back with my mental health and self harming tendencies during my first year and I don't really think that it helped that I was eating crap and barely doing any exercise.
In first year we were catered for with breakfast and dinner during the weekdays and at the weekends we had to cook ourselves food as well as lunch during the week. My diet that first year was horrific. Every weekday morning I would have a full English breakfast and a bowl of cereal, then some sort of carby dish for lunch and then for dinner whatever I ate, it was accompanied with chips. At the weekend I would just snack and then have a Domino's or McDonald's. Needless to say I gained a lot of weight, and by a lot of weight, I mean about three stone over one year. I didn't really do much exercise either, just three hours of dance a week that was compulsory with my course. I had barely any energy and I found that it affected my depression and anxiety so much, I was way more groggy and depressive, more things triggered my anxiety and I couldn't work out why until this year.
At the start of my second year of university I decided to go on a massive health kick and lose all the weight I put on during first year due to my awful eating habits. I went on something called a teatox, you drink these two different teas and they help get rid of all the toxins in your body and help it be clean and fresh ready to start a new healthy lifestyle. Over this year I've done the teatox three times, one 28 day one, and two 14 day ones. With the teatox you have to eat really healthily, you can't drink and you attempt to do more exercise. I also calorie counted and bought myself a Fitbit to see how much exercise I was doing. Over this last year my eating habits have changed dramatically and all for the better, I've lost most of the weight I put on through eating bad food and because I live a 10 minute walk away from uni I've been way more active than I have ever really been.
I feel so much better and confident within myself having lost the weight and knowing that whatever I put in my body determines how I will be feeling. If I eat well I'm more likely to have more energy and want to be active, whereas if I eat bad food like fast food or freezer food, I feel groggy and lethargic. Since doing the teatox and having a bit of a health kick I've realised the huge different a good healthy diet can make to your life.
I'm not claiming that having a healthy body and diet cause my depression and anxiety to disappear, I'm just saying that it helped me to deal with the problems I faced due to my anxiety and depression. I found it easier to get up in the morning and my mood was considerably improved. I guess what I'm trying to say is that there is a link between being healthy and having a healthier mind. Your body is a temple and whatever you put in it is what you get out. If you chose to eat badly that could have an impact on your life and how you feel about everything. There's nothing wrong with being naughty with food every once in a while but I think it's so important to maintain a healthy life style, especially if you're suffering from any mental health issues. Exercise also releases endorphins which make you feel better all over. I think it's important here to get a balance with exercise and food, I'm not saying just eat salad and exercise all the time, but have a balanced diet and try to be a little more active in your life style and see if it makes a difference to you. I know it made a huge difference to my life and mental well being.
Stay awesome.
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