Happy Tuesday everyone! So answer this honestly, did you have breakfast this morning? Known as the most important meal of the day, breakfast is one that I know many people around me avoid as they would rather an extra five minutes in bed than having breakfast especially as the cold and dark mornings are slowly creeping back in. Previously, I have spoken before about how your diet can actually help boost your mood and help fight depression. So with these two facts in mind, it would be silly to not insure that you have breakfast every morning with foods that are proven to help your mental health! Here are some options for a quick and easy to do breakfast with foods that will help improve your mental health and in turn start your day off in the right way! 1.Porridge with chopped Walnuts! A year ago my mam stood in the middle of our kitchen chopping up some walnuts while literally singing "these are good for ya!", I thought she was gone mad (even more than usual!) It turns out that she is right. It has been proved that eating walnuts everyday can help reduce stress levels and fight against depression as they contain zinc, folic acid and omega 3 oils which are powerful mood boosters as they increase serotonin levels. I'm not a fan of the taste of walnuts on their own as a snack so I add them into my porridge in the morning, to add flavour to them and to fill me for longer in the mornings. Not only is porridge a great food for the winter mornings, it is very quick and easy to prepare in the mornings so there is no excuse to skip breakfast before you leave the house! To top all of this off, porridge has also been found to fight depression as it contains vitamins B3/B6. Add some flavour: I easily get fed up of eating the same things day after day, so I often add some cinnamon, honey or maple syrup, just a tiny pinch/drop, to add some flavours! 2. Fruit on the go! When we think of a fruit salad we think of the nice warm summer months. However, the benefit's of fruit for mental health cannot be denied! Due to the wide variety of fruits available to us, there are so many different health benefits from including fruit into your diet not just regarding mental health. According to mentalhealthy.co.uk , fruits such as strawberries, bananas, kiwi, oranges, raisins, blackberries, contain magnesium will help prevent anxiety. With this in mind, to help reduce your anxiety from the minute you wake up despite your busy morning before work, you could have a fruit smoothie including some of the above fruit with yoghurt to thicken your smoothie up, or if you are using public transport on your way to college or work, you could use an empty container and fill it up with chopped up fruit so you can nibble on your journey to work. Another way to include fruit int your breakfast if you find it too cold to have a fruit salad in the morning is by adding blackberries to your porridge. 3. Not just your average slice of toast! Sometimes all we have time for is a quick slice or two of toast on the go while we are running for the bus! However, why not which your flora butter for an avocado? Avocado over the past few years have been recognised as a super food due to the amazing nutritional content in avocados which help fight many different illnesses. Due to it's high mineral content, avocados are known to also help our mental health, so why not spread some avocado on your wholemeal bread and if you like sprinkle some sesame seeds on top of your avocado spread to even add to your super food breakfast and sesame seeds are also known to help fight depression! So there are three types of breakfasts full of nutrients that will help fight depression, reduce and anxiety and start your day off just right! No matter what I am having for breakfast however, I do like to also have a chamomile tea with it as this helps relax me and I am giving myself the best chance possible for the day ahead! So why not try one of these breakfast ideas along with a chamomile tea and let me know how you get on! Love as always, Em X *** NOTE*** I am not a doctor or a nutritionist so the above post is based on my own experiences and research so consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet.
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Welcome to the Lifestyle Section!
This is where I share parts of lifestyle which I feel help or hinder my mental health. Archives
January 2018
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