Nutrition and mental health and wellbeing

Mental health is a positive state of the mind, that is it refers to how people think, feel, and behave mentally. WHO stresses that mental health is “more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities. When mentally well, one feels good and happy, ability to interact with friends and family well, being kind to others and not hooked by negative emotions.

There are many causes of mental unwellness conditions such as stress, depression and anxiety such as:

• Personal difficulties for example conflict with loved ones, being alone, lack of income, worries about the future,
• Problems at work conflict with colleagues, an extremely demanding or insecure job insecurity
• Major threats in your community such as diseases like the current Covid-19 pandemic, closure of schools or lack of economic opportunity.

It is important to note that good mental health depends on a delicate balance of factors and that several elements of life.

It is also important to talk about nutrition and mental health because a nutritious diet isn’t just good for the body; it’s great for the brain, too. Studies have shown that a healthy diet is protective and an unhealthy diet is a risk factor for depression and anxiety. Eating nutritious foods is crucial for brain development. A diet rich in nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish like mackerel, soybeans and zinc (found in nuts, meat, dairy, eggs) boosts brain health.

Nutrition and healthy lifestyle also go beyond just eating healthy food but keeping physically active. Being physically active both serves to strengthen muscles and bones as well as improved mental health by keeping the mind refreshed.

Disasters (droughts, floods, pandemics) have a significant impact on food supply, availability and affordability thus leading to food insecurity. Lack of enough food (food insecurity) can be one of the personal difficulties one may face which leads to worry, stress and depression hence the 2 are linked.

Also, conditions like stress, depression and anxiety tend to alter appetite. Some people when stressed, they have greater appetite, which often leads to over eating and loading the body with more than required nutrients. Often times, stressed people tend to eat a lot of foods with processed sugars which are unhealthy for the body and can lead to overweight and obesity. In other people stress, depression or anxiety kills the appetite, which causes a person to under eat and deprive the body of the required nutrients in their right amounts. A body that is deprived of nutrients is prone to illness due to a weakened immune system. Both overeating and under eating can have an effect on body size and shape which can induce stigma about body image among young people, also leading to stress and depression.

• Eating healthy foods to keep the body and mind well nourished.
• Stay physically active: Regular exercise encourages the brain to rewire itself in positive ways and prevents depression. It is therefore important to keep physically active for good mental health. Join online fitness or wellness programs like Zumba, yoga etc which a re hosted by other people on social media.
• Try activities that stimulate your brain: Games such as chess which can also be found on the phones. Try organising fun activities with friends that can be done virtually, like quiz about schoolwork.
• Talk to someone: Keeping active relative or a friend can help reduce the stress. Keep in touch family members who are away and friends from school or work.
• Try to have fun through doing things you enjoy while observing the stay at home and social distancing policy. Things to do can be dancing to music, cooking, reading books
• Get enough sleep
• Spread love and be kind to others :so that you are also not causing someone to be stressed or depressed especially on social media platforms.

• Internet of good things- a platform by UNICEF which can be used offline or without data. Topics and issues on mental health, hygiene, emergency information, HIV and sexual health advice for adolescents and many more
• Download books that talk about mental wellbeing such as: Doing what matters in times of stress published by WHO