Part 4 of 4: 7 tips TO IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH TODAY.

In honor of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, I am sharing one single tip daily to support you in nourishing your mental health daily. I have been highlighting these tips over on Instagram if you’d like to follow along! Check out Part 1 here, Part 2, or Part 3 here.

Let’s recap the final week of May.

Wellness Tip #23: spice up your life

Don't underestimate the anti-inflammatory power of herbs and seasonings! Adding these unsuspecting kitchen items can actually have significant influence on one’s wellness. For example, turmeric, or it's bioactive compound curcumin, when paired with black pepper is exceptionally antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Saffron has been used medicinally for centuries and contains neuroprotective benefits as well as antidepressant value. Rosemary supports healthy blood sugar levels and offers the brain and body antioxidant value. Ginger helps with digestion and supports overall gut health through it's anti-inflammatory value. Checking a spice or seasoning’s ORAC, or Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, reflects the measure of a spice's antioxidant capacities which demonstrates how powerful it can be in relation to optimal brain health.

Ways to add in more spice:

• Switch up how you season your protein or veggies

• Add it to your smoothies

• Make a homemade dressing with seasonings/herbs

Wellness Tip #24: CUT OUT THE ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS

"One study showed that people who consume artificial sweeteners, mostly via diet drinks, are more depressed than those who don't consume such beverages."

Several studies demonstrated that artificial sweeteners can be toxic to the brain, altering brain concentrations of mood regulating neurotransmitters. Aspartame causes oxidation, which increases free radical damage within the brain, leading to neurological concern. Sucralose has been found to alter gut bacteria in mice, increasing a type of bacteria]=that other studies show increased in people who are depressed. Reducing the use of sweeteners of any kind is a good mental health practice; use raw honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar when necessary.

Artificial Sweeteners to Reduce/Avoid:

• Saccharin (Sweet'N Low)

• Aspartame (NutraSweet)

• Sucralose (Splenda)

• Stevia (Trivia)

• Erythritol

• Lactitol

• Maltitol

• Sorbitol

• Xylitol

Wellness Tip #25: Practice mindfulness

The chaos of our day typically robs us of any opportunity to truly be present - we are worried about what happened, what's next, and we lose sight of what's going on right now. This disconnect is incredibly influential on our ability to build awareness and truly understand how we're feeling from day to day. If we're always distracted, we're not fully with ourselves, our thoughts, our emotions, etc. Taking a moment every day, multiple times a day, to practice mindfulness (or meditation even) allows you to hone in on what it is you and your body may need. Mindfulness is heavily researched as being helpful for mental health and it generates a level of awareness that otherwise may not be cultivated.

Practice the 5,4,3,2,1 skill:

Find 5 things you can see.

Find 4 things you can touch.

Find 3 things you can hear.

Find 2 things you can smell.

Find 1 thing you can taste.

Wellness Tip #19: Shoot for short chain fatty acids

Are you moving your body daily? According to Dr. Robin Berzin, "One of the most powerful everyday actions for optimal mood and mental health is regular exercise, which research has routinely shown is just as effective as prescription medication in treating depression." Exercise is also free of the negative side effects like weight gain, low libido, dizziness, sleepiness, and nausea like drugs can have and typically do. Medication is necessary in some instances but it is certainly is overused and depended on. Exercise is a requirement - it provides a direct physical outlet for the cortisol and other harmful neurochemicals most people produce in alarming amounts every day as a result of stress and it also allows you to disconnect. Questions to ask yourself: What movement do you enjoy? Do more. What movement do you detest? Stop doing that. How can you meet yourself where you are in your movement journey? What must you sacrifice in order to gain?

Wellness Tip #20: TAKE MORE DEEP BREATHS

Deep breathing and integrating breath work into your routine is one of the most powerful, most accessible practices for the improving your mental and physical health. Deep breathing supports your nervous system by activating your parasympathetic response, otherwise known as the "Relaxation Response.” Our stress response is chronically activated due to the stressors of modern day life and engaging in deep breathing helps to mitigate the impact this can have on your body and your mind. The majority of our breaths are shallow - simply bringing awareness to how often we are taking deep, diaphragmatic breaths can significantly improve digestion and focus, promote presence, and contribute to overall wellness. Consider the following tools to integrate more breath work:

-Box breathing: inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four, repeat

-4,7,8 breathing: inhale for four, hold for seven, exhale for eight

-Breath work meditation: plenty of resources online

Wellness Tip #21: evaluate your relationship with alcohol

Are you familiar with 'hangxiety?' Most of us are. It is the phenomenon that takes place after a night of drinking that leaves you ridden with symptoms of anxiety. Alcohol impacts the body in a number of ways, including promoting "Leaky Gut," which we know can generate symptoms of mental health concerns like anxiety and depression. Alcohol is a toxin. That said, it disrupts the body's homeostasis, impacts our endocrine system, promotes inflammation, and drives up our blood sugar - which we've learned all plays a role in mental health. Alcohol is also a depressant for the nervous system. It also triggers dopamine, the pleasure chemical, which plays a role in its addictive nature. Reflect on your relationship with alcohol by asking yourself these few questions:

-Are you using alcohol as a coping mechanism?

-Do you struggle with depression and anxiety and continue to use alcohol?

-How do you feel emotionally after a night of drinking?

-How might you reconsider your drinking habits to better support your mental health?

Wellness Tip #22: are you consuming amino acids?

Amino acids are the building blocks of the neurotransmitters that play an enormous role in our mental health. When we consume protein, it is broken down into amino acids, oftentimes referred to the 'building blocks of life.’ Amino acids are essential for neurotransmitter development, such as dopamine and serotonin. Amino acids such as tyrosine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, and methionine have been researched to support their relationship with mental health. In general, protein consumption helps support a healthy blood sugar which can also exacerbate symptoms of anxiety and depression. Consider integrating more of the following to better support your mental health: quinoa, pasture raised eggs, grass fed meats, pasture raised poultry, buckwheat, nuts and seeds, wild fish, beans and legumes.

Check back for a week 4 wrap up as we make our way through Mental Health Awareness Month! If you need support in any of these areas, schedule a free consult below!