Not feeling your best is difficult, and some people will try many different things that are purported to help them feel their best. It’s important to note that you’ll have to detox your body and mind if you’re going to live the life you deserve.
Think about this situation: Brian hasn’t been feeling like himself lately. He’s gained a little weight and doesn’t have the energy to do the things he enjoys. This makes him feel bad, but he doesn’t quite know how he can make the changes he needs to get back to the lifestyle he enjoyed.
He decides to visit a counselor, who helps him realize that his mental health needs some attention. The counselor works with him to address the depression that’s plaguing him. They work on his thinking pattern and help him with a mental detox. He feels much better and begins exercising and eating healthy foods. Soon, Brian is back to living the life he enjoys.
What Role Does Healthy Eating Play in Mental Health?
Eating a healthy and balanced diet provides your entire body, including your brain and nervous system, with the nutrients it needs to function properly. When you aren’t getting the nutrients you need, you’ll likely start to feel down. This can have a significant impact on your mental health, which can make it difficult for you to get out of a negative thinking pattern.
Around three-fourths of Americans have eating habits that don’t include adequate amounts of fruits, vegetables, oils and dairy. Most Americans eat more calories than they need, and they’re consuming too much saturated fat, sugar and sodium. This provides them with an unbalanced intake of nutrients, which can lead to health challenges that might also take a toll on their mental health.
In order to improve your mental health, you may need to go through a physical detox that’s meant to get rid of toxins in the body that can cause:
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Emotional reactivity
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Moodiness
- Erratic behavior
- Insomnia
- Hormonal imbalances
- Weight gain
- Gastrointestinal upset
Once you have your physical detox underway, you can start to look forward to ways you can work through a detox for mental health. This can come from getting active, which will also improve your physical fitness.
How Can Regular Exercise Improve Your Mental Health?
Regular exercise is critical for a mental health detox, but this doesn’t mean that you have to live in a gym or work out constantly. Instead, you can do things like going for walks outside or finding other activities, such as tennis, that you enjoy.
Exercise helps to detox your body and mind by working out your cardiovascular system. As you work out, your brain releases endorphins, which are cannabis-like chemicals that can help to enhance the way you feel. This can help to break the negative thought pattern that sometimes comes with diminished mental health.
As you get more involved with your exercise program, you’ll notice that your confidence improves. You may start to turn to exercise to get your mind off the things you’re having trouble with. Using exercise as a coping strategy is a much better alternative than things like drinking alcohol or using drugs.
Adults need at least 30 minutes of exercise at least three to five days per week to reap the mental health benefits. You don’t have to do this all in one session. Instead, you can break up your physical activity into sessions that last 10 to 30 minutes.
One type of physical activity you might consider is yoga. This combines the activity you need with mindfulness. It can be an excellent option if you need to learn to look for the positives in a situation and deal with negative thought patterns, especially if you find a yoga studio that bridges meditation with yoga.
How Else Can You Improve Your Outlook on Life?
Try to surround yourself with people who will support you. Ideally, you’ll find people who can help you to pull yourself up when you’re feeling down. You may find an exercise buddy who can encourage you to stay accountable with your workouts, and you might realize that having them there helps you look forward to your active times.
You can also set goals for yourself. Start with the bigger goals you have, such as your final weight loss goal or specific activity goal. From there, you can break that large goal into smaller goals that will help you to remain motivated on your journey. Write these down and celebrate them when you reach them.
Remembering that everything won’t always be perfect is another important part of a mental health detox. People often set unrealistic expectations for themselves and others. When you have setbacks or things don’t go the way they should have, use it as a learning experience and find a way to move past it. This can help to shore up your mental health as you develop the ability to cope with life’s curveballs and detours.
What Should You Do If You Need Help to Detox Your Body and Mind?
For some people who aren’t feeling their best, the answer isn’t only to try to lead a healthier lifestyle at home. Sometimes, mental health concerns are the underlying condition that’s pulling you down. Seeking help from a mental health professional could be the key to feeling your best.
There are many ways a mental health professional can help you. They can work with you to find out if there’s a specific condition or illness that needs to be treated. They can also help you adjust your thinking patterns so that you’re able to see the positives around you, which can make it easier for you to enjoy your life.
When your mental health, physical health, and fitness are all in harmony, you’ll feel your best. As you work to detox your mind and body, you’ll notice small changes that can help to improve your life. Over time, you’ll find that you’re living your best life — one that’s filled with happiness and peace.
If you realize that you’re struggling with your mental health and need a little more help, give FHE Health a call. You can reach us at (833) 596-3502. Our compassionate and experienced counselors are ready to help you start your journey toward the life you deserve today.
