May is Mental Health Awareness Month and every year the goal is to fight stigma, provide support, educate the public, and advocate for policies that support people with mental illness and their families. It also aims to draw attention to suicide, which can be precipitated by some mental illnesses.
Millions of people suffer through living with mental illness each day but not everyone who does, knows they have it.
Four ways to improve your mental health
1)SLEEP
This should be an obvious one, but a recent study shows that most of us are not getting enough sleep. You need about seven to eight hours of sleep a night, but most of us get about five to six. So go to bed an hour earlier if you can. Those extra minutes can help improve your health.
2)EAT HEALTHIER
Eat Vegetables and Fruits
Vegetables and fruits are packed with nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fibres. They help you manage your weight by keeping you full longer.
Choose Whole Grain Foods
This includes whole grain bread, crackers, brown or wild rice, quinoa, oatmeal and hulled barley. Whole grain foods have proteins, fibres and vitamin B.
Eat Protein Foods
Protein foods include legumes, nuts, seeds, tofu, fish, shellfish, eggs, poultry, lean red meats, milk, cheese and yogurts, and fortified soy drinks. Protein helps build and maintains muscles, bones, organs and skin.
Have Enough Fluids
Stay hydrated by having enough fluid from water, nutritious beverages and fruits.a
3)EXERCISE h
No, you don’t need to become a gym bunny to have a healthy mind, but it’s proven that moderate exercise can do wonders for your mental health and self-esteem. If you are feeling low, put your shoes on, turn on your music and go for a 20 minute brisk walk. It’s been proven that 20 minutes of walking can change your mood. And if you are up for it, turn that walk into a jog. Sweat the badness away.
4)TELL SOMEONE
This is the most important one. The biggest thing you can do to improve your mental health is talk to someone about how you are feeling. A friend, family member or counsellor if needed. You don’t need to feel the way you do and there are lots of people willing to listen. So do your mind a favour and talk.
Eliminate stigma
Stigmas prevent individuals from accessing care. Loved ones are not encouraging those struggling to get the help they need, and instead stigmatizing struggling from mental health issues as shameful. Many people still think mental health issues are simply a result of poor choices and lack of willpower to “snap out of it.” This is not true! Take the time to explain mental health concerns such as eating disorders, anxiety and depression. Just like medical health issues, a combination of factors can bring upon mental health issues.
Raise awareness
Mental health issues are still misunderstood. Increasing awareness means more people are aware that they are struggling from treatable issues, more loved ones are encouraging earlier access to care, more attention is paid to the need for research, and more people are willing to donate to organizations that help to raise awareness for mental health. Educate your peers; let them know about different types of mental health concerns and the help that is available.#mentalhealthawareness
your body’s everyday functions, promote optimal body weight and prevent chronic diseases. The nutrients in the food you eat support your daily activities and routine, protect your cells from environmental damage and repair cellular damage when they occur.
Healthy eating helps maintain your body’s everyday functions, promote optimal body weight and prevent chronic diseases. The nutrients in the food you eat support your daily activities and routine, protect your cells from environmental damage and repair cellular damage when they occur.Healthy eating helps maintain your body’s everyday functions, promote optimal body weight and prevent chronic diseases. The nutrients in the food you eat support your daily activities and routine, protect your cells from environmental damage and repair cellular damage when they occur.
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