4.1 Diet and nutrition
Diet and nutrition are a key aspect of self-care that can directly affect your own mental health and ability to cope with stress. For example, magnesium (found in nuts, seeds and green leafy vegetables) aids muscle relaxation; B vitamins found in wholegrains help to reduce anxiety and nervous tension; healthy fats (found in fish and plant and seed oils) support healthy brain function and aid concentration; live yoghurt and fermented food and drinks, such as sauerkraut, kefir and kombucha, support healthy gut bacteria, which in turn support general health and brain function (Holford, 2005). Therefore, it can be useful to review and reflect on your diet and eating habits and the impact they may be having on both your general health and your ability to cope at work.
Activity 7 Nutrition and health care
Write down everything that you have had to eat and drink in the last 24 hours and any foods and drinks that you consume on a regular basis.
Review and reflect on what proportion of your diet is made up of fresh, natural or wholefoods or what might constitute ‘junk food’ eaten ‘on the go’. For example, do you make packed lunches for days working on site, or select healthy salads or soups at your place of work, or do you get through the day on sugary coffees and teas, carbonated drinks, snacks and/or slices of pizza? To what extent do fruit and vegetables contribute to your regular diet? Do you get at least the government recommended ‘Five a Day’? Do you keep hydrated with water during the day especially when the heating is on, or the weather is hot? What small changes could you make to support your mental and physical health?
Discussion
Identify some websites or apps that you can use to assess the mental and physical health-giving properties of your diet such as the NHS 5 a day [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] (NHS, 2022b). The Mind web pages on Food and Mental Health also contain a lot of tips for simple and small changes that you can make to benefit your mental and physical health.