Wellness Tip:

Eat for Mental Health

Have you ever paid attention to how your food choices affect your mood? Research shows that food choices may have a bigger impact on mental health than we realize. For example, recent research suggests the Mediterranean diet could ease depression.  

Here are some diet changes that can support your mental health:

• Eat more plants, fiber, and healthy fats. 
• Eat fermented foods (like kefir and kimchi) to boost friendly gut flora and decrease inflammation. 
• Try an elimination diet if you think you may be sensitive to certain foods. Learn which triggers to avoid. 
• Regulate your caffeine intake based on your body’s individual reactions.

Read more here, and try paying attention to how different foods impact your mood and mental health.

Routine Breakdown

George from SpoonFedStudy, YouTuber & Registered Doctor

A Doctor’s Clean Morning Routine

This routine comes from Yale-trained doctor and popular YouTuber SpoonFedStudy, who calls it “The Clean Morning” – aka, no junk and no dopamine from devices. He says it takes only 15 minutes to complete and works like a series of dominoes that lead from one to the next.

The Routine:

• Wakes with an old-school alarm (no snooze). He puts it under the bed so he has to get out of the covers and down onto the floor to reach it. 
• HIIT: Once down on the floor, he busts out some exercises like pushups and planks.
• After getting warmed up, jumps into a cold shower for 30 seconds.
• Tackles the most important and difficult task (the sacred 5 minutes). At this stage, motivation is high and getting into flow is easy: “Since you haven’t burned dopamine on other stupid things like scrolling social media, the full dopaminergic stack is at your disposal.”
• Does an optimized reset. This involves three mini-dominoes for body, mind, and spirit: eat a healthy breakfast, get outside in sunlight and nature, and practice gratitude. “Even three weeks of consistent gratitude practice results in long-term brain changes.”

Why it works:

• HIIT increases peak VO2, plus four minutes is enough to significantly boost brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) – i.e. your brain power!
• Research suggests cold showers can relieve muscle pain and boost immunity.
• This is the ideal time to tackle that difficult task because “your brain is supercharged: you’re alert, your adrenaline is pumping and endorphins are everywhere.”
• Time in nature has immense mental health benefits, while gratitude really does change your brain.

Stacking your routine steps into “dominoes” that flow easily from one to the next is a great way to build healthier habits. What do you think of George’s routine? Is there a way you can incorporate more “dominoes” into your morning?