Simple ways to have a healthier and happier mind

“The mind of man is capable of anything,” writes James Conrad, one of the greatest of English novelists and there’s plenty of scientific evidence to back that statement. In addition to the usual cognitive powers such as consciousness, memory, judgment, and perception, our minds are also capable of doing some pretty extraordinary things like neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to change continuously, forming new connections throughout your life. How cool is that? 

You’d think that such an important part of our body would receive a great deal of care and good maintenance, it’s sadly not the case. The Community & Public Health Organization of New Zealand has found that one in six Kiwis have been diagnosed with common mental problems at some part of their lives. So, the big question is, are we really taking care of our minds as we should?

Well, here are three simple ways that you can!

1. Get Outside

Be honest, when was the last time you went outside just to be outside and enjoy Nature? Can’t remember? Well, you’re not the only one. According to Florence Williams, author of the Nature Fix, the average human spends up to 5% of their time outside just for the sake of it. Williams says that spending more time with Nature helps us stay more socially connected, creative and relaxed. She believes that the natural world can aid in the prevention of psychological problems such as depression.

2. Eat for your Brain

Did you know that your brain is one of the hungriest organs in the body? This is because it’s extremely metabolically active; all that energy needs a lot of fuel to keep it going. There is so much talk about which foods to eat for weight loss or glowing skin, however, when it comes to knowing which food to eat in order to maintain good mental health, awareness seems to be seriously lacking. According to Psychology Today, Omega 3 and Choline are the nutrients you should look out for when selecting food for the brain. Omega-3 is said to be a vital source of nutrition to the outer membrane of brain cells, and this can be found in fish and other seafood, along with nuts and seeds, plant oils and fortified foods such as yogurt. Another easy way to get Omega-3 is to pop into your nearest Pharmacy in Auckland and get some dietary supplements such as cod liver oil, krill oil, fish oil or algal oil.

Meanwhile, Choline which is a fat-like B vitamin is said to have the power of enhancing memory. Some choline-rich foods include eggs, nuts, and fish.

3. Meditate

We’ve all heard of how amazing meditation is, but let’s see why and how. Mindful meditation is said to be very helpful in treating conditions like anxiety and depression that many mental health counselors would first try out meditation before turning to medication. This is because meditation is found to have the power of changing your brain and how your body reacts to stress. 

A study published by the Biological Psychiatry journal discusses how participants who underwent daily meditation were found to have significant changes to their brains after just three days of practice. The examiners discovered that the part of the brain responsible for processing calmness, stress and focus had become more active thanks to meditation. 

If you want to try out meditation, don’t forget to check out Yoga too. Even though they are described separately, Yoga is an integral part of meditation which is why centers offering mental health services provide both as part of their treatment programs. Together they bring peace of the mind and body, resulting in perfect harmony and health.