Four ways to boost your mental wellbeing

Wellbeing describes a state of being comfortable, healthy or happy and it’s usually present when our body, soul and mind are all well cared for. This holistic approach to care becomes especially important as we age and our bodies begin to need extra TLC.

Growing up, we were taught that keeping our bodies healthy is a key part of maintaining good health and wellbeing. This is usually achieved by exercising and eating right.

Throughout our life, our soul is pretty well taken care of too and this seems to come quite naturally. This aspect of wellbeing includes things like spending time with friends and loved ones or doing hobbies we enjoy. These replenish our soul and bring joy to our life.

However, an often-neglected aspect of our wellbeing is our mind. Mental health helps determine how we cope with stress, make important choices and relate to others, among other important things. Maintaining a healthy brain helps avoid mental decline, enables us to think clearly and helps with emotional support and regulation.

Ways to flex your mental muscles

There are many ways to flex our mental muscles and sharpen our mind. Most of these are a lot of fun and you may even do some, or all of them, already!

1. Get outdoors and spend time with nature. This could include gardening, which is a fantastic stress reliever and can help your brain drift into a state of relaxation.

2. Arts and crafts. You don't have to be a world-class artist to enjoy letting your creative juices flow! Painting, drawing, sculpting, card-making and origami are all great options to improve your brain function.

3. Puzzles and brain games. These are a great way to stimulate your mind and help stave off mental aging. Puzzles such as Sudoku, word searches and crosswords will help keep your mind sharp.

4. Healthy eating. Diet can have a significant impact on the way our brain functions. Certain foods help reduce inflammation and cellular stress, which are linked to brain and neurodegenerative disorders. They can also help repair and build brain cells.

A few examples of these foods are: 

• Fish, which contains Omega 3 to boost brain function and cognition.
• Whole grains, which contain Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from damage caused by free radicals.
• Eggs, which are a fantastic source of Vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid. These vitamins help prevent brain shrinkage and cognitive decline.
• Broccoli, which is packed with glucosinolates. These important compounds, when broken down by the body, lower the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Broccoli also contains Vitamin C and flavonoids – antioxidants that help brain health.

Understanding how important it is to take care of mind, body and soul, Gourmet Meals provides delicious, healthy meals that contain foods to help boost your brainpower. You can be assured that the nutritionally-balanced meals on our menu will be delivered to you chock-full of mind and brain-boosting food!