Not everyone has mental illness, but everyone has mental health – and maybe it’s not all in our heads after all, literally.
Taking a deep dive into the modern diet of the western world, it makes sense.
Stress is everywhere, as are processed, refined, energy dense, nutrient-poor foods. Our collective physical health is suffering and so is our mental health. Research is now showing that this is no coincidence.
Could inflammation be slowly dismantling both simultaneously?
Inflammation is a natural response from the body that protects us. It’s involved in repair processes that happen constantly, and a tool used by our immune system to fend of pathogens and treacherous bacteria.
However, when levels of inflammation are elevated and out of control, chaos ensues in both our bodies and our minds.
Chronic inflammation expresses itself as achy joints – leading to arthritis if the inflammation is left to fester long enough, and skin issues like eczema, gut issues and even depression and anxiety.
The key to managing our inflammation levels is found in very similar daily habits – diet, lifestyle and nutrients, omega 3s, in particular.
The food we eat either fights inflammation or feeds it.
Following a wholefoods-based diet – rich in fruit and veggies, nuts, seeds, oily fish, grass-fed meat, free-range eggs, whole, gluten-free grains 80% of the time is our best bet for keeping the inflammation at bay. When our baseline mode of living effectively manages inflammation, our bodies are able to process the odd treat here and there efficiently.
Getting adequate sleep and moving our bodies regularly are also effective tools for keeping inflammation levels within an optimal range.
The inflammatory response requires chemical messengers to set it off.
An essential ingredient for creating those chemical messengers are omega 3 fatty acids, which can’t be made by our bodies, and so must come from either or both our diets and supplementation.
Everything is interlinked.
What’s good for our body, is good for our mind, and vice versa. When we nourish the wellbeing of our whole being, we heal ourselves, and slowly the world around us heals too. (Ben Warren, Founder & Clinical Director of BePure)
BEPURE, T: 0800 52 54 52, info@bepure.co.nz, www.bepure.co.nz
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