Practicing positive self-talk, repeating affirmations, learning self-love, these are some of the most commonly thought of practices when it comes to ways to improve your mental health.

While all of these habits are beneficial, the state of your mental health is predominantly influenced by the quality of your physical health. If you had to guess which areas of your life impact your mental health the most, how long would it be before you named nutrition? Would it even come to mind? 

In this article, we’re going to discuss the importance of nutrition on mental health, the different benefits of proper nutrition and the negative effects of poor nutrition.

Mental health and nutrition

If this is the first time you’re hearing about the correlation between mental health and nutrition, you wouldn’t be the only one.

Education around proper nutrition is severely deficient in the United States, and this has resulted in a lack of knowledge in the citizens. In turn this has led most individuals to be completely unaware of the importance of nutrition, and how to practice it on a daily basis.

Poor education on nutrition has prevented people from being aware of the importance of nutrition and the direct impact it has on the state of their mental health. It has also misled countless individuals to believe their symptoms are chronic without potential for cure, when in fact, developing a healthy and strong state of mental health is entirely possible.

Benefits of proper nutrition

Most of us have been told at some point in our lives to eat healthy because it’s good for us, but few of us fully understand just how important and impactful eating healthy is.

Proper nutrition has the ability to greatly reduce your chances of developing various illnesses, as well as sometimes even the capability to fully heal oneself from a certain condition.

Some of the greatest benefits of proper nutrition are:

• Clear skin, strong nails and healthy hair
• Muscle development
• Strengthens bones
• Boosts immune system
• Strengthens digestive system
• Lowers risk of developing disease, illness or mental health conditions
• Can extend lifespan

Our nutrition dictates the state of our physical health, and the state of our physical health directly impacts our mental health. Understanding this is the first step to repairing our diet.

Effects of poor nutrition

There is no such thing as a neutral ingredient, and everything we eat and drink, whether completely natural or highly artificial, will influence the body in a positive or negative way.

While essential minerals, vitamins, proteins and more will be absorbed by the body to support its overall function. Toxic ingredients will inflict their damage on some level before being “fought off” and discharged.

The most common effects of poor nutrition include:

• Gaining significant weight
• Hair loss or excessive hair growth
• Skin issues and weak nails
• Poor sleep or sleep disorders (like insomnia)
• Lack of energy or constant fatigue
• Weakened immune system (more vulnerable to disease)
• Heart disease and stroke
• Diabetes 
• Cancer 

Good health is often taken for granted, and rarely appreciated until it has started to decline.

The consequences of poor nutrition can be severe, both on your physical and mental health. While illness to many people might seem like it appears out of the blue, it’s actually developed over time. Often, this is largely due to the negative impact of consistently poor dietary choices.

Start healing your mental health today

Pyramid Healthcare is a premier behavioral healthcare organization dedicated to providing the highest quality of client-focused care to each and every client.

We specialize in helping individuals reclaim their purpose and zeal in life by teaching them sustainable practices that will benefit them in the long run.

Equipped with the proper knowledge and skills, you can foster positive, long-lasting change that allows you to live your most energetic, joy-filled and fulfilling life.

Contact us today to speak with one of our advisors and learn more about how you can get started on the path to mental health recovery.