Healthy eating is about recognising the role that food plays in supporting or undermining your mental and physical health, including your emotions.  It is also about exploring your relationship with food.

There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to making healthy food choices, and there are many conflicting nutrition and diet advisors out there that it is easy to become overwhelmed or confused.

Healthy eating is not about strict dietary limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of foods you love.  It is about feeling energised, improving your health, feeling great and stabilising your mood.

Here are some simple tips to create a tasty, varied and nutritious diet that is as good for your mind as your body…

By eating better, you can help maintain a healthy weight and avoid certain physical health problems as well as have profound effect on your overall mood and wellbeing.

Studies have linked a typical Western diet (processed, packaged meals, sugary or salty snacks, take-aways) with higher rates of stress, depression, anxiety, bipolar and ADHD.  Eating more vegetables and fruit, cooking meals at home, reducing sugar, salt and refined (white) carbohydrates, on the other hand, may help to improve mood and lower the risks for mental health issues.  Eating well can also help manage existing symptoms and regain control of your diet.

The basis of healthy eating is to replace processed, refined, pre-prepared food with food that is as natural as possible.  Eating food that is as close to the way nature made it can have a huge impact on the way you think, look and feel.

We all need a balance of protein, healthy fats, carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins and minerals to sustain a healthy body and mind.  You don’t need to eliminate certain categories of food from your diet, rather select the healthiest option from that group.

You don’t need to be perfect, change everything at once, or punish yourself.  Instead, plan a few manageable steps, like adding a salad to your day each day, have smaller portions, prepare more of your own food, add more variety of vegetables, read the labels, eat slower, chew longer, drink plenty of water between meals, focus on mood and eat regular meals.

Focus on adding the best quality fresh food you can to your diet and eat to enjoy the best quality life!

Wishing you good health.