Healthy Eating For A Healthy Life: How Eating Affects Our Mental Health

“As a kid, I was overweight and I was bullied by my friends since then. It then affected me. I used to be the easy target, and I used to get into fights quite often. It impacted me and my mental health. I was not able to explain to others and express myself in a better way. People changed, but the bullying did not stop. I started hating my body, and my self-esteem hit low. I used to do emotional eating whenever I was sad to comfort myself and pamper a bit. So, I put on even more weight, and this was taking a toll on my health.”

This is just one excerpt from millions of stories people have shared about their struggles with food and eating habits.

As kids, we were always taught about ‘Food’. I clearly remember, every year there used to be a chapter on food in our Environmental Science textbook. Like my other classmates, I also used to love it because it gave us an opportunity to draw. We were taught about having a balanced diet and focusing on mindful eating. Food is such an integral part of our lives. Everyone can easily associate with it because it is there when we are celebrating or going through a difficult phase.

Food, for sure, is a contagious business because the moment we see somebody else eating, our mouth starts watering. However, with years and technology growing at a faster pace, things have changed. With fast food and readily available meals, individuals, especially those of the 90s, have, in a way, drifted away from the very idea of healthy eating that our textbooks used to preach.

Healthy eating refers to having a balanced diet containing essential nutrients. Essential nutrients are nothing but a combination of proteins, fats and carbs needed for our body to survive. But unfortunately, this balanced diet is disturbed due to various reasons like environmental factors, weight loss issues, and the popularity of junk food and the way they are marketed in society. Therefore, it is important to do a background check and plan meals in advance so that our diet is maintained.

Currently, the environmental or situational factor has a lot of effect on our diet. Lockdown is a perfect time for over-eating, constant munching or binge-eating. With few things to keep our mind busy, we often indulge in constant munching without realising the kind of effect it would have on our physical and mental health. Child obesity and eating disorders, like Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa, are getting attention because of the effects it has especially on children who find it difficult to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy eating. We need to address this topic for 2 main reasons:

a) To maintain our health, as there is a lack of medical services available at this time.

b) Availability of food resources is also limited. So, eating healthy becomes a matter of both discussion and question.

Healthy Eating not only focuses on weight management but is directly or indirectly related to our self-esteem, self-confidence, activeness and motivation. It promotes healthy living by supplying important chemicals that are needed to remain positive.

Here are some more reasons that oblige us to follow a healthy diet. It:

1. Maintains a good immune system,
2. Elevates our mood,
3. Boosts energy,
4. Increases Brain Power,
5. Enhances Self-Esteem,
6. Can help in fighting with Psychological problems like depression, anxiety, and eating problems.

Well, this whole topic is like Pandora’s box. The more you start involving yourself into it, the more you realise that you know very little. That is why, if you are somebody who is very much interested in knowing the links between food, brain and mental health, then don’t forget to watch and read these links:

1. Watch: How the Food You Eat Affects Your Brain
2. Watch: Why Diet Might Be A Big Deal For Mental Health
3. Read: “The Link Between Food And Mental Health”

(This article is a joint effort by Muskan Mehta, Manasi Baindur, Murali Krishna and Yashi Kapur who are providing counselling support in our Mental Health Internship Program.)

Reach out to Yo Zindagi if you are facing similar issues or have something to share that is bothering you.

Yo Zindagi is a campaign to promote Mental Health & Emotional Maturity by engaging individuals in conversations and workshop. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.