#MentalHealth4SMEs: You are what you eat

In the first part of this series, it was discussed that poor mental health can and will have a drastic effect on a business. It was also established that a cornerstone of good mental health is enough sleep.

This week, we'll provide some vital information on nutrition.

Photo by Engin Akyurt© from Pexels

There’s worldwide consensus that 75-80% of the requirements needed for good results for anything you do is, well...good nutrition. This applies to all kinds of performances, whether it’s sports, academic, your job, or even in your family where you balance the demands of being a spouse, a parent or any other member of a family.

As we've determined before, your business and employees depend on your mental health. A cornerstone of mental health is therefore, good nutrition.

We all know there are thousands of nutrition programmes and philosophies out there, so the many choices might seem confusing, but we'll ask these simple questions to get to the point.

Whatever you’re eating, is it providing you with fuel? Are you eating the correct amounts, are you having the variety that’s needed for different functions, such as repairing damaged tissue, feeding growing tissue, and achieving immunity? Do you enjoy what you eat?

Our tip for this week

Don’t leave your eating to chance. Try planning a week’s meals, with purpose, even if it’s only work lunch. You’ll find that you will shop more mindfully.

Have fun with your food. Try one or two new foods that you have not yet tried, as well as a recipe you haven’t tried before.

As the saying goes, ‘You are what you eat’, so ask yourself, ‘What does good fuel look like for me?’ and keep that focus.

Fun Fact: Arnold Schwarzenegger is almost a vegan. He's loving his mostly vegan diet. The Austrian-American politician, actor, and former professional body builder eats a protein meat replacement and drinks almond milk to power him up through the day. “Now I eat more oatmeal, and greens, and vegetables, and healthy foods,” he said to Men's Health.

Look out for the next article where we'll discuss one of the most underrated keys to positive mental health...Nature.