The Little Blue Book

1. EAT WELL, DRINK LOTS OF WATER, EXERCISE The jury is in; taking care of your body is good for your mental health. And, just as mood disorders like depression and anxiety can make us physically unwell (with body pains, headaches, irritable bowel, eating disorders and compromised immune system), taking care of your body can help guard against these disorders and help protect mental health. So, eat healthy nutritious meals. Shop in the ‘fresh food’ part of the supermarket and avoid processed packaged foods and ‘fast foods’ laden with salt, sugars and saturated fats. Rediscover the ‘lightness of being’, the vitality and healthfulness that comes with a good diet of fresh foods. Poor diet, with sugar drinks and fast foods, can itself be addictive and lead to obesity, chronic illness, poor self-esteem and depression. It can also interfere with mental development and concentration in children (besides the inevitable confidence issues that come with being overweight). While you’re on this path of rediscovery, share the enjoyment of good food with your children. Help them establish good eating habits and nutrition – with fresh fruit, vegetables and wholesome foods. And drink plenty of water. After all, fresh water is the cornerstone of life for all living things. Dehydration will kill us faster than starvation - your body needs fresh water; your health depends on it. So, avoid sugar drinks, don’t overdo the coffee and caffeine intake, and give your body and essential organs the cleansing flush of water they need to maintain efficiency and to ‘wash out’ toxins and other harmful substances we pick up in daily living. Move it or lose it. We all know that exercise is good for the heart, good for skeletal health, helps guard against obesity and keeps us physically strong. Exercise also keeps our brains strong – exercising releases natural chemicals (endorphins) that make us feel better, that lift our spirits, lighten our mood and wash away stress and anxiety. Why not start by making time in your day for 10 or 15 minutes of exercise? Do it for two or three weeks (it gets easier!) and you will be amazed at how much better you feel. Exercise and rest go hand-in-glove. So, discipline yourself to get enough sleep. Lack of sleep is a recognised contributor to depression, low moods and irritability, and mental ill-health. Get the TV out of the bedroom, leave the computer, and get to bed. New research suggests that, for good health and mental resilience, adults need between seven and eight hours of restful sleep each night. ADA Australia 115 Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 PostScript