HEALTHY MIND, HEALTHY BODY

A healthy mind breeds a healthy body and vice versa!                                 - Zig Ziglar 

With the alarming rise of obesity and many products coming onto the market offering overnight weight loss, there is an increasing focus on putting into place good nutrition and health practices. This is a time when a lot is being invested in re-educating children and adults alike on what food has a positive or negative effect on our bodies. This is very important, but after we have got on top of our physical bodies, what are we feeding our minds? What would our brain’s diet look like if we wanted to give it a full overhaul?

Depending on the food we eat, it will either nourish us or draw from us. This works exactly the same way with our mind. “As we think, so shall we be.” Positive thoughts affect both our mind and body by creating a greater and more intense energy.

We notice the difference as we lose track of time when spending it in the company of content and inspired people, yet when spending time with someone who continually whines and has nothing but a negative, one-sided approach to life, we find ourselves completely drained of energy.  You will usually feel spent and tired after these interactions. This energy is taken from life and gives very little back.

When we maintain a healthy attitude, we re-energise ourselves as well as those around us. This would prove that our emotions have a flow-on effect. Healthy, life-giving thoughts promote sound well-being whereas negative thoughts have the opposing effect.

Much like being aware of what food we eat to promote good physical health, when we are aware of what and how we are thinking we can start to promote healthy mental well-being. Being conscious of what is going in, makes us more aware of the patterns that lead to these bad choices, be it with our physical or mental health.

When we look at our intemperance (def: having or showing a lack of self-control) in certain food groups, we sometimes wonder why we are never sustained. The same can be said for thoughts; why do angry, shocked, confused, or judgmental thoughts never sustain us? Like highly processed foods, they always leave us wanting more.

So, what is a thought diet? It is similar to a regular diet. A regular diet requires a person to monitor everything they eat and drink during the day and replace foods that are unhealthy and offer little to no nutritional value. A thought diet requires a person to monitor their thoughts and replace the ones that are negative or destructive.

Both diets have the same goal of promoting well-being. Why would we watch what we eat without paying attention to what is happening in our minds, when our thoughts may be the reason we over-indulge in the first place? It makes sense to take a holistic approach and pay attention to everything our minds, bodies, and subtle feelings tell us.