A Healthy Lifestyle: Is It Good for Our Mental Health?

If you ask any doctor if having a healthy lifestyle is good for our mental health, they're going to say yes, but how good is it really for our mental health? Here, we investigate...

It says that doing an hour's exercise a day helps with mental health, as well as physical health. Exercise releases our "feel good" endorphins which help with feeling overly positive, and puts us in a good mindset too. I was very sceptical with this "rumour" at first when I started doing exercise, but now I've been doing light activities each day, I have, in fact, found a dramatic difference in how I feel and how much energy I have each day.

I must admit, I am on medication to help with my emotional personality disorder, but I do strongly believe that the exercise is helping me a great deal with helping me feel more positively about my life, healthy eating, and general well-being. Also, having an encouraging partner helps a great deal too.

My "normal" eating routine starts with eating granola with fat free natural yogurt in the morning with plain tea or coffee with fat free milk, then I normally do all the morning stuff, like brushing my teeth, taking my meds, making the bed etc.

Then I'll normally do my workout for that day, which includes squats, wall push-ups, bicycle crunches—you get the picture. I've managed to lose five pounds in the three weeks I've been doing this. Making it a habit was hard, but once you get into the routine of doing this each day, it's actually very easy!

Meal plans can be available by going to your dietician at your GP's office. They will tailor the meal plan especially for you, and around the amount of weight you want to lose. It's also free. Who can pass that up? Now, onto the next topic: Veganism..

Now, I'm no experienced vegan, but I know a lot of people who are, and it's left me questioning myself; is being vegan really good for your body? Or is it not? I've seen people I know plummet to a size six from a healthy size 12 in a matter of a month or less because they're not getting the nutrients they need, and it concerns me, it really does. Giving up meat, which, as humans, we are meant to eat as part of our diet, is a huge sacrifice for you and your body.

I get it. You get protein from nuts, etc., but losing all that weight in a small amount of time really scares me. It makes me concerned for my friends' well-being, and asking myself if they're okay. If you're vegan and you want to help my understanding then please, feel free at all costs. I'd like to learn more about being vegan, and what it means for the environment and us as human beings.

I think being healthy is extremely important for the body and mind. You also feel really good after working out and giving your body the energy you need to have a good lifestyle. Also, knowing that you're taking care of your body properly makes you feel amazing. It does wonders for your mind too. It puts you in a positive mindset and makes you feel like you want to do even more for your body. Love your body for what it is, love it for what it could be, and love it for what it was. Giving your body what it needs is the best feeling in the world. Be mindful, be healthy.