H E A L T H Y H A B I T S ENCOURAGING HEALTHY CHANGE
By: Claudine Klingenberg & Letitia Coetzer
In our endeavour to become fully flourishing individuals, we tend to focus on our external appearance, which is associated with tiny figures and regular exercise. We can easily overlook a fundamental part of our health – our mental health. It is almost impossible to ascertain if someone is leading a happy, balanced life by just looking at them. Understanding the link between physical and mental health
If mental health problems are left untreated for too long, more
Wikipedia defines mental health as follows: The level of
severe or even pathological conditions can develop. Mental
psychological well-being or an absence of mental illness. It is
health problems do not occur in isolation: it is estimated that 46%
the state of someone who is functioning at a satisfactory level of
of people with mental illnesses also have a long-term physical
emotional and behavioural adjustment.
condition. This means that conditions such as obesity, diabetes, respiratory disease and coronary heart disease are more common
The emotional discomfort that we experience when facing
in people with mental illness.
stressful decisions is necessary for growth, to initiate change and to develop character. However, too many unhealthy and stressful
We are what we eat
thoughts can lead to the onset of mental health conditions and
Do you eat when you are hungry, or also when you are frustrated?
the development of severely dysfunctional thinking patterns. Our
Once again: behaviour is linked to our decisions, which in turn
mental health state also affects our behaviour directly.
are linked to our mental state. Eating for comfort when facing challenging situations – usually in the form of sugar cravings – can
In 2011, rigorous studies in Europe revealed that 38% of the
seriously affect our physical health. There is an abundance of
population of 165 million people suffer from mental illnesses or
material and resources available on the topic of healthy eating
neurological disorders. Experts estimate that only one third of
and dieting. Health shakes and supplements sell quickly, but what
people affected by these disorders receive help.
is the success rate of reaching the target weight?
According to the blog of the Nuffield Trust, one in six adults has a
It may seem simple when we listen to all the talk about limiting
mental health problem at any given time. These problems include
our portion sizes and making the most nutritious choices. It can,
disorders such as depression, anxiety or phobias, or feelings and
however, be gruelling to walk the talk if you are not feeling
behaviours such as panic attacks or acts of self-harm. Roughly
contented, and self-regulation is lacking. If our dysfunctional
one in a hundred people will have a mental illness, which may
thoughts take over, we consume food accordingly and are
include more severe conditions such as schizophrenia or bipolar
left with feelings of shame and guilt. This spirals the process of
disorder.
unhealthy eating even further. We have to be able to change our
TWK HEALTHY HABITS
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