I’m sure you’ve heard of the expression that there is no health without mental health? This refers to the fact that our health and well-being depend not only on our physical health, but also on our mental health: our thoughts, emotions and feelings. Problems can exist in our mental health in the form of stress, anxiety or depression, to name a few. Additionally, poor physical health can lead to poor mental health, and poor mental health can affect our physical health.
Mental health and wellbeing is therefore a very important topic. This can have a profound negative impact on a person’s physical health, family, and work environment. We know that 70% of GP consultations are related to our mental health. Additionally, our lifestyle can massively influence our mental state and vice versa; Depression can lead to a lifestyle in which we eat poorly, smoke and drink excessively, which can then lead to obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease. A lifestyle characterized by poor diet and foods high in artificial trans fats can also CAUSE depression. It is a two-way relationship between mental and physical health.
“What we eat can boost serotonin, so can physical movement and other lifestyle factors.”
Management of a mental health problem will depend largely on the situation, but can be broadly divided into self-help measures and lifestyle interventions, psychological therapies such as talking therapies, and then management. medical load with different groups of tablets. One group of commonly used medications includes a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which you may have heard of. They aim to increase serotonin levels in the brain to improve our mood.
But let’s not forget that lifestyle can also be important in improving our serotonin and mood. And this can be done in combination with medication if necessary. What we eat can boost serotonin, as can exercise and other lifestyle factors.
Consider a case study of a woman in her 50s who struggles with depression, anxiety, poor sleep, and more frequent migraines. She eats a lot of processed fast food and limits her exercise due to knee pain.
She drinks 1⁄2 bottle of wine in the evening. She has two children aged eight and nine and parents who are elderly, in poor health and living in retirement homes. She is currently going through a divorce and works in a toxic work environment.
Dr Milli
THIS CASE HIGHLIGHTS MANY FACTORS; LET’S DISSECT IT.
1 hormones – The first concerns the impact of hormones on our mental health. This lady is of menopausal age and so we need to ask her about the symptoms of menopause; ask her about her periods, find out about any hot flashes, etc. She reports that her periods are less frequent, less heavy and occur less often. This, in addition to the symptoms mentioned above, is consistent with perimenopause. We know that estrogen increases serotonin levels in our brains.
So the drop in this woman’s estrogen levels as her ovaries prepare to withdraw means her serotonin levels are lower, which can make her feel weak. Replacing her hormones with hormone replacement therapy (HRT), if she wishes and as long as there are no contraindications, would be an appropriate option to improve her mood.
2 Power supply – this lady eats a lot of processed foods. Studies show that trans fats and processed foods are linked to depression. She needs to take care of her nutrition and make sure she eats whole, unprocessed foods to nourish her body and mind. A poor diet will also not harbor healthy gut microbes. Our gut health and microbes can affect our mental state. Studies have clearly shown that not only are low numbers of healthy bugs in our guts linked to depression, they can actually CAUSE it.
3 Exercise – she doesn’t do any exercise. Yes, she has a busy job and elderly parents to take care of in addition to her children. And his bad mood probably gives him minimal motivation to exercise. But studies show us that exercise can be an effective strategy for preventing and treating mental health problems and improving our mood by boosting dopamine, serotonin and endorphins.
4 Alcohol – we know that alcohol is a depressant. This will not be conducive to his mental state in the long term. She should reduce her consumption, which could improve her mood. Additionally, alcohol consumption can disrupt sleep.
5 sleep – Adequate sleep is necessary to maintain a healthy mental state. After a bad night’s sleep, I’m much more moody and less able to face the day ahead. Seven to nine hours of sleep is ideal.
Getting enough sleep is essential to maintaining our mental well-being.
6 Social bonds and relationships – this lady is going through a divorce, has young children and has the responsibility of caring for elderly parents. To top it all off, she has a stressful job in a toxic environment. As she is in perimenopause, her coping strategies related to her declining hormones hinder her ability to cope. It is crucial to discuss and ensure that this lady has the support of her family and her work.
7 Migraines – His migraines are occurring more often, perhaps due to many factors. However, this physical problem may be linked to one’s mental health and stress. Other causes could be dehydration from alcohol consumption, lack of sleep and low estrogen levels during the change, which can trigger more frequent migraines.
As you can see, there is a delicate and intertwined relationship between our physical and mental health and our lifestyle. There are many ways to improve our mental health. My favorite way is to walk in a green space and listen to a podcast. I spoke on my podcast channel with a psychiatrist who embodies and practices the pillars of lifestyle medicine within her practice. It was a thought-provoking and insightful episode that you can listen to on Spotify: The Dr Milli podcast: Boost & Biohack your health.
And finally, this month I am very excited and happy to announce the release of my book Happy Hormones, Happy You; six lifestyle secrets to boost your hormones for better health and a happier life. This is a scientific yet friendly and easy-to-read book that guides the reader through the journey of our major hormones, our lifestyle, how they can interact, and what we can do to boost and hack our hormones. For more information on purchasing it, please visit my website drmilli.co.uk.
It’s a great Christmas gift and an investment in your health.
Out now. £13.99. Amazon.com
Till next time.
Dr. Milli x
NorthLife November 23/December
