When it comes to wellbeing and emotional health, it’s no secret that I love going all-natural and toxic-free! Not only do natural ingredients and remedies help regulate our hormones and are better for long-term health, scientific and clinical studies have also shown that by incorporating some minimal lifestyle habits, our mood and mental health can also immensely improve. One of my main pillars of therapy is to have a holistic view of an individual. What do you eat daily? Who are your significant partner, loved ones, family members, and influential people in your life and what is your relationship like with them? What are the effects, both positive and negative, of your environment? What toxic elements currently exist in your day-to-day life that have been shown to be hormone disruptors and cause mood dysregulation? By examining these questions and find out which factors we can improve and/or eliminate, we begin to understand mood cues and triggers, unwanted toxicity, and potential food sensitivities that can affect our overall mental and physical health. We can then begin to optimally take charge of our mental wellbeing,

Following a personal lifestyle change, I began a journey of self-healing through incorporating toxic-free ingredients and natural mood enhancers. Here are some of my personal favorites that I like to believe have had a direct, positive effect on my wellbeing:

• Regular exercise:
  Try incorporating a simple, feasible, low to moderate intensity exercise routine when you’re feeling down, such as yoga, meditation, light jogging, or walking. Start with 10-20 minutes a day and gradually increase duration.
• Healthy fats:
  I know many of us automatically freeze when we see the word “fats” but fear no more, I’m only suggesting moderate consumption of HEALTHY fats which have also been shown to improve wellbeing and even reduce the risk of mortality. Some examples include raw nuts, seeds, coconut/avocado/olive oils, avocado, and raw nut-butters.
• Daily regimen:
  Ensure you’re having a vitamin D-rich, low-inflammatory, unprocessed/unrefined, and plant-based sources in your daily regimen. Examples include at least 20 minutes of direct, natural sunlight and adding leafy greens, raw vegetables, herbs & spices, citrus, and berries to your meals.
• Aromatherapy:
  Wild Orange, Yling Ylang, Geranium, Lavender, and Frankincense have mind-calming, anxiety-reducing, and mood-enhancing effects. Consider investing in an air diffuser for an all-natural air freshener that uplifts the mood of the whole house!
• Quality time with loved ones:
  This one seems pretty obvious, right? Except many of us sometimes prefer to avoid others when we’re down. We may think that by isolating ourselves, we’re less of a burden. Chances are, our loved ones are eager and hoping that we’d talk and let them know how they can support us.

Results of scientific studies reveal that positive mood facilitates resistance to temptation. Who needs comfort food when they’re already comforted?! Lifestyle interventions have an increasingly apparent role in physical and mental health and with few changes in our daily habits, we can inevitably begin to notice a change in our emotional wellbeing.

*Please use your discretion when testing the above-mentioned suggestions; consult your physician first if there are any existing health/dietary concerns.*