Cebu City -- Taking care of your health is important to maintain our overall wellbeing. One of the health issues we should take a closer look at is our mental health. It is easy to not prioritize or care for our mental health because our minds are being used all the time to get tasks done at work.
As we celebrate the National Mental Health Awareness Week this Monday 10 May to Sunday 16 May 2021, we remind everyone to take care for your mental health. Paying attention to our mental health has its benefits that could help us especially during the COVID-19 situation. It helps reduce anxiety and stress while elevating our moods so that we can feel good and get the most out of our day.
Fruits are good snacks to eat as they have lots of vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients to help the mind relieve stress while maintaining a healthy balanced diet. The National Nutrition Council Region VII would like to share five fruit snacks that you could buy from your local markets and prepare in a matter of seconds at the comforts of your own home, reducing the additional preparation headache.
Banana
Bananas contains an amino acid called tryptophan which is a type of protein that the body will break down and convert into the hormone serotonin. Serotonin is responsible for stabilizing our mood levels, making us feel happy all throughout the day.
Have a nice stress-relieving snack by slicing up some bananas for easy digestion or just eat it straight from the peel that you can take with you to your work desk. You can easily find bananas in your friendly neighborhood sari-sari store, local market or grocery store.
Avocado
Vitamin B in avocados play a beneficial role in reducing anxiety and improving your mood. There are other health benefits related to avocados such as better vision because of its vitamin A content and healthy glowing skin as this fruit is loaded with vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin K.
Another stress-relieving fruit snack that could also satisfy your sweet tooth cravings is avocado milk. Although it is mild, the taste of avocado is unique. The flavor itself is very subtle and is earthy, grassy, and nutty but fresh. You may want to slice up a whole avocado, place it in a bowl and add sugar or milk to your liking.
Pomelo
Have a big deadline from work coming up? Try eating some pomelo slices. Pomelo is an anti-inflammatory fruit that is rich in vitamin C that helps reduce inflammation, tension, and stress hormones in the blood, which could ultimately reduce stress caused by work. Since pomelos are rich in vitamin C, it can also aid digestion and make you full longer when eaten.
Apples
Another fruit that could help you are apples. Apples help reduce anxiety and put the mind in a calm and relaxed state. It is a delicious fruit snack to have on days that you are feeling stressed out with work or school or in need of a brain booster, and the best thing: it is easy and quick to prepare.
Yogurt with strawberry bits
Some people might not know this, but a probiotic yogurt can reduce stress and cortisol levels, according to Healthline. It allows your body to get the proper cleansing from the probiotic properties found in the yogurt while stabilizing stress levels. And what better way to have yogurt than to find one that has strawberry bits mixed in it.
Strawberry, which is under the berry’s family, helps to combat stress, reducing anxiety levels and the possible development of depression. You can find yogurt with strawberries in a pre-packed cup in your local grocery shops. //By Jewelle Chua, The Memoriter Writing Service intern
