4 Helpful Foods for Mental Health - Wedge Community Co-ops

By Emily Truscott, Tubman

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. All month long, we’re supporting Tubman with our Change Matters program. Round up at the register to support Tubman and purchase Seven Sundays muesli to increase our impact.

As part of a broad continuum of services for people who have experienced trauma, Tubman offers a licensed outpatient clinic with mental health and chemical health services, as well as a co-occurring program for people with simultaneous mental and chemical health issues.

“At Tubman, we try to consider the whole person when treating mental and chemical health challenges. We believe—we know – that healthy bodies support healthy minds. We believe adding access to nutrition and supporting clients to consider nutrition as part of their ‘treatment plan’ will support their overall healing journey,” said Dr. Birgit Olsen Kelly, Director of Clinical Services at Tubman.

A few commonly recommended foods to boost mental health include:

Consider timing and frequency. Sometimes, spicy foods, protein at certain times of the day, or reducing sugar or “heavy” foods can help address symptoms of depression and anxiety. Some people have found that cutting back on sugar and sodas helps to decrease mood and energy swings throughout the day, and boosts energy overall.

When it comes to beverages, simply replacing sugary and caffeinated beverages with more ounces of water can help calm your body and mind.

Always consult with your health care professionals, physical and mental, about changing or supplementing your approach to managing your mental health.

TUBMAN OFFERS THE FOLLOWING MENTAL AND CHEMICAL HEALTH SERVICES:
• therapy for individuals, couples, and families
• mental health assessments
• chemical health (Rule 25) assessments
• a variety of therapy programs and support groups for specific individuals and needs
To learn more about these services, call Tubman’s Intake Office at 612 870 2426, or visit www.tubman.org/get-help.