Nurturing the Mind, Body, and Spirit: A Holistic Approach to Mental Health

Each year, World Mental Health Day on October 10 raises awareness of mental health issues worldwide, allowing us to focus on how crucial mental health is for overall well-being and quality of life. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes that mental health involves more than simply the absence of mental health disorders. Our mental health plays a vital role in our ability to thrive, overcome challenges, and achieve our goals in life. When we feel mentally healthy, we are better able to cope with stress, build relationships, and practice self-care for our physical health. When we neglect our mental health, however, it can have detrimental effects on our bodies, relationships, work, and overall life enjoyment.

In short, by prioritizing our mental health we are better equipped to handle the ups and downs of life, improve our resilience, and lead happier and healthier lives.

Unfortunately, mental health issues are on the rise. Depression, stress, and anxiety are at an all-time high. WHO reports that globally more than 300 million people are affected by depression, making it the leading cause of disability worldwide and a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. They have also recognized care gaps in many countries in the integration of mental health services into general health care and other non-healthcare settings.

What Causes Poor Mental Health?

The causes of poor mental health are complex and multifactorial. Unstable social, socioeconomic, geopolitical, and environmental circumstances certainly increase the risk of developing mental health issues. Genetics can also make people more vulnerable to mental health problems, as can emotional traumas at any time in life. If someone does not grow up in a nurturing and emotionally supportive environment, they can develop limiting beliefs and create destructive self-talk which interferes with their ability to feel mentally healthy. And, since most people don’t grow up learning adaptive emotional skills to help deal with life’s ups and downs, this can lead to substance abuse which only worsens mental health problems.

In addition, our modern lives include constant activity and sensory overload. To get things done we sacrifice sleep, or can’t sleep due to worry or ruminating on our ‘to-do’ list. This chronic stress can lead to chronically elevated cortisol levels and inflammation, which have been associated with an increased risk of depression and anxiety.

How to Holistically Support Your Mental Health

The good news is that there are things we can do to support our mental health. Focusing on our mental health allows us to recognize and address issues before they escalate into more serious problems. Mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD, among others, can have a profound impact on our daily lives and can be debilitating if left untreated.

For some individuals with mental health conditions, medication is necessary and works best when combined with counseling. But we can also strengthen our resilience and improve our mental health by learning emotional skills, engaging in positive social interactions, and creating a healthy daily routine to nurture body, mind, and spirit.

Read More: How to Take Care of Yourself Holistically: 17 Tips

According to the traditional healing system of Ayurveda, health and happiness are our natural state, our birthright. But often, we are disconnected from our inner source of joy for the reasons mentioned. Traumas, the busyness of life, and unhealthy lifestyles can all keep us feeling disconnected.

Fortunately, many practices can help us reconnect to our natural state of happiness. The best approach utilizes a combination of practices that include body, mind, and spirit, as all play a role in our overall well-being. The goal of an Ayurvedic lifestyle is to remove the obstacles to experiencing our true nature and support our innate health and happiness. When we realize, despite our circumstances in the past or present, that we can develop practices to connect to our inner joy, we feel empowered instead of hopeless.

It's important to note that the right practices are what feels right for each individual and may require guidance from professionals in a particular field. Combining practices from all areas of well-being can maximize the benefits. Working with a Health Coach or Ayurvedic Educator can help a person find what works for them and add new practices over time. Here are some practices that can build resilience and improve mental health:

5 Ways to Nurture the Mind:

• Practice mindful awareness by observing your thoughts. Move attention away from thoughts that don’t contribute to your mental well-being. You can then choose to focus on nourishing thoughts such as affirmations and positive self-talk.
  
  
• Journal regularly to help process thoughts and emotions.
  
  
• Examine your beliefs through reflection and contemplation and consider new perspectives on old stories or conditioned beliefs.
  
  
• Seek professional counseling, which can help through cognitive behavioral therapy and other therapies.
  
  
• Consider guided imagery or hypnotherapy to release limiting beliefs.

5 Ways to Nurture the Body:

• Eat a whole-food, plant-based diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats such as olive oil or fatty fish. Adding turmeric and ginger can reduce inflammation and improve mental health.
  
  

• Engage in joyful movement regularly.
  
  

• Create daily practices that balance the stress response in the body, such as breathing techniques, yoga, qi gong, tai chi, biofeedback, and progressive muscle relaxation.
  
  

• Follow a regular, restful bedtime routine, in bed by 10:00 or 11:00 pm. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep.
  
  

• Rest. This includes resting the senses by spending time in silence, limiting screen time, and practicing doing nothing.

5 Ways to Nurture the Spirit:

• Meditate daily. Choose a style of meditation that feels enjoyable and do it regularly. Meditation allows you to experience your inner joy and bring that joy into your daily life.
  
  

• Write down 5 things you are grateful for, daily.
  
  

• Practice self-compassion by being kind to yourself. Treat yourself as you would treat your best friend.
  
  

• Connect to something bigger than yourself through prayer, connecting with nature, or connecting to others, including pets.
  
  

• Explore music or art therapy to tap into your creative self.

When all else fails, the best way to feel happier is to make someone else happy. Reaching out to someone in need or volunteering for a group that does charitable work in the community can provide purpose and meaning to life.

None of these changes are easy, especially when someone doesn’t feel mentally healthy. They can only occur with support, and coaches and educators can help to fill in the gaps where current systems fail. A Health Coach can assist someone in achieving their goals for well-being, a health or well-being educator can share knowledge with their communities to start people on their path to healing, and a meditation or yoga teacher can help people connect to their true nature of joy.

Ultimately by taking care of our mental health, we are investing in our long-term happiness and resilience so we can thrive, live to our full potential, and make a positive impact in the world.