How to Combine Nutrition, Movement, and Overall Wellness for Better Living

The saying “you are what you eat” is true. Research has shown that diet plays a critical role in shaping a person’s health and well-being. Unhealthy diets can pose a major risk for disease and disability.

Similarly, movement and regular physical activity are crucial for overall well-being. Exercise can provide significant physical and mental benefits and actively contributes to the prevention and management of diseases, such as diabetes.

Mental health is also critical to overall well-being and leading a better life. An individual’s emotional state can have a direct impact on their physical health and nutrition. For example, poor mental health can increase the likelihood of chronic physical conditions.

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What is integrative health?

Before delving into how nutrition, movement, and mental health are all connected, it’s important to understand integrative health. The term describes a patient-centered style of delivering healthcare that considers a more holistic approach.

Instead of treating all components of an individual’s health separately, an integrative approach considers the whole person’s physical, emotional, mental, and social factors when treating a patient.

Healthcare professionals employing an integrative health approach will focus on the person as a whole, not just the specific disease or illness. It is an evidence-based practice that considers how different aspects of a person’s health, such as their mental state, can affect their physical health.

How does it work?

A healthcare professional employing an integrative approach will complement conventional Western medicine with lifestyle changes and therapies that have been scientifically validated. Examples of these include:

• Lifestyle changes (e.g., food, exercise)

• Dietary supplements

• Body-based therapy (e.g., massages)

• Psychological treatment

• Psychotherapy

• Meditation or mindfulness activities

It’s important to understand that these should never replace conventional medicine. Healthcare professionals employing an integrated approach will only use these alongside formal treatment options.

How is it different from a holistic approach?

Despite the terms often being used interchangeably, there is a difference between integrative and holistic health. Understanding the difference is crucial for anyone navigating the modern healthcare landscape.

The concept of holistic health is over 2000 years old and has strong roots in ancient history and traditional Chinese medicine. In Chinese Medicine, practitioners believed that the body, mind, and spirit were all interconnected and must work harmoniously for balance and well-being.

Traditionally, practitioners of holistic health would include alternative treatments, such as acupuncture and herbal medicine. On the other hand, while integrative health takes the holistic philosophy of treating the whole person, it is rooted in evidence-based practice supported by research.

The importance of nutrition

The link between nutrition and physical health has been known for years, but it also has a significant impact on mental health and overall well-being. As the American Psychological Association states: “We are what we eat”.

Growing evidence reveals that what we eat influences more than just physical health. It can have an impact on a person’s mood and emotions, as well as decrease the risk for mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.

Research indicates that a diet with minimal processed foods and a focus on fruits and vegetables is associated with positive mental health outcomes. One study of 45,000 people found that individuals with high amounts of fruit and vegetables in their diet were linked to significantly reduced psychological distress.

How movement affects health

Recent data from the American Heart Association reveals that only one in five adults and teens get enough exercise to maintain good health. It’s recommended that individuals fit in at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. Examples of moderate-intensity activities include:

• Fast-paced walking

• Water aerobics

• Gardening

• Dancing

Physical activity is directly connected to a person’s physical and mental health. Exercise has a scientifically proven influence on a person’s mental well-being and emotional state. Several positive outcomes include:

• Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression

• Enhances sleep and cognitive function

• Meeting exercise goals can improve self-esteem and confidence

Mental health and overall wellness

Mental health can impact physical health and a person’s body through biological, behavioral, and neurological pathways. People living with poor mental health are more likely to experience poorer physical health than the general population.

People living with mental illness are also more likely to experience comorbidity – two or more – of physical conditions. This is a connection that goes both ways. It’s also more likely that a person living with a physical illness is more likely to develop a mental illness, as poor health can be stress-inducing and raise the risk of conditions such as depression.

Poor mental health can impact physical health and overall well-being directly and indirectly. For example, depression can affect a person’s willingness to complete activities that promote good health, such as brushing their teeth, exercising, or cooking healthy meals – impacting nutrition and physical health.

Research also reveals that positive mental health has a wealth of benefits for physical well-being. These include:

• Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke

• Make chronic illness or pain more manageable

• Studies suggest that people with good mental health have a higher life expectancy

If you’re looking to shift towards better living, it’s important to focus on all aspects of your life and health. Making small steps to improve in all areas, including our mental health, physical health, and diet, is easier than singling out just one.