Optimizing your Weight Management Journey: Mental Health

Mental Health and stress management are both extremely important not only for our happiness but for maintenance of physical health, including preserving a healthy weight. 

Our bodies respond to stress similarly to trauma, triggering our body to be in “fight or flight” mode. Consequently, we start to store more fat in our cells as a form of protection and can lead to weight gain or make losing weight more difficult. 

The best ways to manage our mental health and lower stress include engaging in these practices:

Self-care: Taking the time to do things you enjoy every day is vital to mental health. This can include watching a favorite TV show once a day, taking a 20 minute break from work and going for a walk outside while listening to music or a podcast, taking a long bath/shower, etc. This also means limiting activities you may think you enjoy but may actually have a negative impact on your mental health, like too much browsing on social media or consuming too much upsetting news. Ideally, some amount of self-care should include disconnecting from electronics and screens for a period of each day but the end goal is to bring more positivity into your life.

Mindfulness, deep breathing, and mental cognition activities: Studies show that engaging in mindfulness even for 5 minutes each day can lead to lower levels of reported stress. This can be done either through guided ways like meditation apps or timed reminders to take a pause and self reflect on what’s around you and how you are feeling and accept that feeling. Diaphragmatic breathing has also been found to improve relaxation as well as reduce heart rate and blood pressure. Neurofeedback is a training tool that teaches your brain waves to move in a more efficient manner. People who participate in neurofeedback therapy often report several benefits including improvement in mood, sleep, mental clarity, and can even help curb food cravings. Talk to your Modern Age clinician today if you’re interested in pursuing neurofeedback therapy. 

Community bonding: People who report a poor connection to their community typically also report higher levels of depression and lower levels of happiness. These people also tend to have a shorter life expectancy! Staying connected to your friends and family (when possible), or tapping into your community resources including town events and activities is a great way to maintain a sense of belonging, support, and purpose. 

Supplements: There are many supplements and treatments that can help combat the effects that stress can cause. Some of these treatments include:

• Phytisone: a supplement that provides adrenal support with increased levels of cortisol, which is a major stress hormone.

• Stress IV Drip: IV therapy with high dose vitamin C and glutathione help target inflammation that comes from chronic stress.

• Magnesium: a supplement that blocks the activity of stimulating neurotransmitters, which allows for a more relaxed and calming state. This supplement is also used for many as a natural sleep aid

Talk to your Modern Age clinician about whether any stress-reducing supplements might be right to add to your regimen. 

Therapy: Therapy provides you with a non-biased professional who not only listens to you in a non-judgemental way, but also provides you with honest and accurate advice on how to cope with your everyday stressors and how to be the best version of yourself. Therapy is one of the most effective forms of stress-reduction and improves quality of life.

 Modern Age’s weight loss program includes frequent check-ins with our clinicians to help our patients identify patterns and manage the effects of stress that could impact changes in weight. Our goal is to work with you every step of the way to incorporate the right practices into your life to achieve a sustainable lifestyle alongside your weight loss program. If you are interested, Modern Age’s Aging Wellness Assessment is the first step!