Spring Refresh: Revitalize Your Diet for Health and Wellbeing (Spring into Spring Part 2)

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Spring into Wellness

As the vibrant colours of Spring burst forth, it’s the perfect time to refresh not only our surroundings but also our diets. Welcome back to ‘Spring into Spring,’ a chance to reboot and renew all aspects of our lives. In the first part, we looked at the classic Spring Clean and declutter. In part 2, we explore how to revitalize our diets to promote health and wellbeing, physically and mentally. So, as we step into Spring, let’s take stock of our cupboards and review our shopping lists. Because embracing a healthy eating regimen isn’t just about nourishing our bodies—it’s about boosting energy, mood, and cognition. It’s also an opportunity to reconsider our values.

Let’s Talk About Food

Food occupies my conversations more so than any other topic. I talk about food with friends and family, and I especially like to talk about food with strangers. I talk about food a lot! It’s far more interesting than the weather and has deep emotional significance for us. Just get someone talking about their favourite childhood dishes, and you’ll make them smile. As a psychologist, I am interested in how food affects our mood and cognition. And in academic coaching, I tackle the subjects of food and water early on. Together with sleep and exercise, they are the platform for improving learning skills. But with so many fad diets on the market, what constitutes healthy eating?

Food Facts and Recommendations

While researching my study skills book, Letters to a New Student, I wanted to answer the question if there was any such thing as brain food. The conclusion I reached was that we should base our diets on the Mediterranean diet and the Japanese diet. However, I’ve slightly amended this recommendation following a journal article in 2020 in Nutrients. It includes other diets such as Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay), and the Nordic diet. With all diets, the principles are pretty much the same. A summary of recommendations includes more plant-based meals, fish, olive oil, low-fat dairy, whole grains, reduced saturated fats, processed foods, sugar, and salt. The benefits could include reduced risk of heart disease and cancer, improved blood pressure, lipid profile, and insulin sensitivity, and a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, obesity, and hypertension. More than this, such diets can support cognitive health and improve mood.

Practical Steps to Spring Clean Your Diet

Here are some ideas for spring cleaning diets and shopping lists. As a basis, follow the Mediterranean Style: Base your meals on fruits, veggies, whole grains, and olive oil, then pick other points that appeal most to you, put them into practice for a month and assess the benefits.

  • Watch videos about the Mediterranean Diet: Start by seeking inspiration from videos online to understand the principles of the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes joyful social meals and wholesome ingredients.
  • Prioritize whole foods: Focus on incorporating whole, unprocessed foods into your diet, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats like olive oil.
  • Create a rainbow on a plate: Make sure to include a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables in your meals to enhance visual appeal and to ensure you’re getting a diverse range of nutrients.
  • Reduce dead calories: If you take sugar in tea or coffee, aim to eliminate it. To do this gradually, taste your unsweetened drink first, then add slightly less sugar than you usually take. Reduce the sugar each time so your taste buds adjust, and you can eliminate it completely.
  • Reduce salt intake: Cut down on salty foods and flavour meals with herbs and spices instead to reduce reliance on excessive salt for flavour.
  • Choose lean protein and healthy fats: Go for lean protein sources like fish, chicken, beans, nuts, and tofu, and swap out saturated fats for healthier options like olive oil.
  • Vegetarian Monday: Introduce a Mediterranean-inspired vegetarian day into your weekly routine to experiment with colourful vegetable-based dishes and foster social connections through cooking and dining.
  • Return to the seasons and shop local: Embrace seasonal produce and support local farmers by shopping at farmer’s markets for fresh, locally grown ingredients.
  • Mind your portions: Be mindful of portion sizes to avoid overeating, using your hand as a rough guide for protein and fruit/vegetable portions.
  • Designate treat days: Make indulgent treats special occasions by opting for higher quality products and enjoying them less frequently, enhancing the enjoyment and anticipation of these treats.
  • Switch to ethical treats: Choose organic, fair-trade brands to align with ethical values and are less likely to be at your corner shopping, thus reducing impulse purchases.
  • Eat before you shop and take a list: Avoid impulse buys by eating before shopping and taking a list based on planned meals to stay focused and avoid temptation.
  • Stay hydrated: Stay hydrated: It’s crucial to drink water and herbal teas, particularly when the weather is warm. Try hydrating yourself by drinking water frequently throughout the day and avoid waiting until you feel thirsty. Sipping water is more beneficial than chugging it, allowing your muscles, organs, and other bodily systems to utilize it effectively.
  • Stay active and sleep well: Prioritize regular exercise and quality sleep to support healthy dietary choices and overall wellbeing. Both sleep and exercise influence food choices and digestion.

Call to Action: Spring Clean Your Diet

As we revel in the abundance of springtime, let’s embrace the opportunity to nourish ourselves from the inside out. Pick one or two of the points above, put them into practice for a month, and, at the end, assess the impact. As you embark on your healthy eating refresh journey, remember that every meal is an opportunity to nourish your body and mind. So, let’s make meals more social, mindful, and joyful.

In next instalment of ‘Spring into Spring,’ we look at ideas for a financial Spring clean.

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About Dr Gary Wood

Gary is a chartered psychologist, solution-focused life coach and author. His books include The Psychology of Wellbeing, Letters to a New Student, Confidence Karma, and Don’t Wait For Your Shop to Come In, Swim Out to Meet It. They all include information on diet and nutrition and how they positively affect mood and cognition. Find out more about Gary’s books.

Get in touch to find out how solution-focused coaching would help with your life goals.