May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental health affects how we think, feel, connect, rest, move, and nourish ourselves. During Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re focusing on simple, supportive habits that help build resilience from the inside out. Small daily choices — nourishing meals, movement, rest, connection, and stress relief — all work together to support both body and mind.
Before we dive into these healthy habits, let's talk about the BIG NEWS that just came out for women’s metabolic health. I am hoping this will lead to better prevention and management practices, as well as insurance coverage for medications that can help!
Follow Dr Mittal on @richamittalmd for more content like this.
In Health,
Richa Mittal, MD
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Your Brain on Food
More research continues to show that nutrition plays an important role in mental wellness. The foods we eat don’t just fuel the body — they also influence brain function, mood, focus, stress response, and even sleep quality.
What we eat impacts far more than energy levels and weight. Nutrition can also influence mood, stress resilience, focus, and emotional health. Emerging research in nutritional psychiatry continues to highlight the strong connection between gut health and brain health. This month, we’re exploring how simple nutrition habits may help support both physical and mental wellness.
Did You Know?
Researchers have found strong connections between gut health, inflammation, and mood regulation. In fact, much of the body’s serotonin — a neurotransmitter involved in mood and sleep — is produced in the gastrointestinal tract.
Review the full article from Harvard Health for more in-depth insight on how the food you eat can affect your mental health.
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STRESS RELIEF INSPIRATION
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MOVE YOUR MOOD
“The 5-Minute Mental Reset”
When stress builds up, the nervous system benefits from small moments of intentional calm. Try this simple reset during a busy day:
- Step outside for fresh air
- Take 5 slow deep breaths
- Stretch your shoulders and neck
- Put your phone down for 5 minutes
- Drink a glass of water before your next task
These small pauses help regulate stress hormones and create space for better focus, patience, and emotional balance.
Bonus Tip: Pair your reset with calming music or a short walk after meals to support both digestion and stress management.
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Simple Plant-Based Meals
to Support Mental Wellness
When life feels busy or stressful, simplifying meals can make healthy eating feel much more manageable. Using overlapping ingredients throughout the week helps reduce decision fatigue, saves time, and supports consistency — all things that can positively impact mental wellness.
Foods that provide fiber, plant protein, magnesium, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates support steady energy and mood balance.
See below how one recipe's ingredients can be reused throughout the week for multiple meals or snacks.
Chickpea Quinoa Salad from Eating Bird Food
Fresh, colorful, and packed with fiber and plant protein, this salad works beautifully for lunches, meal prep, or light dinners.
Use the Same Ingredients Again:
- Add leftover quinoa and chickpeas into wraps
- Toss spinach into smoothies
- Use cucumbers and herbs for quick snack plates
- Make extra tahini dressing for grain bowls later in the week
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Strength Training
for a Stronger Mind
Strength training supports far more than muscles. Research shows resistance training may help improve mood, reduce anxiety symptoms, increase confidence, improve sleep quality, and support stress management.
This month, try reframing strength training as mental wellness training.
Ideas to Make It More Enjoyable:
- Take a family walk and include bodyweight exercises at the park
- Invite a friend for a short strength circuit
- Use resistance bands while watching TV
- Create a simple “movement break” routine during workdays
- Do a 20-minute beginner dumbbell workout at home
Simple Beginner Circuit:
Repeat 2–3 rounds:
- 10 Chair Squats
- 10 Wall Push-Ups
- 10 Step-Ups
- 30-Second March in Place
- 30-Second Deep Breathing Recovery
Strength training doesn’t have to be intense to be effective. Consistency matters more than perfection. Even short sessions can boost energy, confidence, and emotional resilience.
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Calm & Stress-Relief Apps for Everyday Wellness
Stress, overwhelm, busy schedules, and nonstop notifications can leave many people feeling mentally exhausted — even without a major mental health condition. Sometimes the most effective wellness tools are the small, accessible ones we can use consistently throughout the day.
This month, we’re highlighting a few calming apps designed to support relaxation, mindfulness, sleep, breathing exercises, and emotional reset moments during everyday life.
Recommended Apps
Why We Like These
These apps help make stress management feel approachable and realistic for everyday life. Whether it’s a quick breathing exercise between meetings, calming music during a commute, or a short meditation before bed, small moments of intentional calm can help support focus, sleep quality, emotional balance, and overall wellbeing.
Many people find these tools especially helpful during busy or overwhelming seasons because they provide simple ways to pause, reset, and reconnect throughout the day.
Tip for Best Use
Instead of waiting until stress feels overwhelming, try building short calming moments into your regular routine:
- 2 minutes of deep breathing before work
- A short walk with calming music
- A quick meditation after lunch
- Sleep sounds or guided relaxation before bed
Even small pauses throughout the day can have a meaningful impact over time.
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Living Well Wellness Coaching
To learn more on our website, click HERE.
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For individuals on GLP-1 Medications looking for support, tips, and science-based information, join my Facebook group HERE. and engage in a community who understands.
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To learn more about our services, please visit our website HERE.
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