Lifestyle Factors
Importance of a Holistic Perspective
Nature
If you need a little extra motivation to take that walk in the park, an article published in MedScape in April 2024 highlights some of the mental health benefits of spending time in nature. Just 20 minutes a day could make a difference.
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From the article: "Our brains are designed to connect to nature…and we haven't lost that instinct," he explained. "Once we are with birdsong and water flowing and greenery, cortisol levels drop, our central vagus nerve improves, our fight and flight [response] disappears, and we start to be more receptive to other people."
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Diet
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Dr. Shebani Sethi, MD of Stanford University in California, reports that in a pilot study, participants, who adhered to the high-fat, low-carb diet experienced a 30% reduction in psychiatric symptoms and an average 10% reduction in weight.
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Everything is connected, or rather all is one. But, without getting into either spirituality or contemporary physics, we can still appreciate that there are many influences on our well-being.
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In fact, one of the main conceptual frameworks in contemporary psychology is the biopsychosocial approach to understanding and influencing our physical, mental, and social, well-being.
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To live our best lives, we need to pay attention to and take care of ourselves in each of these ways. We'll frequently link to articles and research that explains why various lifestyle factors are important for one's mental health.
At Guys Resolve, we will ask about various areas of your life and encourage you to find a healthy balance in each of them. No issue is completely isolated from the rest of a person and so to look only at an issue without situating it in its interconnected context would likely limit our understanding of it and we could miss opportunities for healing and change. In addition to this page, check out our Blog from time to time.