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IDAHO — The new year is here, and for many, that means a reset on their health goals.
While much of the focus is on physical health, it’s important to pay attention to your mental health as well.
“It all ties together. We want to kind of reframe into a more positive approach to our health, kind of shifting our mindset away from those negative thoughts,” says Molly Tevis, a dietitian with Albertsons. “Away from, ‘I shouldn’t have this,’ or ‘I shouldn’t do this’ to more of those positive thoughts.”
Tevis says it’s all about focusing on improving where you can throughout the year.
“Instead of saying ‘drink less soda,’ say ‘drink more water.’ Instead of saying ‘I can’t do this every day,’ whether that be working out or planning your meals, just shifting that mindset to say, ‘I will try again tomorrow.'”
That shift in thinking is something that can and should also apply to your food.
“Instead of looking at some of the negative aspects of our food, like ‘fruit has sugar,’ think ‘fruit has antioxidants and fiber,'” Tevis explains.
Idaho is well into the throes of winter which can affect our moods. Tevis says those little changes in thinking and picking the right foods to support your mood can make a big difference when it comes to beating the winter blues.
“We know it’s cold and it’s dark outside so we do want to add a lot of color and variety to our plate to help get those nutrients that we need that will help support our mood as well as keep us healthy through these cold winter months.”
Tevis says gravitate towards foods that contain a lot of Vitamin D and Omega 3 fatty acids.
“Also adding fermented foods, things like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, those will help support our gut health which is linked to our mood and our mental health as well.”
One way to try and get those mood-boosting foods in is through a sheet pan meal with chicken sausage or salmon and plenty of veggies or with a smoothie bowl like this one featuring beets.
Another big thing Tevis suggests: decreasing screen time as much as possible.
For more mood-boosting recipe ideas, head into your local Albertsons.

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