5Tips for
Mental Health
5 Better
015 Tips for Better Mental Health
There are a lot of factors that go into the state of our mental health, and in
fact, those factors range far beyond the mental. Emotional health,
physical health, and even spiritual health all make up the whole that we
refer to as mental health.
To that end, the tools and strategies outlined in this guide will impact you
in all of those areas. But beyond those tips, there are a few things to be
aware of.
Good mental health is all about cultivating better habits – our actions,
our thoughts, our responses to stress and other external stimuli. And the
only way to change our habits is with time, awareness, effort, and
consistency.
It's been argued that it takes up to 18 months to either break a bad habit
or establish a good new habit. So, keep that in mind, because in our fast-
food culture, we tend to want everything now. And sometimes that's just
not realistic.
Two other points to keep in mind: You are much more than a physical
being and you're also much more than your conscious self. And if you're
wondering who's really driving the car that is your life …
According to Freud's psychoanalytic theories, the unconscious is
conceptualized as the sum of all impulses, desires, feelings, thoughts
and memories, of which the person isn't aware of, yet influences
behavior and emotions.
With all of that in mind – the effort, time, and understanding involved in
manifesting a healthier state of mind – here are five tips (areas of
concentration, really) to help you reach that goal.
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Nutrition and the Big Six
Can you use ? You specific nutrients to improve your mental health
better believe it!
According to William Walsh, Ph.D. and author of Nutrient Power: Heal Your
Biochemistry and Heal Your Brain, the same nutrient deficiencies
continue to pop up for the same mental health conditions.
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“When you look at these millions of chemical analyses of
blood, urine and tissues, it's obvious that there are very great
differences." says Walsh. "I found that for mental disorders,
about six or seven chemical imbalances dominate mental
function. There are hundreds and hundreds of important
nutrients in the body, but in the brain, there are about six or
seven that [seem] to dominate everything.”
“
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What are those nutrients?
Ø Zinc
Ø Copper
Ø Vitamin B6
Ø Selenium
Ø Folate
Ø S-adenosylmethionine
Certain nutrients are greatly involved in the functioning of our
neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine and dopamine. For instance,
when norepinephrine is too high and dopamine is too low, this is the
perfect ratio for anxiety and depression.
Sociopaths all have severe zinc deficiencies. In children with ADHD, B6
deficiency is extremely common. Schizophrenics commonly have too
much copper. The list goes on and on.
There's a reason for the saying, you are what you eat. But we could also
say, you think how you eat.
So, what does this information mean for you? Have some blood tests
done and see if you have too much or too little of those key brain
nutrients above. And if you do, work with your physician to find out why.
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Exercise for Your Emotional Health
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The benefits of exercise are vast and go
well beyond mental health. However, even
many of those other benefits have direct or
indirect impacts on our mental condition.
Exercise has been shown to improve sleep,
boost confidence, improve energy levels,
and reduce stress – all things that greatly
impact our mental health. But unlike some
other tips on this list, exercise directly
contributes to an increase in happiness.
If you just thought to yourself, Happiness?
That sounds like new-age mumbo jumbo!
Not so. It's actually science.
Exercise greatly aids in the production of
neurotransmitters, also known as chemical
messengers, in the brain. And some of
these neurotransmitters – dopamine,
norepinephrine, and serotonin – are also
powerful mood enhancers.
The great thing about reaping these
benefits is how immediate they can be, as
studies have shown both short-term and
long-term happiness benefits of exercise.
Aim for getting three types of exercise
every week:
1. Cardio
2. Strength training
3. Flexibility training, like yoga
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Meditation and Mindfulness
The benefits of meditation and mindfulness have been gaining
widespread attention in the West in recent years and decades, but in
some parts of the world, people have been practicing these techniques
for millennia.
Meditation involves sitting quietly and turning your attention to your
breath or a mantra that you repeat over and over in your mind, timed
with your inhalations and exhalations. As thoughts come, and they will,
it's not your job to ignore those thoughts. Instead, simply recognize the
thought, let it pass, and return your focus on your breath or your mantra.
As for a mantra, Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hahn recommends the
following:
On the inhale – Breathing in, I
calm my body.
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Mindfulness, on the other hand, is a way of experiencing life more fully.
Mindfulness is about living in the present, as opposed to our default,
which is to live in our heads, where we play an endless recording of
thoughts pertaining to past traumas or future concerns. To say the least,
living this way is not productive or fulfilling.
Both meditation and mindfulness require awareness. Constant
awareness. You have to steer your thoughts in ways you're probably not
used to, and this is quite exhausting and difficult. But if you stick it out,
you'll go from sleepwalking through your life to being an actual
participant in it.
Not sure about the benefits of meditation and mindfulness? The folks at
John's Hopkins University weren't either, which is why they poured over
19,000 studies. Ultimately, their conclusion was this: Mindful meditation
can help ease psychological stresses like anxiety, depression, and pain.
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Just Say No to Stress
This one probably isn't a surprise, as stress has serious detrimental
effects when it comes to physical, emotional, and mental health. Which
means that any designs on effectively treating mental health will need
to address stress reduction.
Studies have shown that stress increases the risk of developing anxiety
and depression in some people. long-term, or chronic, stress has also
been shown to impact memory and learning and even alter the
structure of the brain in negative ways.
Since isn't a hard sell, let's explore some ways in which reducing stress
you can do that. Look no further than this list. Sure, you can walk in nature,
listen to music, write in your journal, and so forth. But for some serious
stress-busting power, put your faith and time into exercise,
meditation/mindfulness, and an improved, nutrient rich diet.
The problem is that those things are more difficult to execute than say a
hot bath. Which is precisely why you should do them. Because things like
good mental health rarely come without some hard work and effort.
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Take it Out with a TrainedProfessional
Not sure if we saved the best for last … but this certainly ties it all together.
The calls talk therapy, “the American Mental Wellness Association
collaborative piece of mental wellness treatment,” and that “working
with a counselor, therapist, or psychiatrist with talk therapy assists with
the day to day thoughts, challenges, and mood regulation.”
We'd have to agree with both of those statements. Think of a therapist as
your own personal guide. Someone who has training and experience
and can speed up your progress. And remember, therapists don't want
to see their patients forever. They want to see their patients get better.
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According to the American Mental Wellness Association, talk therapy
benefits include:
Ø Understand what's going on inside of you
Ø Identify current obstacles
Ø Identify future goals
Ø Overcome fears or insecurities
Ø Cope with stress
Ø Process past traumatic experiences
Ø Understand the difference between you and the symptoms of your
illness
Ø Improve relationships
Ø Create manageable steps towards your goals
Ø End unhealthy habits
Ø Understand what bothers you and what changes you can make
Ø Identify triggers that make your symptoms worse
There are 168 hours in a week, and you'll only spend one or two of those
talking with your therapist, so don't ignore the other 165+ hours. Fill those
hours with exercise, healthy eating, meditation and mindfulness, and
ways to reduce stress and you'll be on your way to living a life absent of
mental health issues.
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