Mental Health Benefits of Cooking Your Own Meals
It isn’t uncommon to hear the praises of cooking our own meals. Many applaud this practice because it can save money, improve our health, and deepen our cooking skillsets. Yet, despite these benefits, many can find cooking to be a bore. Regardless of which side you’re standing with, cooking is clinically proven to support our mental health.
Cooking Supports a Brain-Boosting Diet
Did you know that certain foods can boost your cognitive functioning? A study conducted in 2014 illustrated a connection between poor mental health and unhealthy diets. If you find that fresh whole foods are inaccessible to you, consider checking out your local Community Supported Agriculture organization (CSA). This is an option offering fresh fruits and veggies weekly that are often more affordable than farmers' markets and grocery stores.
Cooking Increases Social Connection
The socialization linked to cooking is grounded in recent research. A 2017 study published in the Health Education & Behavior Journal cites cooking as a great intervention used in therapeutic and rehabilitative settings.1 If you’re not sure where to begin, take a gander at some YouTube tutorials and get to experimenting.
Cooking Boosts Self-Esteem
Nailing a recipe you’ve been hoping to perfect can bolster your self-esteem significantly. Even if it is as simple as a three-ingredient pasta dish (noodles, butter, parmesan – voila!), cooking is clinically proven to be a significant confidence booster. This is because the feeling of creating something tangible that others can enjoy can be very gratifying.
Cooking Can Help You Build a Routine
Routine is so beneficial for our brains that a form of psychotherapy has been formed around it. Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT) is a form of psychotherapy most commonly used with those experiencing bipolar disorder. This therapy acknowledges how stressful life events and shifts in one’s daily routine can trigger mental health concerns—in the case of bipolar disorder; it can contribute to the onset of a depressive or manic episode.
Cooking Expands Creativity
A recent study states that incorporating creative activities into your daily life can significantly boost moods and overall well-being. Another study qualifies cooking as a creative activity, going as far as to highlight the connections between cooking and mood improvement. So we can’t deny the science—donning your chef hat and courageously exploring your kitchen can lead to feeling better than ever.
Conclusion
Regardless of how you choose to get started, don't let fear or a lack of confidence intimidate you. Everyone starts somewhere and the mental health benefits of cooking provide plenty of reason to dig in.
Source: https://www.verywellmind.com/mental-health-benefits-of-cooking-your-own-food-5248624
How do you feel about cooking as a therapeutic activity? Would you try to demystify it and give it a shot?
#Cooking #Well-being #MentalHealth
@calmDew1576
Cooking can be very therapeutic!
Although, I am not the best, it is definitely relaxing!💛💫
@innateJoy9602 It's indeed very relaxing and definitely a skill that can be built dear! Thank you for reading the post!
@calmDew1576 I try to cook whenever I can but sometimes with college, I don't get much time to. This article motivated me to try to cook as much as I can instead of ordering take-out. Thanks for sharing!
@comfortableNight4463 I'm very glad you found the article motivating! Cooking can be very rewarding, relaxing and a great opportunity to boost your creativity which is something people tend to neglect nowadays. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
@calmDew1576 Yeah, I love the joy of creating new dishes and the creativity of its presentation. I will definitely try to cook more!
@calmDew1576
Cooking allows you to control your own nutrient intake and also control what goes into the food and what doesn't. Going outside and eating processed foods can be detrimental especially if you realize that most profit-based food companies are trying to make their food taste good, not necessarily healthy as that is what sells (of course there are great brands that tailor toward health!)
@sunnyWriting4806 So true! Cooking your own food is the ultimate act of self-care and can contribute in both physical and mental health which are equally important and related at the end of the day! Thank you for your comment!
