It’s not uncommon to hear people applaud the benefits of preparing our own meals. Many people support this practice since it can help us save money, enhance our health, and broaden our cooking skills. Yet, despite these advantages, many people find cooking to be tedious. This is understandable—cooking entails frightening excursions to the grocery shop, a plethora of filthy dishes, the possibility of setting off your home’s smoke alarm, and the occasional inedible dish. For these reasons, cooking may be a divisive hobby: some of us adore it, while others despise it. Regardless of your stance, cooking has been clinically proven to improve our mental health. Don’t simply take our word for it if you think this is shocking news. Continue reading to discover the various ways that meal preparation can improve your mental health, as well as some ideas for getting started!
Cooking Contributes to a Brain-Boosting Diet
It is critical to recognize that the word “bad diet” carries a lot of stigmas and frequently ignores the circumstances that lead to unhealthy food choices, such as a lack of access and poverty. If you are unable to obtain fresh, whole foods, consider contacting your local Community Supported Agriculture organization (CSA). This is a weekly option that provides fresh fruits and vegetables at a lower cost than farmers’ markets and grocery stores. Furthermore, some provide low-cost fruit and vegetable boxes to assist neighborhood people experiencing financial trouble. Give them a call to find out what your possibilities for assistance are.
Cooking Fosters Social Interaction
How frequently does a recipe generate only one serving? It is extremely rare. Food is meant to be shared, and cooking provides an easy way to foster community. It might be as simple as going to your local farmer’s market and asking the sellers for dish ideas.
You may seek the help of a friend to experiment in the kitchen, or you could invite some loved ones around for a meal. When it comes to eating, there are numerous opportunities for social contact. Recent studies support the link between cooking and sociability. Cooking is an excellent intervention utilized in therapeutic and rehabilitative settings, according to a 2017 study published in the Health Education & Behavior Journal. If you’re unsure where to start, look up some YouTube videos and explore.
Cooking Improves Self-Esteem
When our mental health suffers, it is not uncommon for our self-esteem to suffer. If we believe that our brain isn’t working properly, it’s easy to think we’re incapable of doing anything right. However, achieving a long-desired recipe can dramatically boost your self-esteem. Even if it’s as easy as a three-ingredient pasta dish (noodles, butter, parmesan – voila! ), cooking has been clinically demonstrated to enhance confidence significantly. This is due to the satisfaction that comes from making something tangible that others can appreciate.
Cooking Can Help You Develop a Routine
Routine is so good for our brains that it has inspired psychotherapy. Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT) is a type of psychotherapy that is most typically utilized with people suffering from bipolar disorder. This therapy recognizes how stressful life events and changes in one’s daily routine can provoke mental health concerns—in the case of bipolar disorder, it might lead to the development of a manic or depressed episode.
This sort of therapy encourages people to make a routine for when they go to bed, wake up, eat, and do other daily activities. Our circadian rhythm can be balanced by sticking to a regimen. The circadian rhythm is the internal clock of our bodies that governs cortisol, a stress hormone, and melatonin, the hormone that controls our sleep-wake cycle. Cooking can become a regular part of your routine, contributing to your general well-being.
Cooking Increases Creativity
According to a recent study, including creative hobbies into your everyday life can considerably improve your mood and overall well-being. Another study classifies cooking as a creative activity, highlighting the links between cooking and mood improvement. So we can’t deny the science: don your chef hat and bravely explore your kitchen to feel better than ever.
What to Do First
At this stage, you may be enthusiastic about cooking to improve your mental health but have no idea where to begin. Here are some suggestions:
- Think about some of your favorite foods to eat. Perhaps you enjoy foods that are difficult to prepare oneself, such as sushi or filet mignon. That’s fine; you may still use it to get an idea of what tastes you enjoy. You could, for example, bake salmon in the oven or make a simple burger in a skillet.
- Think about taking a culinary class. You’re likely to be in the company of others who are also gaining confidence in the kitchen, which may make the experience less stressful. If you’re worried about going alone, ask a friend to accompany you.
- Make contact with your inner circle. Asking a loved one to show you a few cooking tips and tricks may be a comfortable starting approach. Furthermore, it provides some social connection, which may be a tremendous source of comfort during difficult times.
Kim’s Final Thoughts…
Don’t be intimidated by fear or a lack of confidence, no matter how you choose to begin start. Everyone has to start somewhere, and the mental health advantages of cooking provide plenty of motivation.
