Healthy Mind Platter : 7 Mind Nutrients

Our parents and school always taught us about healthy eating habits and balanced diet food for better physical health. But they never focused on Mental Nutrients, an element required for optimal functioning of the brain. 

 Recently while conducting various online group sessions on self-awareness and well-being programs, I observed the majority of participants commend and loved The Healthy Mind Platter. 

“ I was never aware there is also a diet for our brain, it is so simple but equally effective to analyze and improve my daily functioning,” said Riya Maharjan (Pseudonym) in an online group session. 

 The Healthy mind platter is a plate with seven elements of daily activities that is essential for optimal brain matter and creative well-being.

“By engaging every day in each of these activities, you enable your brain to coordinate and balance its activities, which strengthens your brain's internal connections and your connections with other people” States Dr.Rock, a creator of Healthy Mind Platter along with his colleague Dr.Siegel. 

 7 elements of The Healthy Mind Platter

•  Focus Time 
• Play Time
•  Time-In 
•  Connecting Time 
•  Physical Time 
•  Down Time 
•  Sleep Time 

1.   Focus Time: 

Focus time is when we closely perform a goal-oriented task, taking challenges that enable us to make a deep connection with the brain. Any important task you perform without being distracted. Like working on your pending assignments, reports, studies, or business plan. 

 While working on goal-oriented tasks first start with the least amount of time. Begin with 30 minutes a day and gradually increase according to your need. When you directly take a big step there is a high chance of losing interest and feeling overwhelmed with the work. 

2. Play Time: 

 Playtime is when you carry out fun, novel and creative activities. Children do it naturally and when we reach adulthood we embrace seriousness and lose the child in us. 

 Playfully enjoying novel experiences keeps your brain young and makes the new connection in the brain. Playing with your pet or kids, indulging in your long lost hobbies and any activities that bring out the child in you.

3. Time in: 

 

Time- in is when you calmly reflect upon your internal self. Introspecting your thoughts, sensations, feelings, and emotions helps you to be aware of yourself. Time-in is a process that enables you to experience Who you are and Why you feel or act in a particular way. 

Reflecting upon yourself will help you to identify things you need to work on, clarify your thoughts, and improve your relationships. Self-reflection simply can be accomplished through mindfulness and meditation activities, writing journals, or simply closing eyes for a few minutes in nature or any place you feel calm and connected. 

 

4. Connecting Time:

 Connecting time is when you interact with other people. Enhancing a deep interpersonal connection with a person you care about is very essential every day. When we appreciate our connection and relationship it boosts and reinforces the brain. 

 Having tea with your parents, strolling in nature with your partner or friends. Connecting with a person you care about ideally or through call, text message, or writing letters. 

 5. Physical Time:

 Physical time is for body movements and exercises. Regular movement of the body benefits physical health and improves mental well-being. Exercise generates endorphins; a natural chemical produced by the body that reduces pain and stress. 

 Physical time does not mean only hitting the gym regularly for ten to fifteen minutes of exercise, yoga, dancing will improve your mental alertness. 

 6. Down Time: 

 Downtime is the activity you do without any focused goals. Time in a day you take a break, wander your mind for rest, and recharge your body. When your body is constantly working without a break it tolls serious problems in body and mind. 

 Activities differs from individuals personal choices such as watching TV, listening to music, Netflix and chill, playing with pets, gardening, volunteering, de-cluttering your space, or going for vacation ( If possible only). 

7. Sleep Time:

 When you give an adequate amount of sleep, you boost your immune system, consolidate learning's from the day, increase creativity, and stabilize your mood. Sleep time varies from individuals work schedule and lifestyle, however for the proper functioning of body and brain an adult on average needs 7-9 hours of sleep.

 You can also analyze your sleep time by reviewing the: 

•  Numbers of hours you sleep, 
• Whether you feel fresh or lethargic after waking up or,
•  Do you frequently wake up time and again at the middle of the night or, 
•  You can't sleep at all?

 For healthy sleep, try to sleep and wake up every day at the same time, practice deep breathing, listen to guided meditation, improve your room lighting, and temperature.

How to analyze elements of The Healthy Mind Platter?

•  Mapping 

 Mapping  will give you the visual representation of your daily activities. Think about all the activities you do every day and see which task fits in each element of The Healthy Mind Platter. Mapping will help you identify the missing activities you need to add on for your mental well-being. 

•  Scaling 

 Scaling helps you to measure each element and give you the objective presentation of your daily activities. For that, you can rate each ingredient between 1 to 10 ( 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest) anchoring your daily activities. Scaling The Healthy Mind Platter will clearly show which elements require more time for balancing your day and feel productive.

 You can either scale your activities every day or once a week. 

 Key Points: 

1.  There are 7 Mental Nutrients: Focus time, Playtime, Time in, Connecting time, Physical time, Down-time, and Sleep time. 
2.  You have to separate time for all 7 activities every day for better mental health.There is no hard rule on the amount of time you need to separate for all the mind nutrients.
3. We know every individual is different. So the amount of the nutrients required might vary according to their lifestyle. 
4.  Seems very simple but we often end up ignoring few mental nutrients, so the key here is to separate at least a few minutes and get the right amount of nutrients for mental well-being.  EVERYDAY !

 Let’s not forget that the mind and body are intertwined ,dis-balance in one affects another. So focusing on both a balanced diet and mental nutrients not only improves physical health but nourishes mental well-being and relationships.