Health Hotline Magazine | June 2020

By Lindsay Wilson

The focus of the last few months has been avoiding getting sick—social distancing measures and various stay-at-home orders around the country have been put into place to slow the spread of COVID-19, but one of the unanticipated outcomes is a decline in our overall mental health. Social isolation, anxiety about the future, financial insecurity, children at home 24/7, and a sudden loss of our go-to coping mechanisms has created the perfect storm for a mental health

crisis, especially for those who were already struggling, and even for those who were not. According to a public health poll published on April 2nd, nearly half of American adults say the coronavirus pandemic has had a negative effect on their mental health. 1

We know that a well-nourished brain is a happy brain, and while it may be easy to get lost in the negative thoughts and lean hard into (unhealthy) comfort foods when you’re feeling sad, anxious, lonely, or depressed, these are the times when it is most important to nourish your brain with healthy foods and supplements. This is the best kind of self-care.

Natural Grocers | 19