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.This is understandable-with cookingcan
be a divided hobby: Some of us love it ,and some of us hate it.Regardless of which side y
ou're standing with,cooking is clinically proven to support our mental health.If you feel
this is unexpected news, don't just take our word for it.Read on to learn about the differ
ent ways preparing your meals can boost your mental well-being!Cooking Supports a Brain-Bo
osting Diet Did you know that certain foods can boost your cognitive functioning?A study c
onducted in 2014 illustrated a connectionbetween poor mental health and unhealthy diets.It
is essential to acknowledge that the term unhealthy diet can be riddled withmuch stigma a
nd often negates the factors that lead to unhealthy food choices,including a lack of
access and poverty.If you find that fresh whole foods are inaccessible to you,
consider checking out your local Community Supported Agriculture organization.
This is an option offering fr
esh fruits and veggies weekly thatare often more affordable than farmers' markets and groc
ery stores.In addition, some offer low-cost fruit and veggie boxes to support community me
mbers experiencing financial hardship.Cooking Increases Social Connection How often does a
recipe yield just one serving?It is pretty rare.Food is meant to be shared,and cooking of
fers an easy excuse to build community.It can be as simple as hitting up your farmer's mar
ket and chatting with some of the vendors for recipe ideas.You could enlist a buddy to exp
eriment in the kitchen with or invite some loved ones over to break bread.Regardless of yo
ur choice,there are plenty of routes to social interaction when it comes to food.The socia
lization linked to cooking is grounded in recent research.A 2017 study published in the He
alth Education & Behavior Journal cites cooking as a greatinteraction used in therapeutic
and rehabilitative settings.If you're not sure where to begin,take a gander at some YouTub
e tutorials and get to experimenting.Cooking Boosts Self-EsteemWhen our mental health is s
uffering,it isn't uncommon for how we feel about ourselves to suffer.If we think that our
brain isn't functioning correctly,that thought often snowballs into believing that we're u
nable to do anything correctly.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(no
odles,butter,parmesan-voila!)cooking is clinically proven to be a significant confidence b
ooster.This is because the feeling of creating something tangible that others can enjoy ca
n be very gratifying.Cooking Can Help You Build a RoutineRoutine is so beneficial for our
brains that a form of psychotherapy has been formed around it.Interpersonal and social rhy
thm therapy is form of psychotherapy most commonly used with those experiencing bipolar di
sorder.This therapy acknowledges how stressful life events and shifts in one's daily routi
ne cna trigger mentalhealth concerns-in the case of bipolar disorder;it can contribute to
the onset of a depressive or manic episode.This type of therapy instructs folks to create
a schedule of when they go to bed,wake up, and eat, among other daily activities.In follow
ing a routine, our circadian rhythm can become balanced.Cooking Expands CreativityA recent
study states that incorporating creative activities into your daily life cna significantl
y boost moods and overall well-being.Another study qualifies cooking as a creative activit
y,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 courageouly exploring your kitchen can le
ad to feeling better tha ever.