Wellness: Nutrition

Overview

The purpose of our group meetings is to provide structured support for managing mood disorders, with activities designed to foster self-awareness, education, and community connection. Meetings are held weekly, last an hour, and consist of three sections: mindfulness, sharing, and learning.

Mindfulness

Each session starts with a 5-15 minute mindfulness activity led by a volunteer from the group, who may choose from the list below or introduce another technique. Following the exercise, members share their experiences, discussing insights or feelings that emerged. Here’s a list of some mindfulness activities: Group Mindfulness.

Sharing

Participants then take turns sharing:

• Wellness Team efforts (building or progress)

• Metrics (such as medication adherence or mood ratings)

• General Progress in overall wellbeing or treatment.

This segment might last 10 - 20 minutes and fosters self-awareness and community support by reflecting on personal achievements and challenges. Here’s more details on group sharing: Group Sharing.

Learning

Next is a learning segment focused on topics relevant to mental health management, led by a member or guest speaker, with members taking turns reading and discussing. This section may take 20 - 30 minutes. Here’s an overview of the learning content: Group Learning.

This week’s content is below:

Discussion Content:

Good nutrition is essential to our health and well-being, influencing everything from our energy levels to our ability to fight off illnesses. It's important to acknowledge that there are various approaches to nutrition, each tailored to individual health needs, preferences, and medical advice. Before adopting any new diet or making significant changes to your eating habits, it's crucial to do thorough research and consult with healthcare professionals like dietitians or doctors. This ensures that the nutritional approach you choose is safe and appropriate for your specific health conditions and goals.

By focusing on the 5 S's—Support, Systems, Skills, Surroundings, and Supplies—we can develop and maintain sustainable eating habits that not only fit our individual needs but also support our long-term health.

• Support: Having a robust support network is crucial for sustaining healthy eating habits. This network can include friends, family, or even a dedicated support group. Professional guidance from dietitians or nutritionists can also play a vital role, offering personalized advice and accountability.

• Systems: Effective systems help streamline your nutritional efforts. Implementing routines such as weekly meal planning, regular grocery shopping, and consistent meal preparation can prevent last-minute unhealthy choices. Tracking tools like apps or food diaries are also useful for monitoring your eating habits and making necessary adjustments.

• Skills: Developing cooking skills is essential for preparing healthy meals at home. Understanding basic cooking techniques can transform simple ingredients into nutritious meals. Local cooking classes, online tutorials, and health-focused cookbooks are excellent resources for honing these skills.

• Surroundings: Your environment significantly influences your eating habits. Organizing your kitchen and pantry to promote accessibility to healthy foods while limiting unhealthy options can help reinforce good choices. Keeping fruits and vegetables within easy reach and unhealthy snacks out of sight can encourage better eating patterns.

• Supplies: Investing in the right kitchen tools can make preparing healthy meals more enjoyable and less time-consuming. High-quality ingredients are also important as they are more satisfying and can be more nutrient-dense, making meals both nutritious and delicious.

Examples:

Emily's Meal Prep Success

Emily, a busy software developer, struggled with maintaining a balanced diet, often skipping meals or resorting to fast food due to time constraints. Determined to change, she leveraged the 5 S's, particularly focusing on Skills and Systems. She joined a weekend meal prep workshop to enhance her cooking skills and began planning her meals weekly. With her roommate's support, who shared her healthy eating goals, and a well-organized kitchen environment that made healthy snacks easily accessible, Emily successfully adopted a sustainable habit of preparing quick, nutritious meals, leading to a significant improvement in her dietary habits.

Mary's Lunchtime Collaboration

Mary often found herself skipping two lunches a week, opting to work through her lunch hour instead. Recognizing the need for a change, she proposed a shared lunch arrangement to a colleague, believing that a commitment to someone else would ensure she took the time to eat. After some effort, she found a colleague who agreed to the plan. Mary volunteered to pick up lunch from a food truck near their building, providing a menu to make selections easier. This arrangement not only changed her lunch habits but also deepened their relationship. Inspired by the positive change, her colleague soon offered to bring lunch for both of them every other week, using ingredients she could easily pick up from a delicatessen on her commute home, which they stored in the office refrigerator. This simple commitment significantly improved Mary's daily routine and brought a new level of camaraderie to her workplace.

Discussion Questions:

• How have you utilized support networks to improve your nutrition, and what impact has this had on your eating habits?

• What systems have you put in place to make regular healthy eating easier, and how effective have they been?

• Which new cooking skill or recipe have you tried recently that has made a positive difference in your diet?

• How have changes to your surroundings or environment affected your daily eating habits?

• What are some essential supplies that have made healthy eating more practical and enjoyable for you?

To wrap up the meeting, include a moment for members to share their an optional weekly commitment — a specific action they plan to take in the coming week to enhance their well-being or treatment. This sharing fosters accountability and support within the group.

Afterward, allocate some time for members to socialize. This allows everyone to strengthen connections, exchange personal insights, and discuss any remaining thoughts informally, enhancing the supportive community atmosphere.

Return to: Group Schedule