Maintaining a healthy lifestyle when it comes to food choices can be tricky in today’s modern world. Processed or packaged foods can be easily accessed right at our fingertips, making it tempting to snack on unhealthy options. According to an article in a Time magazine, 61% of food purchased by Americans is highly processed. Added sugar, sodium, and fats tend to draw people towards bad food choices that can be harmful to the body. Overindulging is a result of the food tasting better and potentially being more addictive.

Another aspect pertaining to health is mental well-being. It can be surprising how many people struggle with mental health issues who are not seeking any type of professional help, such as therapy. Especially during the covid pandemic, socializing with other people was not always something people were willing to risk. As humans, we naturally want to be around other people, but the sudden restriction of being shut up in our homes for a long period of time clearly leads to an increase in poor mental health and self-esteem. An article stated, “a higher share of households experiencing income or job loss reported that pandemic-related worry or stress caused them to experience at least one adverse effect on their mental health and well-being, such as difficulty sleeping or eating, increases in alcohol consumption or substance use, and worsening chronic conditions.”

Taking care of both your physical and mental health is extremely vital and is often overlooked as invalid or unimportant. Minor problems can interfere with other aspects of your life, resulting in a downward spiral of negative outlooks relating to mental health. It is also important to fill your body with enough nutritional foods to help feed a healthier lifestyle in order to live your best life.