During May is Mental Health Month, we talk a lot about being kind to your mind. But what does that actually look like? We can start by:Recognizing the good in our lives. When we take a moment to be grateful for the positive things in our life, we become more in tune with the good things that are all around us. This doesnt mean that we dont acknowledge the negatives; instead of dwelling on the bad, we can thank the experience for the lesson it taught us and continue to seek out the positives. When we make an effort to be mindful in this way, we begin to appreciate lifes simple pleasures more.Practicing self-compassion. Self-compassion means giving ourselves grace through the hard times. Rather than criticizing ourselves or ignoring the pain, acknowledging how we feel, and giving ourselves time to really feel those emotions helps us properly move forward.Changing our self-talk. When we find ourselves being negative or hard on ourselves, we can take a deep breath and change our tone. Positive self-talk does wonders for the mind. Doing this helps us be more understanding and patient towards ourselves and others, and more focused on our goals.Reflecting. At the end of every day, pick a rose (something good about the day), a thorn (something that was challenging), and a bud (something to look forward to). By reflecting on how our day was, we build emotional intelligence through understanding ourselves more.Doing something each day that we enjoy. As simple as this sounds, this often gets overlooked as an essential element of healthy living. Whether thats exercise, baking, crafting, reading a book, or watching TV, reserve time each day to spend doing activities that fill our cup.Taking care of our physical health. The body and mind are so connected which means that consistent care of the body (which impacts the soul and mind) is like preventative medicine. Small acts of physical self-care can quickly add up and help protect, promote, and maintain health and wellbeing. Prioritizing sleep, drinking enough water, and fueling with nutritious foods can go a long way.When it comes to being kind to our minds, doing just a little bit is better than doing nothing at all. Spending even 10 minutes at a time doing something you enjoy can go a long way toward beating the stressors of everyday life. Just reading one chapter or going on a 5-minute walk around the block is an example of being kind to your mind! Taking care of ourselves helps us feel calmer, more refreshed, and more energized.Self-care is an important part of building resilience or bouncing back from stress, trauma, and burnout. The strategies outlined above can help you recognize your emotional responses to stress and develop coping skills to manage them. This May lets be kind to our minds and encourage our loved ones to do the same.

To be the healthiest, happiest, and most secure versions of ourselves, implementing emotional boundaries is essential. This involves setting limits that protect our mental wellbeing and guide our interactions.Its okay (and important!) to create healthy boundaries. They help us put judgment aside and take care of ourselves. To help yourself create boundaries, take time to reflect on these questions:What are the things I need to do to honor my journey and priorities?What is stopping me from getting there?What do possible solutions look like?When communicating your boundaries with others, use clear, concise, and kind language that respects both your choices and the choices of others. Before setting boundaries, it's important to understand that boundaries are not about telling someone what they can or cannot do. It's about deciding for yourself what your limitations and values are and communicating them with others.Use I statements to talk about how you feel. For example, "I feel overwhelmed when I have too many tasks piled up at once, so I need some help with my workload." Or "I value my personal space and alone time, so I need us to schedule regular nights where we each have time to ourselves." Avoid you statements as they can sound accusatory and may cause the other person to become defensive.Establishing boundaries may mean saying no to some things, and thats okay. Reframe no, as not a rejection, but as the choice to make space for what really matters. By not overwhelming yourself and your schedule, you will have more time for activities you enjoy and more downtime to reflect.Boundaries in PracticeSituationHow to Communicate a BoundaryHolidays with some family members that can cause stress.We are happy to attend the family dinner! Just so you know, if Aunt Suzie starts drinking too much we will leave.With this response, we are not saying Aunt Suzie cannot drink. That is not within our control, and it is her choice. However, we can choose when we leave, and we can choose to leave with love sharing this upfront is one way to do so.A customer at my job brings up issues I cannot help them with.It is not that I dont care about your housing situation, but when you bring up a conversation that is outside of what I can help with, I will bring the conversation back to why we are here. I want to be respectful of your time and really help you with the things that I am capable of helping with.A family member is struggling with substance use and being there for them is taking a toll on my mental health.Im here for you. I just cant be there for you in a way thats not healthy for either of us. When youre ready for help, Im in your corner.'When' statements create a balance between establishing a healthy boundary and leaving the door open for a future relationship when they are ready to try a different path. This allows us to keep a connection intact while at the same time taking care of ourselves. This boundary lets them know that they matter and that the door for support is still open.Establishing boundaries and saying no to unnecessary obligations helps us reclaim our power and peace.Maintaining these boundaries can aid in strengthening connections, avoiding unhealthy relationships, and boosting self-esteem. By prioritizing our mental health, we can show up as the best version of ourselves for those we love.

Since the start of the year, you may have noticed an uptick of fad diets. Maybe its your mom trying a pescatarian regime, or your neighbor raving about his new Mediterranean diet. With so many diet trends buzzing around, it can be hard to separate what works from what doesnt. This is especially true when it comes to heart healthy eating.The American Heart Association released a study comparing diets and their heart healthy potential and organized the results in four tiers. With the help of Kelly Elliot, RD at Intermountain Healths Denver Midtown Clinic - Weight Loss Center, we turned the studys results into easy-to-digest bites. It is important to always be mindful of your diet to reduce risk factors for heart disease, said Kelly. Creating a lifestyle that works for you as an individual that you can follow is what matters, because its what you will stick to!Whether youre a seasoned diet tryer, or just dipping your toes in heart-healthy waters, theres important information for everyone.Tier 4: Paleo Diets and VLDC/Ketogenic DietsStarting from the bottom of the barrel, we meet paleolithic and ketogenic diets. These diets, often hailed for their weight loss potential, may miss the mark when it comes to nourishing our hearts.The paleolithic diet, while rooted in our ancestral past, falls short in meeting heart-healthy guidelines. With its emphasis on meat and fat, and limited intake of fruits, grains, and legumes, it takes a detour off the heart health highway.Similarly, ketogenic diets focus on slashing carbs and loading up on fats. By cutting out essential food groups like fruits and grains, we risk missing key nutrients.These diets don't limit saturated fats, which can raise your LDL, which is the bad cholesterol, said Kelly. One way to modify these diets is to reduce saturated fat by consuming nuts and seeds instead of animal proteins, but this has to be balanced with caloric intake.Kelly also added that because these diets are low in carbohydrates, they could be beneficial for people with diabetes. However, because diabetics are at a higher heart disease risk, their saturated fats should be limited.Tier 3: Very Low-Fat Diets and Low-Carbohydrate DietsTier 3 diets include very low-fat and low-carb options, and present mixed heart health benefits.Both of these diets can potentially help with weight loss without omitting food groups and can help lower risk factors for heart disease, said Kelly.Very low-fat diets, while aiming to reduce overall fat intake, may inadvertently miss the mark on essential fatty acids. Likewise, low-carb diets, with their focus on slashing carbohydrates, could lead to a decrease in fiber-rich foods, which play a vital role in heart health.The drawback is that with low fat diets, they can lead to deficiencies in protein and essential fatty acids and B12, that the body requires for good health, said Kelly. On the other hand, a low carb diet can overemphasize animal-based protein and restrict fiber and increase saturated fat intake.Tier 2: Vegan Diets and Low-Fat DietsVegan and low-fat diets are the heart of Tier 2. These dietary paths offer a bounty of heart-healthy benefits with some caveats.The vegan diet, with its plant-based focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, embraces the power of plants for heart wellness. However, tread carefully to ensure youre meeting your nutritional needs, particularly for vitamin B12.No animal protein is consumed in vegan diets, so they are very low in saturated fat intake, but the restrictive diet can lead to B12 deficiency, said Kelly. It is recommended to include a B12 supplement and choose plant-based milk alternatives.Meanwhile, the low-fat diet promises reduced cholesterol and a lighter load on our hearts. By emphasizing lean proteins, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables, it is a good heart healthy diet. But its important to avoid overconsumption of less healthy carbohydrates, such as added sugars.People with high cholesterol or high LDL cholesterol can benefit from replacing foods high in saturated fats with foods that have unsaturated fats, said Kelly.Tier 1: DASH-Style, Mediterranean, Pescatarian, and Ovo/Lacto-Vegetarian DietsStarted from the bottom, and now were here with Tier 1s DASH-Style, Mediterranean, pescatarian, and ovo/lacto-vegetarian diets. Its the pinnacle of heart-healthy eating, where the nutrients shine.Well start with the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, diet. By the name alone, you might infer this diets ultra heart healthy nature. It emphasizes 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, whole grains, plant protein, and low-fat dairy, while limiting sodium.According to Kelly, the DASH diets sodium limitations help cut out highly processed foods, which can help control weight and high blood pressure. This diet provides adequate variety with adequate protein, moderate healthy fats and moderate healthy carbs intake, while minimizing sodium intake, she said.Moving onto the Mediterranean diet, with its emphasis on olive oil, fish, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These heart healthy foods make this a great choice for reducing heart disease risk. However, the Mediterranean diet also includes moderate alcohol consumption, which means two or less drinks for men a day, and one or less drinks for women per day.Kelly cautioned against misinterpreting what moderate alcohol consumption is. This does not mean, to have no alcohol for 3-5 days and then have all 3-5 drinks at one time, she said. These drinks should not include added sugar such as margarita mix, juices, and sugary sodas.A pescatarian diet is similar to a vegetarian diet, with the addition of fish, and sometimes includes dairy and eggs. Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat eggs and dairy, but not beef, poultry, fish, or pork. These diets may be lower in saturated fats, especially if whole milk products are not consumed. The biggest challenge with these diets boils down to protein.Kelly explained it simply as there being complete and incomplete proteins. While animal proteins contain all essential amino acids, plant-based proteins are incomplete, and must be combined for full nutritional benefits.The way to do this is to combine a nut or seed or bean with a grain, said Kelly. For example, red beans and brown rice, or nut butter on whole grain bread, will allow you to consume all of the essential amino acids.While these diets might seem daunting, remember youre not alone. A registered dietitian, like Kelly, can be an excellent starting source.Dietitians are full of ideas and strategies to help each individual overcome barriers to create effective behavior changes, said Kelly. Its important to remember that baby steps and small changes lead to big impacts on your health over time!Whether you're sticking to tried-and-true favorites like the DASH plan or exploring new diet horizons, the key is finding what works best for your heart. Remember, it's not about perfection it's about progress. So go ahead, savor those veggies, indulge in some heart-smart protein, and above all, listen to what your body needs.