Mental Health Awareness Month: Why It Matters and How You Can Make a Difference

Every May, we observe Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to talk more openly about mental 

well-being, reduce stigma, and remind each other that help is always within reach. But this month is about more than just awareness—it's about action, understanding, and community support.

Why Mental Health Awareness Is Important

Mental health influences everything: how we think, feel, connect, and function. Just like physical health, our minds need care too. And yet, so many people struggle silently because of fear, stigma, or lack of access to help.

By raising awareness, we help create a culture where it’s okay to talk about mental health—and to seek support when it’s needed.

Common Mental Health Challenges

Mental health issues show up in many ways—anxiety, depression, burnout, trauma, or even just the stress of daily life. Some people may look like they’re doing fine on the outside, but internally, they’re battling something difficult.

How You Can Help

Eating Healthy on a Budget: Smart Tips That Actually Work

 Eating healthy doesn’t have to drain your wallet. With a few simple adjustments and smart choices, you can enjoy nutritious meals without spending a fortune. Here’s how:

1. Skip the Junk Food

Let’s be honest—junk food is tempting, especially when shopping with kids or a partner who keeps sneaking chips into the cart. Try shopping alone when you can. It helps you stick to your list and avoid impulse buys.

Eating Healthy as a Vegetarian (Yes, It’s Totally Doable)

Going vegetarian? Nice! It can actually be one of the healthiest ways to eat — as long as you're not just replacing meat with fries and calling it a day. Like any diet, it’s all about variety, balance, and not overdoing it with any one thing.

What Does Being a Vegetarian Mean?

Being vegetarian just means cutting out all kinds of meat — that includes burgers, hot dogs, chicken, 
and even fish. But within the vegetarian world, there are a few types:

Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians

These folks avoid meat but still eat eggs and dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt.

Vegans

Vegans skip anything that comes from animals — no meat, no eggs, no dairy, not even honey. It’s the most plant-focused of all the vegetarian styles.

So... Where Do You Get Your Protein?

One of the biggest myths about being vegetarian is that it’s hard to get enough protein. Truth is, most people already eat more protein than they actually need.

Eating Healthy in College (Without Being Boring About It)

 Let’s be real — eating healthy in college is a whole different vibe. Between late-night pizza runs, vending machine snacks, and the occasional “breakfast” that’s just coffee, it’s easy to forget what a balanced meal even looks like.

But here’s the thing: what you eat actually plays a huge role in how you feel and function. Struggling to stay awake during lectures? Catching every cold that goes around campus? Yeah, your diet might have something to do with that.

It's not just about dodging junk food (although, yes, maybe chill on the fries). A lot of the issue comes from not getting enough of the good stuff — like protein, healthy carbs, vitamins, and minerals — the things your body needs to keep going.

Take vitamins, for example. They’re key for keeping your immune system strong. But that doesn’t mean you need to raid the supplement aisle at the drugstore. The best source of vitamins is still actual food.

Eating for a Healthy Heart

We all face challenges with diet and cholesterol at some point. It’s tough to eat perfectly all the time, 
no  matter how hard we try. But focusing on heart-healthy eating is crucial for restoring health and reducing the risk of heart attacks.

Your Heart and Food

Here’s what we know: diets high in saturated fats can raise your cholesterol, increasing your risk of heart disease. Obesity and high sodium intake can also elevate blood pressure, leading to inflammation and heart problems.

To help prevent heart disease and improve your health, try these tips:

1. Eat Plenty of Fish

Fish like herring, sardines, and salmon are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help lower cholesterol. Including a variety of fish in your diet can be beneficial.

2. Choose Healthy Fats and Oils

Saturated fats, found in meat, butter, and coconut oil, can increase heart disease risk. Avoid these until your cholesterol is under control and you’re at a healthy weight. Opt for seafood and nuts for protein instead of red meats. Monounsaturated fats, like those in olive oil, are heart-healthy and perfect for cooking, dressings, and dipping sauces. 

Beyond the Bottle: The Truth About Cooking Oils

Everyone knows the foods to eat that improve health, but how we cook the food can be just as 

important. With so many oils and butter products claiming to be the best, it can be difficult to know which ones to use and which ones to avoid.

Canola Oil

Canola oil is a popular oil, and many physicians claim that it can lower the risk of heart disease. The oil is low in saturated fat, high in monounsaturated fat, and offers the best fatty acid composition when compared to other oils.

You can use canola oil for sautéing, as a marinade, and even in low-temperature stir-frying. It has a bland flavor, which makes it a great oil for foods that contain many spices. Unlike other oils, this one won't interfere with the taste of your meal.   

Olive Oil

Olive oil offers a very distinct flavor with plenty of heart-healthy ingredients. The oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, helps lower cholesterol levels, and reduces the risk of cancer. It's also rich in antioxidants and has a very long storage life.   

Fuel Your Body: Busting Common Diet Myths

What you eat can dramatically impact how you feel and perform. Unfortunately, there are a lot of 

misconceptions floating around about healthy eating. Let's clear up some common diet myths and help you fuel your body right.

Myth #1: Working out on an empty stomach is best.

Truth: Your body needs fuel to perform. Imagine trying to run a marathon without gas for your car! Eating a light snack before your workout, like a banana or a handful of nuts, can give you the energy you need to power through.

Myth #2: Energy bars and drinks are all you need.

Truth: While convenient, these products often lack the essential nutrients found in whole foods. Fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins provide a much better balance of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Nourishing Your Body: The Joy of Healthy Eating

 Healthy eating isn't about strict rules or complicated calculations. It's simply about giving your body the 
fuel it needs to thrive. Think of it as being smart about your food choices, not obsessed with them.

Enjoy a variety of foods in balanced amounts. Aim for at least three nourishing meals each day. Remember, it's okay to indulge sometimes – life is all about balance! The key is to consistently provide your body and brain with the energy they need to feel great.

Being a healthy eater is like being a good problem-solver. You make thoughtful choices about what you eat, knowing it impacts how you feel. It's about taking care of yourself inside and out.

When you're in control of your eating, it often spills over into other areas of your life. You'll likely find yourself making better choices in general.

Restricting food is never the answer. Healthy eating is a positive lifestyle change that can boost your energy, mood, and overall well-being. It's a gift to yourself and those around you. Ready to feel amazing? Start nourishing your body today!

Living a Healthy Life

In the fast-paced world that we live in it can be easy to neglect our health and wellness. We’re so busy racing through our day to day lives – family, friends, work, social engagements – that we don’t take the time to look after ourselves. It’s really no wonder that so many of us are tired and run down. What are some simple things that we can do to improve our quality of life?

Drink Drink Drink..

You’ve heard it a million times and you’ll probably hear it a million more – drink more water!

Think about it: The human body is 72% water. A 5% drop in fluids creates a 25-30% loss in energy. A 15% drop in fluids causes death! At this point in time, 66% of us aren’t drinking enough water, so over half the population isn’t running on all six cylinders, to begin with – before things like bad air, bad food, and stress take their toll. 

It’s not really a difficult thing to remedy. Just drink one glass of water every half hour or so – or 10-12 glasses of water per day – and you’ll notice a huge jump in your energy levels.

12 Ways To Be Healthier

Want to lose weight, sleep better, and boost your immune system? 

1. Have a lie-down 

Back pain can be avoided and the damage repaired with one easy exercise, which is lie down on the floor with your knees bent, hip-width apart, feet on the floor. Do this daily for about five to fifteen minutes to release and lengthen your spine. 

2. Note your nibbles 

Crash diets don't work long enough; instead, maintain a food diary to note your daily eating habits. With this, you'll be conscious of what you eat and make healthier choices. 

3. 10 deep breaths 

Our breath power our lymphatic system, which removes waste from cells. By taking 10 deep breaths, three times a day, you'll clear more toxins and boost your thinking power by getting 20% more oxygen to your brain. 

4. Put your fork down 

Put your fork down between every mouthful of food, it makes you chew your food properly, preventing digestive problems, and also prevents you from overeating. 

Candida Diet - SECRET Dietary Treatment Revealed

Adhering to a well-defined candida diet is the first move for dealing with yeast infections. Recent research indicates that the right diet plan may be highly effective in preventing certain health problems and chronic diseases, including Candida infections. Before discussing the connection between candida diet and its impact on yeast infection, we’ll take a quick look at what candida infection is and discuss the specific conditions that bring it on.

Candida is the scientific name for single-cell microbes to be found in small amounts in most areas of

the human body: the intestines, the genitals, the mouth, etc. Although in the body that is healthy these microbes are kept in check by beneficial bacteria and an operational immune system, a combination of certain conditions can wreck this healthy balance. Candida can grow out of control and take on a root-like structure to damage the mucous membranes of the gut, invading the bloodstream and causing the well-known symptoms related to yeast infection. As these microbes are mobile and can reach different parts of the body, systemic as well as a local yeast infection can occur.

There are many factors that bring on yeast infection. Some of these factors are related closely to food. Observing diet plans that can prevent yeast infection from spreading is the first and one of the basic moves in and make to holistic Candida therapy. Adhering to the following diet rules, in combination with other nutrition and lifestyle principles, can bring positive results to your general health and particularly to your yeast infection problem:

Yeast Infection Knowledge - The Truth Behind Your Yeast Infection

Educating yourself about your candida infection is the first and most important step in curing this

painful, annoying and relatively dangerous chronic conditions and taking responsibility over your health and well-being.

Although yeast infection (known by the names of Candida, Monilia or Thrush) is, in fact, a very common condition, (as three out of four women develop it at some point in their lifetimes), it is little discussed. Most people regard candida infection as a superficial condition that should be treated with creams and antibiotics whereas few are aware of its potentially risky complications.

Yeast Infection is first and foremost an internal problem. Like most chronic conditions, there is never one cause for this fungal problem and thus yeast infection cannot be permanently eliminated using medications or creams that work superficially and fail to tackle the root factors that trigger the formation of candida infection in the first place.

The problem is that the majority of yeast infection sufferers choose to leave it in the hands of others: Doctors, pharmacists, drug and over the counter industries. They willingly choose NOT to take responsibility for their candida condition, for their health and for their own body.

The road to health and fitness

Walking towards health and fitness is not really the hard job that everybody seems to think it is. When you really think about it, the hard part is often the start. Afterward, everything else will be easier once you really get the hang of it. All it takes is discipline and commitment.

Below are some tips on how to get a head start on your road to health and fitness. Read each one and you’ll realize that it is actually easier to undertake. You just need to take the first few steps.

1. Start small If your favorite dish is something that your doctor asked you to avoid, there is no sense in skipping it altogether and then binging on the dish when you can’t take the abstinence anymore. Take moderate steps towards the goal. If you eat the dish every day, try to cut down on your consumption and make it just three times a week. IF you have managed that, cut down further and make it once a week. That way, you are able to still enjoy the food and not increase your craving for it.

2. Plan modestly Set goals for yourself but that does not mean that you have to kill yourself to get it and when you don’t you’ll also kill yourself. Setting too high goals will often only lead to disappointment and frustration. When you plan, make sure that you can do it. How will you know? Be realistic. You know what you are capable of. It is better to set goals for yourself that you know you can do. Accomplishing them will give you a sense of achievement that will make you more confident and more willing to continue with your task.