Adjusting your eating habits is one of the simplest ways to naturally improve your mental health. Because you are already eating and drinking things every day to fuel your body and mind, you don't need to add anything new to your routine. Instead, focus on making changes and adjustments to your diet to ensure you are nourishing your system with foods that promote mental health.

We have created the Resilient Diet to integrate seamlessly into your daily life. It is not a set of restrictive rules or detailed recipes. Instead, the Resilient Diet is made up of six broad guidelines or principles. These principles can guide your nutrition whether you cook for yourself, cook for a family, or don't cook much at all.

The Resilient Diet

PRINCIPLE 1 | Eat whole, natural foods.

Buy unprocessed organic food as much as possible.

PRINCIPLE 2 | Eat a wider variety of foods.

Eat more seasonal and local foods. Discover new kinds of vegetables, grains, meats, nuts, and seeds.

PRINCIPLE 3 | Eat less toxic foods.

Avoid food with chemical additives and purchase organic for high-pesticide fruits and vegetables. Buy hormone-free meat and dairy and avoid certain seafood products.

PRINCIPLE 4 | Eat more brain protective foods.

Look for colorful fruits and vegetables and eat foods high in omega-3 fats.

PRINCIPLE 5 | Eat more brain-nourishing foods.

Focus on complex carbohydrates. Eat modest amounts of lean protein and once again, get plenty of healthy, omega-3 fats!

PRINCIPLE 6 | Diet first, supplement second.

Supplements can help support the body's natural functions (e.g., help correct an imbalance or replenish essential elements). Remember: food is the ideal fuel to give the brain what it needs to remain healthy and balanced.

Bonus: Download and print the Resilient Diet. Put it on your fridge or somewhere you'll see the principles when you are making choices about what to eat and drink. 

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Enhance Your Resilient Diet

Once you've incorporated the six principles of the Resilient Diet into your daily habits, you may be ready for these more in-depth practices to further enhance your mind-body health through nutrition. Read more.