Donate
Find Help Now

Food and Mood

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

How can I eat more healthily?

Eating a healthy diet can do a lot to improve your mood and sense of wellbeing. Use these tips to start making positive changes in the way you eat. 

Take small steps

Making changes can be really tough – especially if you’re feeling low. It might help to start by making small changes rather than changing your whole diet suddenly. 

You might not feel better right away, and there might be times where you feel frustrated. But try to keep going! Even making very small changes can make a difference in the long term. 

Share meals and cooking

Preparing your own food might feel daunting, but cooking with others can be a lot of fun. Ask your family, friends, colleagues, or other social groups to join in – they might be very happy to plan, cook and eat a meal together with you.

Take care of yourself

 We can often put a lot of pressure on ourselves to eat a healthy diet, but it’s also important to enjoy the food you eat and not be too hard on yourself. 

Remember that other factors can help improve your mental health as well, such as: 

  • getting physically active (especially outdoors to boost your vitamin D levels) 
  • getting enough sleep 
  • maintaining good relationships
  • limiting the amount of alcohol you drink. 

For more information, see our tips on how to improve your mental wellbeing. 

Manage food intolerances

Intolerances to particular foods (such as wheat, dairy or yeast) can cause lots of unpleasant feelings, both physical and mental. If you’re concerned about this, ask a health professional to help you investigate your tolerances safely.

Plan ahead

Finding the time to eat well can often be really difficult. If you have times when you’re feeling well and enjoying preparing food, try making some extra meals to store. You could make enough to last for several days, and freeze them in portions to use at times when you can’t face cooking. 

Keep a food diary

 Write down what you eat and make notes about how you’re feeling. Over time you might work out how particular foods: 

  • make you feel worse, or better 
  • keep you awake or help you 
  • sleep. 

Plus it can be reassuring to track improvements in your wellbeing. 

Get professional support

Sometimes the best way to improve your diet is with the help of a health professional. 

  • Dietitians can help you work on specific problems. 
  • Nutritional therapists can help you improve your overall health. 
  • Nutritionists can help you explore how food and nutrition affect your health and wellbeing. 

You could ask your family doctor to refer you. Alternatively you can find private practitioners at the Hong Kong Dietitians Association website.

If you go privately it is important that you ask any professional you see about their qualifications and experience. Going privately also means that you will usually have to pay a fee. 

Eating problems

Food plays an important part in our lives. Most of us will spend time thinking about what we eat, and change our habits now and again. But if your thoughts about what and when you eat feel like they’re taking over your life, it can become a problem. 

Eating problems aren’t just about food – they can be about difficult experiences and painful feelings which you may be finding hard to face or resolve. If you’re finding your relationship with food is becoming difficult, it is ok to seek help. 

(See our pages on eating problems for more information, including tips on how to cope and ideas about recovery.)

Instagram Facebook-f Linkedin
What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

How can I eat more healthily?

How can I eat more healthily?

Eating a healthy diet can do a lot to improve your mood and sense of wellbeing. Use these tips to start making positive changes in the way you eat. 

Take small steps

Making changes can be really tough – especially if you’re feeling low. It might help to start by making small changes rather than changing your whole diet suddenly. 

You might not feel better right away, and there might be times where you feel frustrated. But try to keep going! Even making very small changes can make a difference in the long term. 

Share meals and cooking

Preparing your own food might feel daunting, but cooking with others can be a lot of fun. Ask your family, friends, colleagues, or other social groups to join in – they might be very happy to plan, cook and eat a meal together with you.

Take care of yourself

 We can often put a lot of pressure on ourselves to eat a healthy diet, but it’s also important to enjoy the food you eat and not be too hard on yourself. 

Remember that other factors can help improve your mental health as well, such as: 

  • getting physically active (especially outdoors to boost your vitamin D levels) 
  • getting enough sleep 
  • maintaining good relationships
  • limiting the amount of alcohol you drink. 

For more information, see our tips on how to improve your mental wellbeing. 

Manage food intolerances

Intolerances to particular foods (such as wheat, dairy or yeast) can cause lots of unpleasant feelings, both physical and mental. If you’re concerned about this, ask a health professional to help you investigate your tolerances safely.

Plan ahead

Finding the time to eat well can often be really difficult. If you have times when you’re feeling well and enjoying preparing food, try making some extra meals to store. You could make enough to last for several days, and freeze them in portions to use at times when you can’t face cooking. 

Keep a food diary

 Write down what you eat and make notes about how you’re feeling. Over time you might work out how particular foods: 

  • make you feel worse, or better 
  • keep you awake or help you 
  • sleep. 

Plus it can be reassuring to track improvements in your wellbeing. 

Get professional support

Sometimes the best way to improve your diet is with the help of a health professional. 

  • Dietitians can help you work on specific problems. 
  • Nutritional therapists can help you improve your overall health. 
  • Nutritionists can help you explore how food and nutrition affect your health and wellbeing. 

You could ask your family doctor to refer you. Alternatively you can find private practitioners at the Hong Kong Dietitians Association website.

If you go privately it is important that you ask any professional you see about their qualifications and experience. Going privately also means that you will usually have to pay a fee. 

Eating problems

Food plays an important part in our lives. Most of us will spend time thinking about what we eat, and change our habits now and again. But if your thoughts about what and when you eat feel like they’re taking over your life, it can become a problem. 

Eating problems aren’t just about food – they can be about difficult experiences and painful feelings which you may be finding hard to face or resolve. If you’re finding your relationship with food is becoming difficult, it is ok to seek help. 

(See our pages on eating problems for more information, including tips on how to cope and ideas about recovery.)