Whether you went through an easy, uncontested online divorce or a messy, attorney battle, there will be inevitable emotional ups and downs to be endured post divorce. Improving wellness after a divorce is vital. It’s hard to stay in a good place mentally and/or physically throughout the divorce process — even with a simple online divorce — and the more you focus your efforts on diet and exercise, the better off you’ll be. But which foods should you avoid? Which should you be eating more of? And how frequently (and intensely) should you be exercising.
1. Which Foods Should You Avoid?
In recent comments to Huffington Post, nutritionist Barbara Mendez explained: “Food has a direct link to your mood … Studies show that eating very sugary, refined and processed foods can lead to depression and anxiety. When someone goes through the massive challenge of getting divorced, the natural instinct is to comfort oneself with these kinds of manufactured foods, which only exacerbates the anguish and sadness — destabilizing the brain and making the emotional upheaval feel even worse.”
2. Which Foods Should You Be Eating More Of?
Mendez advised that you should eat “things like sweet potatoes, nuts and seeds, Omega-3-rich fish such as salmon or tuna and nutritious greens” for mental support, helping you to think clearly and “reduce the effects of the stress hormones released in difficult times.” You can find six Mendez-approved recipes at the HuffPo website. We recommend checking them out — but first, one more question:
3. How Frequently (And Intensely) Should You Exercise?
A 1998 article published in the June 1998 issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, Dr. Michael Pollock notes that exercise should be “20-60 min(utes) of continuous or intermittent (minimum of 10-min bouts accumulated throughout the day) aerobic activity.” Pollock stated that length of time would also depend on intensity of the activity, with lower-impact workouts requiring more time per day. A 30- to 45-minute run is a good start, and weight training has also been a proven winner for men and women.
But through it all, don’t forget to sleep well. That’s how the body repairs itself and grows strength following exercise. Without sleep, your physical performance won’t last very long.
Remember that even the ease of online divorce can’t eliminate the emotional element from what you’re feeling. Don’t let depression set in. Commit to proper diet and exercise, and the next chapter of life could be better than the last.