We all know that a balance of both exercise and good nutrition are paramount to our physical well-being. But what effect do they each have on our mental health?

It may surprise you that our minds are not separate from what we consider to be the physiological elements of our being. The way we use and maintain on muscles, organs and digestive systems informs our emotional state.

In one study, scientists asked test subjects to snack on either crisps and chocolate or fresh fruit. Within 10 days, members of the junk food group were exhibiting greater symptoms of low mood and anxiety than the fruit eaters. High-sugar, high-fat foods can cause a flash of hormones in the brain is pleasure centres, which is followed by a crash. Common deficiencies can also contribute to poor mental health, such as those in vitamins B12, C, D and omega-3.

Your workouts, meanwhile, will give you both a short-term high and a long-term lift. As well as releasing endorphins, exercise also triggers the release of numerous brain-cell mediators, including serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline, which light up the pleasure and reward centres of the brain.

Research shows that those who trained for just 2 and a half hours each week had a 31% lower risk of depression than those who didn’t. Exercise has been shown to be as effective as medication in reducing symptoms of moderate depression.

For many struggling with their mental well-being, getting outside and moving for half an hour each day will be easier than a total dietary overall.

The decider:
Exercise