Cooking at home or cooking food to eat at home has benefits for our own mental health and may also include our family members. Because cooking is a method of occupational therapy that can help us reduce stress from work or life.
Office workers who start work early in the morning and finish work late at night are inevitably regular customers of curry shops in the market or restaurants near their residences. Just carrying their bodies home is already tiring. Stopping by the market to buy things to cook a menu they want to eat or to maintain good health according to nutritional principles that they can choose themselves is too tiring.
Even office workers like us know that cooking for ourselves has many benefits, such as being able to choose good ingredients that help strengthen our health, or cooking for ourselves reduces the risk of contamination from various harmful substances, but there are still many people who think that cooking for ourselves is unnecessary. In fact, few people know that cooking is not only good for the body, but also for the mind. And if you plan well in the medium and long term, cooking for yourself can save you money compared to buying food to eat yourself.
“Some of us love it and some of us hate it.”
Cooking is a hobby that you will find some people are so passionate about it that they study recipes by themselves seriously. Some people can make difficult dishes by studying from cookbooks or the internet. While some people decide that they would rather just eat because they don’t want to risk themselves with oil splatter, smoke that makes them have to wash their hair, sneeze when someone is making Pad Krapow, or have to touch meat with a strong smell in their nose, etc.
“No matter which side you stand on, cooking has been medically proven to improve our mental health.”
Certain foods can boost brain function. A 2014 study showed a link between poor mental health and an unhealthy diet. On the other hand, a well-balanced diet free of processed foods can have a positive effect on human memory and improve neurological function. For example, a diet high in healthy fats like olive oil, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and red meat. However, “unhealthy food is all around us, and access to it and poverty force people to have no choice.”
“Food helps build society.”
Food is meant to be shared. Cooking is an easy excuse to make friends or form a small community. It’s as easy as hitting up a farmers market and talking to the vendors and food vendors. Some people do it just to ask for recipes. You can pull someone from your neighborhood for dinner, or you can take a loaf of bread you’ve been learning to make and give it to your neighbor. You might be doing it because you want to have a friend over for dinner, or you want to get to know someone, or you want to see if your bread is any good. But it’s also an indirect excuse to socialize or interact with others.
“Build self-esteem through cooking.”
When our mental health is being affected by suffering, whether it is from work, love or family, we feel the suffering we are experiencing and our brain starts to malfunction when we feel that way. The thought often makes us believe that we are incapable of doing anything right. Of course, at that moment, you will gradually lose your confidence, belief and faith in yourself.
“Even making pasta can give you a confidence boost.”
Making a recipe that you hope turns out perfect can be a huge boost to your self-confidence and self-esteem. Even something as simple as pasta with just three ingredients – noodles, butter and parmesan cheese – can make a delicious pasta dish. Cooking at home has been medically proven to significantly boost your self-confidence. This is because there is such a satisfying feeling in creating something tangible that others can enjoy.
“Cooking can be a therapeutic activity in a daily routine.”
Routines are so beneficial to our brains that many forms of psychotherapy that focus on routines have emerged. Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) is one of the most common forms of psychotherapy used with bipolar disorder (BD). It works to stabilize common disruptions in circadian rhythms, using principles from interpersonal psychotherapy, evidence-based treatment for depression, and emphasizing the importance of routine.
Our circadian rhythm is our internal body clock that controls stress hormones and melatonin, the hormone that controls our sleep-wake cycles. Cooking can become a cornerstone of your daily routine that will improve your overall health.
How can stressful life events and changes in a person’s daily routine trigger mental health problems? In the case of bipolar disorder, it can also lead to the onset of depression. This type of therapy advises people to set a schedule for when they go to bed, wake up, and eat, among other daily activities. By following a routine, our circadian rhythms can be more balanced.
“Cooking boosts creativity.”
A recent study found that incorporating creative activities into your daily routine can significantly improve your mood and overall well-being. Cooking is one creative activity that highlights the link between cooking and mood enhancement, so there’s no denying the science on this one.
So how do we get started? If you’ve read this far, even if you’re someone who absolutely hates cooking, you may be thinking that maybe it’s not so bad, and that it might even help your mental health. If you’re interested, you may be wondering where to start. The following list will give you a starting point.
- Review your favorite foods: Maybe you love foods that you’re too scared to try to cook yourself, like sushi or beef tenderloin. You can also base your preferences on what flavors you might like. For example, you might try baking salmon in the oven or making a simple burger in a skillet.
- Consider taking a cooking class: You can also try to surround yourself with people who are already in the kitchen. They may be cooking a little earlier than you, which can make the cooking experience less stressful. If you’re nervous about going alone, find a friend to join you.
- Reach out to your inner circle: Asking loved ones to share a few tips and tricks with you when preparing your food can be a comfortable way to get started. It’s also the social interaction that can feel comforting during a challenging time.
Conclusion
No matter how you choose to start, don’t let fear or lack of confidence intimidate you.
Cooking at home or cooking your own food at home is cooking for yourself that is not as difficult as you think. You already have a favorite taste that you want to taste. Therefore, focus on which taste, menu and appearance of the dish. Try to do it according to your preferences. Let your mind relax without thinking about whether the result will be delicious or not. If you are comfortable and enjoy it, even if your tongue says it is not delicious, your mental health will definitely enjoy it.
“Putting on a chef’s hat and boldly exploring the kitchen will make you feel better than you ever thought you would.”
Reference:
Mental Health Benefits of Cooking Your Own Meals
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