It’s Time to Nourish Your Mind: Quick Mexican Pasta Salad Therapy | Mental Health Recipes

There’s something about throwing on some soul-moving music on and cooking up a storm that’s so therapeutic.

It’s no wonder many of us were baking and cooking our hearts out during the pandemic; it just felt good. The fact that there is a delightfully tasty treat or meal at the end of it all is the cherry on top.

Now, throwing together this delicious Mexican pasta salad is no exception. In many ways, any form of creating is a gateway to mindfulness, which can enhance our emotional well-being.

So, let’s chop, stir, toss, and sprinkle our way toward feeling mental clarity, serenity, and peace. Below, we explore how to make this colorful salad and why you might want to!

Work Through Your Emotions With This Mexican Pasta Salad

While this recipe only really requires some cooking of pasta, then chopping and mixing, it’s just enough cooking without a huge commitment. Plus, the result is worth it.

It also packs tons of punch in terms of nutrients, giving your body and mind a much-needed boost. So, let’s make this one and then dive into the mental health benefits below!

3 Mental Health Benefits of This Mexican Pasta Salad

A colorful plate is always a sure-fire sign that you have a meal packed full of plenty of different nutrients—which is exactly what the body and mind love and thrive off. So, let’s break down the three major mental health benefits of this Mexican pasta salad.

1. It Can Help Regulate Your Mood.

With fiber-rich ingredients like black beans and veggies, this meal positively impacts the gut-brain axis. Fiber feeds the “good” bacteria in our guts, which cascades and helps our immune system, hormonal system, and more function smoothly. 

In fact, research shows how a fiber-rich diet actually lowers the likelihood of depression. It’s thought to do this by lowering inflammation and promoting a healthy production of serotonin - 95% of which is made in the gut.

On top of this, fiber can improve the elimination and frequency of bowel movements, which helps effectively eliminate toxins and waste from the body.

Research further demonstrates that constipation is associated with mood disorders; thus, dietary interventions for depression and other mood disorders are highly recommended for future research and treatment options. 

2. It Can Improve Overall Brain Health.

Omega-3s are frequently linked to better brain health, and this salad has no shortage of them.

With a good serving of avocado and oil, this meal will help you obtain a good amount of these fatty acids. 

First and foremost, these omega-3 fatty acids are thought to support the brain by reducing inflammation. Additionally, these fatty acids cross through the brain cell membrane and support mood-affecting molecules in the brain. They’ve also been linked with complementing traditional therapies for treating depression. 

3. It Provides a Good Source of Energy.

With a combination of fiber and protein, along with complex carbs, this meal can provide a good and steady source of energy.

Complex carbs, in particular, are digested more slowly than simple sugars, leading to a gradual release of glucose into the bloodstream. This steady supply of energy helps maintain stable blood sugar levels, which is crucial for mood stability and preventing mood swings.

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