Mental health has risen up the corporate agenda in recent years, both as an ethical issue and as a factor that affects the bottom line.
We were delighted to catch up with chartered psychologist, nutrition expert, author and broadcaster Kimberley Wilson.
A leading voice arguing that we need to pay more attention to the impact of our diets on our mental well-being, Kimberley explained why most current thinking about mental health is flawed, and why employers should be prioritising their teams’ mental health.
Why has diet received so little attention when it comes to mental health?
I think there are lots of reasons. Foremost of which being that the brain is out of sight and out of mind. We can readily see the impact of nutritional deficiencies on physical health outcomes. For example, a lack of vitamin C very quickly shows up as bleeding gums or bruising. However, because we can’t see the brain, we can’t see the physical impact on it of nutritional deficiencies. That’s why, in my talks, I often show images of actual brains or brain scans to give a visual depiction of what’s happening in the brain when we don’t get certain nutrients. It’s about making the brain visible.
Another factor is that for the last 400 years we’ve had a dualism in the way that we approach mental health. We think of mental health as being completely separate from physical health and we don’t associate mental health with the organ that underlies it. If someone complained of palpitations or feeling faint, their doctor would very quickly talk to them about the health and condition of their heart. But when someone attends to their doctor or even a psychologist with poor focus and attention, poor memory, or low mood, their doctor is very, very unlikely to talk about the underlying health of their brain. So even when we think about mental health we don’t associate it with a physical organ and that’s completely different to the way that we think of any other health parameter.
Strangely, the brain has been largely ignored in the conversation about mental health. And if we’re not even thinking about a physical organ it won’t occur to us to consider the role of factors like nutrition.
Why should organisations prioritise the mental health of their employees?
The things that employers want from their employees – creativity, performance, task initiation, goal-directed persistence, sustained attention – require a healthy brain that is functioning well. For me, cognitive performance and mental health go hand in hand because they are coming from the same source.
On top of this we know that stress, burnout and poor mental health are leading causes of sickness absence and loss of staff. So good mental health is as much about staff retention as well as competitive performance in the marketplace. And of course, for me, good mental health is proactive, it is about building resilience into a system (including the brain), it is about mental health prevention as well as having the processes, tools and support in place to take care of someone should they become unwell.
What was the last book you read?
I am in the middle of Friends: Understanding the Power of our Most Important Relationships by Robin Dunbar – of Dunbar’s Number: the observation that our brains have a limited cognitive capacity for stable social relationships that taps out at around 150. It’s fascinating, not just from the psychology angle – supportive relationships are hugely important for our mental wellbeing and even longevity – but also the neuroscience: that there is a correlation between brain size and average social group size in primates. That’s very cool and makes the nerd in me exceedingly happy.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t be afraid to try . There are things I didn’t attempt because I thought I wouldn’t be right for them or that I would be rejected. But regrets of omission are much more painful than regrets of commission. So, I would say, don’t be afraid to try because a) it might work out and b) if you hate it, you can leave.
Book Kimberley Wilson for your event
Kimberley’s illuminating presentations provide actionable insights based on cutting-edge research, to help employees and leaders take immediate steps to improve their wellbeing.
For more information on Kimberley’s speaking topics, availability and fees, contact leo@vbqspeakers.com.