When we talk about wellbeing, it’s tempting to separate the mind from the body: mental health in one corner, physical health in another. Traditional medicine often treats symptoms in isolation. But mental and physical wellbeing are deeply intertwined – to truly support mental health, we need to consider a person’s entire wellbeing.

March is the host of Nutrition & Hydration Week (16th-22nd March), making it the perfect time to pause, reset, and pay attention to these fundamental needs.

If you’ve attended our workshops, you’ll be familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: before higher-level wellbeing is achieved- like personal growth, creativity, or managing stress – our bodies require their basic physical needs to be met. Nutrition and hydration sit at the very base of that hierarchy.

Nutrition provides the energy and nutrients our cells, organs, and nervous system require to work efficiently. Hydration supports circulation, digestion, temperature regulation, and even brain function. Without these basics, everything else – from your ability to concentrate at work to your emotional resilience – is compromised.

Think of food and water as the “base layer” of your wellbeing. Everything else you do, from meditation to exercise, is more effective when your body is properly fuelled.

Our brains are metabolic powerhouses. Though they make up only about 2% of body weight, they consume roughly 20% of our daily energy. The fuel we provide them through nutrition affects mood, cognition, and emotional stability:

• Blood sugar fluctuations from skipping meals or consuming refined carbs can trigger irritability, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating.
• Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts, support brain function and have been linked to reduced symptoms of depression.
• Micronutrients like B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc are essential for neurotransmitter production, influencing sleep, motivation, and stress resilience.

Even minor nutrient deficiencies can quietly undermine emotional stability, leaving us more vulnerable to stress.

Water is the single most abundant substance in the human body – making up roughly 60% of an adult’s body weight. Every cell, tissue, and organ relies on water to function properly, including the brain. Even mild dehydration can impair attention, memory, and mood, leaving us feeling fatigued, irritable, or foggy-headed.

To put it in perspective, the human body can survive weeks without food, but only a few days without water, highlighting just how crucial it is for both physical and mental health. Staying hydrated helps regulate stress hormones, supports neurotransmitter function, and maintains optimal cognitive performance, making it a foundational piece of overall wellbeing.

It’s important to remember that food and water are just one piece of the puzzle – they won’t magically make us happy or solve our problems on their own. However, that doesn’t mean we should overlook the impact of what we eat and drink. Nutrition and hydration provide the foundation on which many other aspects of wellbeing can flourish.

Recognising this connection between body and mind – and supporting it consistently – is a vital step in building overall wellbeing. By attending to these foundational needs, we’re not just “taking care of our bodies,” we’re actively giving our minds the conditions they need to thrive. It’s a reminder that lasting mental health is holistic: each piece of the puzzle matters, and nutrition and hydration are key parts we shouldn’t ignore.