Chronic stress, lack of sleep, poor dietary habits and a sedentary lifestyle can all take its toll on the health of our mood. Mental health is just as important as physical health in order to help us lead happy and satisfying lives. Keeping the emotions balanced and healthy, despite the many changes and challenges encountered in day to day living, helps an individual feel that they are in control and are capable of accomplishing the everyday tasks required of them.

But once the emotions become unbalanced, an unhealthy mood can take over that can lead to depression, sadness and mental illness. Depression and anxiety disorders exact a heavy toll on individuals and rob them of their ability to fully enjoy and engage in their lives.

Getting proper rest and sleep as needed, eating a well-balanced diet and getting out into fresh air for exercise on a daily basis are all important steps toward maintaining positive emotions that have a beneficial impact on general health. But there are also specific vitamins, minerals and nutrients that should be incorporated into the diet in order to help emotions remain on an even keel.

St. John's Wort is one of the leading herbal remedies that help to provide healthy mood support and eliminate symptoms of depression. S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine, commonly known as SAM-e, is sourced from an amino acid with proven effectiveness at promoting good mental health. Valerian, lavender and omega-3 fatty acids are all useful for treating a variety of mild emotional disorders including nervousness, anxiety, moodiness and depression.

B-vitamins are essential for promoting good mental health since they support optimal functioning of the nervous system. Vitamin D has proven useful in treating seasonal affective disorder (SAD) during the winter months when deficiencies in this essential vitamin are increased due to lack of natural sunlight.