Penza told how cooking strengthens the psyche

Maintaining mental health can be done in a simple way – cooking at home. Those who confidently stand at the stove are less likely to complain of mental and self-esteem problems. And culinary therapy helps fight depression.

Australian scientists from Edith Cowan University conducted an experiment involving 657 people. They spent seven weeks learning healthy cooking. Immediately after the program, the participants improved their health and mental health, increased self-confidence. The effect lasted six months.

At first, the researchers decided that it was about proper nutrition. But later it turned out that the psyche and confidence remained at the height even when the diet was no longer healthy. And the participants with obesity and with normal weight felt equally well. So there's a connection between cooking pleasure, confidence and mental health.

The founder of the Culinary Art Therapy course, Julie Ohana, believes that cooking is an act of patience and awareness, a way of creative expression and communication. It increases self-esteem, because a person feels good when doing pleasant things to himself and his family.

The experiment showed that cooking can smooth out the gender issue in the kitchen. At the beginning of the course, 77% of women were confident in their culinary skills, compared to 23% of men. By the end of the program, confidence and skills were equal. Dr Joanna Rees explains: This will help to remove the barriers associated with not being able to cook and reduce the lack of time for someone who usually stands at the stove. And if everyone cooks, the diet will be more useful dishes instead of semi-finished products.

Psychologists compare cooking with “behavioral activation”: a person is passionately engaged in a meaningful business, restraining procrastination. It helps you focus on a specific task and gives you a sense of control that is sometimes lacking in everyday life.