The NutraChamps Team discusses Mental Health – Part One

In honor of World Mental Health Day, which was October 10th, we’ve decided to dedicate the month of October to all things Mental Health.

We would be lying to ourselves if we said that things were always sunshine and rainbows over here. Even before the worldwide pandemic (2020 onward), our whole team has been implementing self-care in some form or another in order to bring you the best possible supplements on the market.

We’d like to take this opportunity to introduce you to some of our teammates. You’ll get to know exactly what we do here at NutraChamps and how we manage our stress, emotions, and busy work schedule in a healthy and compassionate way. 

Meet the team!

Ben V:

Hi I’m Ben! I’m the E-Commerce Administrator in Marketing here at NutraChamps. I wear many hats at this company, but am in charge of making sure the e-commerce side of the business is organized, which means I help make your products accessible in different markets on the web! This leads me into my 3 top mental health tips.

1. Family/friends: My loved ones are absolutely the most important thing in the world to me – everything else is replaceable. Though they’re occasionally the cause of distress, I can always count on time together to rejuvenate my spirits. Doesn’t always have to be my blood relations – I count my chosen family to be a part of this as well. With my wife and I both being immigrants, our chosen family is just as important while we’re far away from the ones we were born into.
2. Cleaning/organisation: My mood can very much be impacted by my surroundings, and I very rarely let things get out of hand just in general. Call me compulsive or call me tidy, but whenever I’m on the verge of a breakdown or burnout, even just a short cleaning or organisational session can help to get me more centred. I always tell people if they come over and my place is spotless, I’m really going through it. It helps give me purpose and a sense of achievement when I’m down, and helps to reduce stress and pull me together when I’m overwhelmed.
3. Time to myself – with limits: This one is the most dangerous of my go-to self-soothing mental health management techniques. I’m definitely an ambivert, but it’s very easy for me to accidentally cut off contact with the world without noticing. When I’m going through a difficult time, I tend to naturally self-isolate. Spending some time alone can be a very effective way to recharge, but I have to be careful that I don’t take it too far and completely cut myself off. I’ll often force myself to take myself on a “date” and go someplace new – it allows me some time to myself, without becoming too isolated.

Sean D:

My name is Sean and I am in Supply Chain here at NutraChamps. I make sure our products are stocked so that you never run out of your favorite supplements! My hobbies include anything outdoors, sports, and photography.

To help with my mental health, I do a few things:

1. Family: Seeing my son has the best positive impact on my mental health. Seeing the world through his eyes is so refreshing and I take so much pride in seeing him develop each and every day.
2. Exercise: I break a sweat! Exercise is so important at reducing cortisol levels and increasing overall mood and self-image.
3. Socializing: Being social. Whether that’s on a patio with friends or having a family BBQ, being with others is essential to my mental wellbeing.

Shaun G:

Hey NC fam – I’m Shaun. I’m the PPC Specialist in E-Commerce, aka the NutraChamps expert in internet advertising. I’m responsible for planning and optimising the effectiveness of online advertising campaigns so that you can easily find our product, especially when we’ve got sales! 

1. Friends: Going to see my friends I’ve known for 8 years has been instrumental in my mental health. I like to play video games, hang out, and/or order UberEats when I’m feeling overwhelmed and need someone to talk to. That’s when I realize that this stuff happens to everyone else, too. It reminds me that I’m not alone in feeling this way!
2. Talk Therapy: I highly recommend having an open communication with a trained professional. They have a neutral, unbiased view of me that I can’t find anywhere else. I know that what’s said in the room stays in the room, even if it’s done through Zoom/online.
3. Driving to clear my mind: My favorite thing to do when I need to get out of my head is to go for a late night drive with some Future, Drake and Kid Cudi blasting from the speakers. I usually go late, around 11PM. I enjoy it because it gets me out of the house, doesn’t hurt anyone, and I’m always crossing my fingers hoping I don’t get a speeding ticket!

Alexia P:

Taking care of my mental health is extremely important to me and something that I try my best to keep as a top priority in my life. I have faced times in my life where I put plenty of other things as a priority over my own wellbeing and mental health, and this was a time that I really suffered. I have learned that in order to show up as my best self in the world, I need to show up for myself first.

Some of the things that have dramatically improved my mental health include:

1. Setting Boundaries: Learning how to say no, and set boundaries with myself and the people in my life has been an absolute game-changer for my mental health. I am a people pleaser and have been for most of my life. I always thought that I would be letting people down by saying no, standing up for myself, or walking away from people or situations that didn’t serve me. Through therapy, I learned just how important boundaries are and everything started to shift. I realized I have more control over my life than I thought I did. One book that really helped me learn about boundaries is called, “Codependent no More” by Melody Beattie. Setting boundaries isn’t always easy but it’s something I continue practicing for my happiness.
2. Yoga: In no way, shape, or form am I an expert in yoga, but I do love practicing it. I discovered yoga when I was dealing with bad anxiety and severe eczema. I would follow online videos on YouTube – Yoga with Adrienne in particular. By practicing yoga I am able to feel more present, strong, peaceful, happy, calm, and more centered. I believe wholeheartedly that yoga is something that can dramatically improve mental health.
3. Therapy: For the longest time I was skeptical of therapy and thought that I didn’t need it. I finally cracked and decided to seek therapy when the pandemic hit in March 2020, it was a time that I was dealing with a lot personally and physically. Going to therapy was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I can’t even begin to explain the amount of ways therapy has benefited my life. It has truly made me understand myself better than I ever have. In return, I have had healthier relationships with the people around me and myself. I will probably continue going to therapy when I need it for the rest of my life. There is no shame in speaking to someone.

Owen Thomas: 

Hey, hey! It’s your boy Owen! If you have ever called or emailed NutraChamps there is a good chance we have already spoken! Like a lot of my fellow champs, I wear many hats, but my main role at NutraChamps is Customer Service!

As we all know, the world basically shut down last year and, being an extrovert who not only enjoys but thrives being around others, my mental health took a deep dive. However, I will say that a few things helped keep me from completely spiraling down a dark path.

1. Remaining Social: Being able to call my friends and family, be that video calling, FaceTime, or like Alexander Graham Bell, by using the old school telephone. Sometimes just seeing their faces or hearing their voices would feel like a hug for my soul. We wouldn’t even have to have deep discussions, but simply talk about how our day went. 
2. Running: The second thing that I found helped, is something I never would have done prior to the global pandemic, and that was going for jogs. Those that know me, know I would only ever run to catch a train or to get away from a scary dog. Being out and not only getting some cardio in, but also soaking up the sun’s rays has helped lift my spirits more than I would have ever thought! 
3. Music: The third thing that has always helped me, even pre-covid while in the office, is singing/humming. I suppose there are some scientific studies that show the effects that music has on mood, and I would have to agree. If I had the time to go through the whole laundry list of things I do to help improve my mood I would lol, but those are the top 3 that help quiet the riot in my head and my soul for my peace to be still.

Thanks for taking the time to read through half of our team’s mental health strategies! Don’t forget to read the second part of this blog to hear about more mental health solutions, tips, and tricks.

If you have any comments or suggestions for how you handle your stress, anxiety, depression, and more, please let us know in the comments below!

And stay tuned for part 2!