I decided to conduct my interviews in a group and make it more of a covsersation rather than an interview. I was a bit nervous to ask even my group of friends about such a personal issue, but they were very open about it. I started with a simple question, 

Are you healthy? 

There was a short pause and then a range of answers, “Yes”, “I think”, and “Not mentally!” followed by some laughs. After the not mentally response I decided to ask the question, which do you priortize, your mental or physical health? One of the answers surprised me. She said “I think mine are linked, if I am in better physical health, then I have better mental health,” and everyone at the table nodded their heads in agreement. We discussed how as we take better care of our bodies and make sure to excercise regularly, we feel better on the inside as well as the outside. I wondered then if this was accurate for everyone, and came to this conclusion, unsurprisingly, it depends. After talking to all of these people, I genuinely believe that if you are taking the time to take care of your body, then it will inevitably help your mind. However just like one of my participants pointed out, 

“I doubt it would solve everyone’s problems.”

There are some mental issues that go farther into the mind then can be solved by achieving the “perfect body” or a healthier diet. Especially if we go about it in unhealthy ways. Starving ourselves or over-exercising to the point of injury just to become someone’s definition of “healthier” will never solve the deeper personal issues we may possess. While improved physical health could provide a temporary, or even permanent solution for some people, being in shape is not the answer for everyone. And as someone said, “Eating salad won’t make you less sad.”