Three Ways Cooking at Home Can Improve Health

Dr. Rajiv Datta oversees the Department of Surgery at South Nassau Communities Hospital in New York, and he holds positions as a clinical professor of surgery at such institutions as the Ross University School of Medicine and the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. In his leisure time, Dr. Rajiv Datta enjoys developing his cooking skills as a way of relaxing.

Cooking at home can provide multiple benefits, including saving money on eating out. Beyond the monetary perks, the activity of preparing a meal can also help with health. Here are a few ways cooking relieves stress and promotes relaxation.

1. Cooking is a natural outlet for serving others, and in that process, the cook experiences positive feelings as a result of nurturing others. Cooking also opens the creative side of the brain and encourages experimentation.

2. The act of preparing a meal allows the individual to focus completely on the task at hand, shutting out all other concerns from the day and providing a sense of control over at least one area of life.

3. Because it activates the senses, cooking can counteract stress, which tends to numb the senses. Turning off or setting aside electronics contributes greatly to this effect.