Most of us are aware that what we eat can affect our waistline. But did you know that the foods you eat can also impact your brain, affecting your mood, cognition, and sleep?

Think of Your Brain Like an Expensive Car

Cars need fuel to operate. Some cars do fine no matter what type of gas you put in the tank. But expensive cars typically only do well when you fill the tank with premium gas.

Your brain is like an expensive car. You can try feeding it what you want and think is delicious, but it probably won’t operate optimally. In fact, your brain can actually become damaged if you feed it the wrong foods. For example, many processed and refined foods harm your brain, causing inflammation and toxic overload. Diets high in refined carbohydrates promote inflammation and oxidative stress and worsen your body’s regulation of insulin. 

All of this damage affects how your brain operates. That means when you eat poorly, you risk developing a mood disorder such as depression and anxiety, a cognitive impairment (making it hard to think clearly or remember information), and sleep issues.

And then it becomes a vicious cycle because once our sleep takes a hit and our mood takes a hit, and we can’t focus well, we intuitively want to reach for comfort foods that are usually unhealthy, and the cycle starts all over.

Making Lifestyle Changes Your Brain Will Thank You For

Life is easier and feels better when our brains work for us, not against us. With that in mind, here are some lifestyle choices you can make that will keep your brain working optimally:

Skip the Soft Drinks

One of the easiest changes you can make is to stop drinking soda, even sugar-free sodas, which can still impact your insulin levels. Opt for water instead. 

Eat Plenty of Healthy Fats

Your brain is 60% fat. It needs fat to thrive. But not all fats are created equally. Stay away from trans fats. These are fats made in a laboratory and are found in processed foods. Seed oils, vegetable oils – these are bad fats!

Healthy fats are those from grass-fed or pastured animals and nuts and avocados!

Take Care of Your Gut

Your gut health directly impacts the health of the rest of your body, including your brain. To be healthy, your gut needs a lot of good bacteria – AKA probiotics. So be sure to eat foods rich in probiotics. This can include sauerkraut, kimchi, Greek yogurt, kefir, and any fermented veggies you like!

Your brain does an awful lot for you. Isn’t it time you start paying more attention to what it needs? Eat right, and you will experience a big change in your mood, how you think and how your sleep!

RESOURCES:

• https://www.psycom.net/how-diet-impacts-mood/
• https://chronoceuticals.com/how-your-diet-affects-sleep-and-mental-health/
• https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626

In recent decades, mindfulness meditation has taken the West by storm. As a result, more and more people are experiencing less stress and more fulfillment in their life by “staying in the moment.” Well, mindfulness can be applied to any area of your life, including eating!

You may have heard of mindful eating before and assumed it had something to do with eating more slowly and chewing your food longer. And while these two considerations are part of the practice, they only scratch the surface.

Guidelines for Mindful Eating

You may be wondering why you should even begin to explore mindful eating. Well, the main reason is that the practice can help you to lose weight and easily maintain a healthy weight. This of course helps you to prevent the development of certain chronic diseases such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Health benefits aside, mindful eating also puts a lot of joy in your life. Most people no longer savor their meals but instead wolf them down while mindlessly watching TV or surfing the Internet. Mindful eating reminds you to savor your food and, in reality, savor every moment of this delicious life!

If you’re interested in mindful eating, here are some guidelines to help get you started:

• Refrain from eating because “it’s time” or because you are feeling intense emotions. Instead, become aware of hunger and satiety cues to guide your decisions on when to eat.
• Be mindful when creating a shopping list, choosing those items that have real health value.
• Start with a small portion, you can always have second helpings if needed. But you may be surprised how often those second helpings aren’t needed when you eat slowly.
• Enjoy each bite of your food. Taste all the flavors and feel the different textures of your food. Eating this way not only adds joy and sensuality to your life, but it helps you to eat more slowly so you don’t overeat.

Mindful eating makes dieting a thing of the past and empowers people to make better food choices through common sense and enjoying the experience of eating. I encourage you to give mindful eating a try and see if it can’t benefit your health and overall well-being.

SOURCES:

• https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindful-eating/
• https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/8-steps-to-mindful-eating
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mindful-eating-guide

The holidays are just around the corner, and that means singing carols, giving gifts, and eating copious amounts of fat and sugar! While it can feel perfectly fine and fun to be decadent over the holidays, before you know it, January first rolls around and you’ve put on 10 extra pounds!

If you have been trying to eat right and are nervous about upcoming holiday meals with family and friends or office parties, here are some tips to help you stay on track:

Eat Before You Go

You know how you’re never supposed to go grocery shopping when you’re hungry? The same can be said for attending holiday parties and meals. 

Be sure to eat a small meal before heading out, and make sure it contains plenty of protein and healthy fats. A quick and healthy meal could be half a turkey sandwich with avocado. You’ll feel full and satiated for hours.

Stay hydrated

We often feel hungry when actually we’re dehydrated. And it can become easy to get dehydrated during the holidays when you’re running around shopping and decorating, etc. Be sure to drink enough water each day. A small to medium glass with each meal should do the trick!

Bring a Healthy Dish

If you’ve been invited to a holiday meal or party and have been asked to bring something, go ahead and bring a healthy dish. This way, if there are no other foods there that are going to help you stick to your eating plan, you can dig into your own food!

Commit To Yourself

It is very okay to have boundaries. Do not feel pressured to eat something unhealthy just because a loved one is pressuring you to “live it up.” If you find yourself in a situation where your 98-year-old grandma feels hurt that you won’t have any of her famous pecan pie, tell her you are stuffed but you’ll be happy to take a slice home, then give that slice to your significant other, or a neighbor.

Sure, traditionally the holidays have been a time to live a little and be decadent. But if you’re someone who has a hard time cheating “just a little,” then use these tips to stay on track with your health goals.

SOURCES:

• https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/holidays-healthy-eating.html
• https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/p1119-8-holiday-tips.html
• https://www.healthline.com/health-news/heres-how-to-approach-eating-during-the-holidays

We’ve all read the studies that tell us having a glass or two of wine a day is actually beneficial to our health. But what happens when that glass or two turns into three, four or more?

Drinking too much alcohol can have serious ramifications on our health. Here are just some of the ways alcohol negatively affects your body and overall health:

Liver Damage and Toxic Buildup

Your liver is responsible for breaking down and removing harmful substances from your body, including alcohol. When we drink too much alcohol, over time, it can damage our liver leading to a condition called cirrhosis. Once your liver becomes this damaged, it can no longer remove harmful toxins from your body and you can experience another type of health crisis.

Type 2 Diabetes

Drinking too much can also damage your pancreas where insulin is made. When the pancreas is no longer functioning optimally and it cannot make enough insulin, your blood sugar levels begin to rise. This can eventually lead to the development of type 2 diabetes.

Damage to Your Central Nervous System

You know that when you drink too much, you begin to slur your speech. This is because alcohol impacts your central nervous system. Alcohol essentially reduces proper communication between your brain and your body. This is why you have slurred speech and horrible coordination when you’re drunk. Drinking in excess can eventually cause numbness and tingling sensations in your hands and feet. It can also cause you to lose memories because damage occurs to your frontal lobe.

Poor Digestion

The more you drink, the more you damage the lining of your digestive tract, so you soon become unable to absorb important nutrients from your food. Many alcoholics are suffering from malnutrition.

Drinking in excess also causes ulcers, and sometimes these ulcers can begin to bleed, causing more serious health complications.

Risk of Heart Disease

Chronic drinkers have a higher risk of developing heart disease and high blood pressure. If left untreated, they also have a higher chance of having a stroke or heart attack.

 

Alcohol in moderation can be very beneficial to your health. But drinking too much affects your health in a negative way. If you think you may have a drinking problem, please get help.

 

SOURCES:

• https://www.healthline.com/health/alcohol/effects-on-body
• https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohols-effects-body
• https://www.health.harvard.edu/addiction/alcohols-effects-on-the-body