What Have I Gotten Into?

When I started my adventure in mind health, I had little idea the depth it would take me.  Or how powerful the mind is and all the aspects that affect our thought processes that add or take away from its effectiveness. No idea that I would have to study nutrition, exercise, language, how we think, and even our environment and how that effects our mind’s health. Today my focus is on nutrition.

First, if you ask 50 people what “good” or “healthy” nutrition is, odds are you will probably get about 40 different answers. Second, I am not a Nutritionist, but I have discovered the importance of good nutrition in all aspects of improvements in my client’s lives. One example is dementia which I discovered starts around age 25, and nutrition is a great reflector of the level of dementia we could have in later years.

I, of course, am concerned about our mind’s wellness which can be a celebration or a lament of our making healthy choices and affects our:

·      Living longer

·      Reducing the risk of some diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, some cancers, and osteoporosis, and obesity.

·      Reducing high blood pressure.

·      Lowering high cholesterol.

·      Improving your well-being.

·      Improving your ability to fight off illness.

·      Improving your ability to recover from illness or injury.

·      Improving brain function and health. Top brain foods – Avocados, Blueberries, Broccoli, Dark Chocolate, Eggs, Salmon, Turmeric, Walnuts, Green Leafy Vegetables.

Good nutrition means eating a balanced nutrient-dense diet rich in vitamins and minerals to fuel your body with what it needs. Here are some general suggestions.

·      Eat less processed foods

·      Eat a diet that is high in protein, with good fats and lower carbs.

·      Drink more water

·      Check your allergies/intolerances – dairy, gluten, etc.

·      Test for vitamin deficiencies: Magnesium, D3, Omega 3 and some B vitamins are missing from many diets.

·      Reduce your intake of saturated and trans fats, sugars, and salt.

Each person has a different set of nutritional requirements depending on their age, gender, and level of physical activity. Good nutrition is something that we sould be doing for the long-term, not a fad. It is a result of developing habits that will stick with you. A good question to ask yourself to determine the sustainability and likelihood of consistency is “Will I be able to do this day in and day out for the long term”?