We often focus on foods to help fuel the body, but what about healthy foods to fuel the brain?
Lack of good nutrition can be detrimental to brain health and mental well-being. There is a strong link between a high sugar, processed foods diet and impaired memory function and depression.
A diet that focuses on brain health should include the following foods.
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids – MUFAs are good fats that increase the levels of acetylcholine – an essential brain chemical required for learning and memory. Olive oils and avocados are a great source of MUFAs.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids – a major component of the cell membrane that forms the nerve cell. Good sources of omega 3 fatty acids are sardines, salmon, and mackerel. Plant based sources are flax seed, hemp seeds, chia seeds, broccoli, brussel sprouts and walnuts.
Anti-inflammatory foods – curcumin the key chemical in turmeric, is a potent anti-inflammatory for the brain. Turmeric can be used in cooking or for making a delicious turmeric latte.Another strong anti-inflammatory food for the brain is cacao, the raw form of chocolate. So, indulge in that piece of dark chocolate. It’s good for the brain!
L-theanine produces the brain chemical GABA which can promote brain clarity. Green tea and matcha tea are good sources of L-theanine.
Antioxidants and flavonoids – Found in colorful fruits and vegetables. They help to combat everyday oxidative stress and free radicals our cells are exposed to on a daily basis. They also decrease damage to nerve cells. Berries, especially blueberries, are a great source of antioxidants.
Prevention is the key to any illness so support your brain health by consuming the above foods on a daily basis.
While we cannot always avoid stressors in our daily life, we can manage our response to triggers.
By adopting some simple and effective coping mechanisms, our lives can be more harmonious. Practicing yoga is not only effective at managing stress, but is also a way to ease symptoms of anxiety and mental fatigue. By transferring focus and attention to the body and breath, we can access a calmer mind, improved sleep, and many more health benefits.
Easy Sitting Pose
Promotes grounding and awareness
Opens hips, lengthens your spine
Assists with anxiety
Helps to relieve physical and mental fatigue
Spinal Lift (Bridge)
Provides a slight inversion and therefore increases blood flow to brain
Assists with deep breathing
Re-energizes the body
Shoulder Stand
Called the “queen of all yoga poses” for its extensive benefits
Considerable inversion greatly increases blood flow to the brain
Stimulates the lymphatic system, aiding circulation and immunity
Re-energizes the body and mind
Caution if you have neck issues (spinal lift/bridge is a safer alternative)
Downward Facing Dog
Provides a slight inversion and therefore increases blood flow to brain
Releases tension from hamstrings, calves, shoulders, neck and low back.
Re-energizes the body
Child’s Pose
Excellent pose for calming the mind
Releases tension from hips, low back and shoulders
Low effort
Assists with anxiety
Helps to relieve physical and mental fatigue
Legs up the wall
Stimulates the lymphatic system, aiding circulation and immunity
*Adapted from the New York Times article by Gretchen Reynolds
A recent study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology shows that weight training may not just benefit our bodies, it may also have brain health benefits.
The study found that weight training done by rats, using ladders and tiny, taped-on weights, can reduce or even reverse aspects of age-related memory loss.
Many people find that as they approach middle age, things that were easy to remember suddenly begin to elude them; like people’s names or where they left their car keys. Studies have shown that regular aerobic exercise can alleviate these issues. Far less has been studied about resistance training and its effects on the brain.
While researchers know that lifting weights builds muscle, it is not yet clear how, at a molecular level, it would affect the cells and functions of the brain. In this new study, they used rats and ladders to examine it more closely.
The study involved a 100-centimeter-long ladder and bags of weighted pellets gently taped to the rats’ rear ends. The animals received a Fruit Loop when they reached the top of the ladder and soon started climbing willingly, even without rewards. After several weeks, the climbers showed increased muscle mass, indicating that the activity was effective weight training.
Next, to test the training’s brain effects, the scientists injected a separate group of animals with a substance known to induce inflammation in the brain, creating a rodent form of mild cognitive impairment or early dementia.
Half of these rats then began a weekly program of weight training. As the climbing became easier, the mass of the pellets in their bags was increased, just as people progressively add to the weight they lift at gyms.
After five weeks, all of the animals, including an untouched control group, were loosed individually into a brightly lit maze with a single, darkened chamber. Rodents gravitate toward dark places and during repeated visits to the maze, the animals would be expected to learn the location and aim for that chamber.
At first there was no significant change. But in time, the weight-trained animals, despite their induced cognitive impairments, caught up to and in some cases surpassed the speed and accuracy of the controls.
The weight training had “effectively restored” their ability to think, according to the study.
The untrained animals with mild cognitive impairments, meanwhile, continued to lag far behind the others in their ability to find and recall the chamber.
Finally, to better understand how ladder climbing might have changed the rats’ brains and minds, scientists examined brain tissue from each of the groups. As expected, they found signs of inflammation in the brains of the animals that had been injected.
But they also found that the memory centers of the brains in the weight trainers teemed now with enzymes and genetic markers that are known to help kick-start the creation and survival of new neurons, while also increasing plasticity, which is the brain’s ability to remodel itself.
In effect, the brains of the weight-trained rats were remaking themselves to resemble brains that had not been inflamed and impaired.
Obviously this is a study with rats, not humans, so there are variables to consider. The study also doesn’t show whether aerobic exercise has a similar or different effect on the brain, or if healthy people would gain the same benefits as those with impairments. But the study certainly does suggest that resistance training can help.
“I think it’s safe to say that people should look into doing some resistance training,” said the head of the research team. “It’s good for you for all kinds of other reasons, and it appears to be neuroprotective. And who doesn’t want a healthy brain?”
My name is Charles Curtis, founder and President of Curtis Health. For more than 30 years I have been reading, consulting, discussing and writing on the ever increasing costs of poor health in the workplace and improving workplace well-being.
We know that costs associated with employee health continue to rise regardless of the overwhelming evidence of the positive return on investment (ROI) from effective workplace wellness programs.
So how can we determine what programs result in the positive outcome companies now must strive for?
A 2011 Sun Life-Ivey Business School study, Canadian Wellness Return on Investment Study, identified the five best practices to support optimal wellness strategy, design and implementation as:
Leadership by example from senior and middle management creates a healthy culture.
Policies and practices that reflect a culture of health and a commitment to a healthy workplace.
Communication is critical. Employees must understand the employer’s commitment to employee health and wellness offering.
Targeted programs to identify top health risks.
Evaluate outcomes for analysis and benchmarks.
Leadership
Over the past 30 years, some organizations I’ve worked with exist through a philosophy of wellness for everything they do. Starting from the top, leadership believed that organized wellness activities were to be woven into the fabric of the company. The result was continuous growth, positive energy, pride and better outcomes resulting in organization wide cost savings while allowing the wellness budget to continually grow.
Contrary to this winning approach, I have seen cases where a very small budget was given to outfit fitness centres and see how the attendance would be before any more funds were injected into the program. This “build it and they will come” philosophy without strong leadership or investment usually results in little engagement, accountability and ownership of the program. Simply put, a fitness centre, the odd education communication, a weekly class and workshops as a “wellness program” does not result in positive changes in the workplace.
Policies and Practices
A strong business case with solid policies and practices is a must in order to sustain a wellness program over time. The strongest programs have a team of dedicated employees supported by leadership and an outside expert to help guide them through the pitfalls of a start up or refresh. Forming a committee to establish guidelines sets the tone for a strong program. The key to this is having a solid plan and committee members that are committed to the program, the company and the people. Without a dedicated group willing to work hard and support the policies it is an uphill battle.
Communication
The best programs have the strongest methods of communications. If the communication system is not effective then it doesn’t matter if you have the greatest programs available.
One example of this I have seen, had a middle management who believed in the program but there was little budget to promote the services. That created a situation where the organization had little “skin in the game” and left the program and sign ups to the employees without financial support, leadership or ownership. That was not a sustainable model. Opposite to that, I have seen programs that have a strong web presence, communication policy and plans. Consistent messages and programs are promoted well in advance throughout the locations and levels of organization, and supported by champions spreading the good word. Again, the more the investment and programs are communicated effectively, the better the returns.
Targeted Programs
Using passive forms of communication alone, such as educational handouts on fitness, health and wellness, does not achieve a positive return on investment. Behavioral health interventions will provide a much better result, establishing a winning plan for reducing those costly areas of concern and enabling the employee population of your company to flourish.
In my experience, using a health risk identification process and interest survey as a program launching point will ensure all data and health trends are collected from the beginning. This data is paramount in identifying and targeting the key areas of risk and interest in order to establish the most effective services and programs and maintain program accountability.
Evaluation
As a follow up to the risk identification process, it is suggested organizations develop a comparative feedback measurement to evaluate program success and establish accountability. The most successful programs are under constant scrutiny and evaluation. Evaluation can come in many forms: participation levels, participation feedback, pre and post test results and financial cost benefits just to name a few. This process motivates the organization to keep on top of the program and make adjustments as needed in a timely matter.
Charles Curtis is President of Curtis Personalized Health Management and owner and General Manager of 12 Weeks to Wellness: Premier services in providing fitness, health, wellness and coaching programs to individuals and organizations since 1985.
Holiday season is upon us and along with joyous festive events comes the challenge in keeping a healthy YOU. Less time to meal prep, tempting goodies all over the office, social outings, alcohol and less time for exercise. This is not a good combination for staying healthy.
Below are some tips for managing the next 4 weeks and entering 2019 feeling fabulous!
Eat a healthy snack or meal BEFORE you head to that party. A satiating bowl of homemade chili or hearty soup can curb the temptation for goodies.
Make a healthy dish to take to the pot lucks. Bringing a red pepper hummus and vegetables to dip, spicy homemade nuts, or vegetarian chili means that you know there will be something that you can eat. This is especially important if you are on a restricted diet, vegan, vegetarian, celiac or gluten intolerant.
Be aware of alcohol consumption: Have a glass of water or sparkling water between each alcoholic cocktail. This will help you to decrease the amount of alcohol you consume and it helps keep you hydrated. Or better yet, volunteer as the designated driver. This can mean a lot fewer calories (sugar) and a better morning! J Often food choices have a direct correlation with the amount of alcohol we consume.
If you are suffering from digestive issues try having some apple cider vinegar or lemon water about 10 to 30 minutes before you eat. You can take a TBSP of ACV on its own or put it in a glass of warm water. Both ACV and lemon water aid in digestion.
Plan ahead and use a slow cooker or crock pot for your meals. That way you can be out shopping and come home to a hearty ready to eat meal.
Ensure you are getting quality sleep. Incorporate a sleep ritual which prepares you for the 7-9 hours recommended to support healthy immune and nervous systems. Turn off the screen time an hour before bed as EMF can disrupt sleep.
Eat foods that support your immune system. Stress and a busy lifestyle can challenge our immune system. Incorporate garlic, onions, ginger and turmeric into your meals as often as possible. Start your day with warm lemon water with ginger and turmeric. Add fermented foods like kimchi or sauerkraut for healthy gut flora. Red peppers, citrus and berries for Vitamin C and antioxidants. Spinach and broccoli raw or lightly steamed to get the most from their packed nutritional value.
Eat foods that support your nervous system and limit stimulant intake. Almonds, walnuts, poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, kelp, leafy greens, cold water fish, ginger and basil are a few ‘nervine’ foods. Snack on some raw almonds, walnuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Replace coffee with green tea to decrease coffee consumption and increase antioxidants.
Exercise! Don’t miss out on your exercise routine. It may have to alter slightly but if you plan ahead and schedule your workouts they are less likely to be missed. Exercise can be a great stress coping mechanism. Do low intensity if feeling especially stressed and ensure a post workout stretch, relaxation and rehydration.
Incorporate realistic stress coping strategies. Your usual stress management routines may not be feasible at this time of year. Find moments for down time, deep breathing, walking in nature, gratitude journaling and ‘me’ time. Keeping a positive attitude is proven to decrease the negative effects stress can have on your health.
If you need more individual assistance please contact me.
What your body needs can change daily. If you are feeling sore or tired, don’t ignore it, it is your body telling you that it needs a rest. Maybe try a stretch class, roll out or take a walk instead of going for a run. Sometimes it’s better to give yourself a rest day and recover than push through. This will allow you to give 100% the next day and avoid potential injury or burnout!
Everyone at some point or another has experienced symptoms of stress. Stress is a word we use to describe both how we feel and what is happening around us. There are many levels of stress, both positive and negative. Some of the positive stresses include the anticipation of an exciting event, the pursuit of a goal, or even a challenging workout. Some of the negative sources of stress include the heavy pressures we can feel from the outside world and those we place on ourselves.
Why do we stress?
While we relate to the symptoms and triggers of stress, understanding what is happening on a physiological level is an important piece in better managing stress. Let’s take a closer look at the purpose of stress. Stress is a survival response. It is a programmed instinct to survive in the presence of danger. This is a valuable and necessary trait, but issues arise when this response is over productive, causing our health to suffer.
Our world has changed immensely over the course of human history. Our physical survival is not threatened the way it was thousands of years ago. However, our physiological response to stress remains the same.
Unfortunately, today’s high pace creates an onslaught of potential stress triggers. While we may consider stress a part of life, the fact remains that our physiology doesn’t understand the difference between some of these triggers and a life threatening situation.
The good news is we can use this knowledge as power and begin to take stress management more seriously. We can make stress reduction a priority and employ tools to act vs. react to situations. Stay tuned for much more on Mindfulness from Curtis Health!
“27% of Canadian workers claim to have high to extreme levels of stress daily”.
While some stress is unavoidable, prolonged stress increases the risk of depression, heart disease, and substance abuse. Wouldn’t it be lovely if no one had to stress out over work, finances, lack of time, health issues, or family and relationships? The reality is that we can’t eliminate these often-stressful situations, but we can help to prevent some of the damage that long term stress can have on our body and mind.
1. Deep Breathing: This seems obvious, but it’s been shown to help in the treatment of burnout, headache, chronic fatigue, concentration problems, anxiety and phobia, panic disorder, depression, and heart disease. Try taking a long deep breath and notice how your muscles begin to relax, and your mind begins to quiet. Breathing exercises can be done anywhere and they help to reverse your stress response.
Try this: Sit comfortably. Place one hand on your stomach just below your ribs, and one hand on your chest. Take a deep breath through your nose, and feel your stomach push your hand away, without moving your chest. Exhale through your lips like you’re about to whistle. Repeat slowly 3-10 times.
2. Guided Imagery: This is a wonderful way to give yourself a quick vacation, wherever you are. Focus your mind on an environment that you find relaxing. Maybe it’s a beach you’ve napped on while listening to the ocean. Pay attention to the sounds that you would hear in this place, the smells, even imagining how your skin feels, maybe it’s being warmed by the sun.
3. Exercise: Exercise and stress management are closely linked. Exercise provides a distraction, an outlet for frustration, and gives you a lift via endorphins. Exercise also “appears to be an effective treatment for depression, improving depressive symptoms to a comparable extent as pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy”.
Article by Nicole Wutschnik Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor
Do we have a final verdict on the health benefits of coconut oil?
Recently, some companies have used coconut oil as the new superfood ingredient in their products as a selling point. But, how good is coconut oil for us?
Potential health hazards of coconut oil are that 92% of its chemical structure is classified as a saturated fat, even higher than butter, and could thus lead to elevated cholesterol levels.
Most of the health benefits attributed to coconut oil are associated with its high content of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). The primary MCFA in coconut oil is lauric acid which mimics healthy unsaturated fats, such as olive oil and fish oil, by boosting good HDL cholesterol.
Reducing dietary fat has been a goal when it comes to reducing the risk of heart disease. However, this is changing and fat can no longer be viewed as the major culprit leading to cardiovascular disease.
Results of a meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2010 showed that there is no significant evidence that dietary saturated fat increases risk of coronary heart disease. The analysis covered 21 studies involving 347,747 people.
A scientific report released in February 2015 by the American government’s influential Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee stated that “available evidence shows no appreciable relationship between consumption of dietary cholesterol and serum cholesterol and that “dietary advice should put the emphasis on optimizing types of dietary fat and not reducing total fat.”
Interestingly, the Committee also reported that low-fat diets, where fats are often substituted by refined carbohydrates, were associated with high elevated cholesterol levels.
The fact is that coconut oil is very energy dense but, unlike other oils, it does not provide any additional vitamins or polyphenol antioxidant compounds like the ones found in olive oil.
The final verdict for now is that there is not enough scientific evidence to promote the use of coconut oil over other oils. Consuming fats in moderation and limiting consumption of saturated fat to 10 percent of total calories is our safest bet while keeping an eye on upcoming research.
Bettina M.
Registered Dietitian, Certified Health & Wellness Coach
The first fitness to music class I ever attended was “Disco-Fit” in 1979. I thought I had died and landed in Exercise Heaven. How could anything be more wonderful than sweating to blasting music with a bunch of other people? Imagine my shock when the teacher asked me if I was interested becoming an Instructor. WHAT? You are going to PAY me to jump around to music and get fit and sweaty. Count me in! Of course there was a lot more to it, interesting stuff about energy systems and heart rates and balancing muscle groups.
You must be thinking I am in a care facility by now but NO, at almost 60 years old I am still teaching Fitness to Music classes. I am not alone, there are other people I work with even older than I am. Can you believe it? 60 really is the new 40 because in the early 80’s there were some “older ladies” that could not keep up to our fitness class so we “invented” a class for these aging almost seniors (in our minds) that did not include jumping. I thought these ladies were really old and out of shape. The class was called 40 plus. Can you believe it? We thought 40 was very old to be sweating to music. Read More→
Curtis Health Is Partnering With Kintec: Footwear + Orthotics
Kintec is offering all Curtis clients (including friends and family) expert shoe fitting to best suit your needs at a 15% discount on regular price footwear.
