News, diet plan tips, recipes and the latest research
to help improve your health, nutrition and well-being.
Clinical depression can be associated with confusion and cognitive impairment. Processing speed, creativity, memory, and mental focus can be compromised in the setting of depression. Cognitive decline associated with depression can look like dementia in the elderly. Treatment for depression, and social support and compassion, can be a way to improve cognitive function.
We care for others, willingly and with love, such as being there for your children, friends, work colleagues, and community. At the same time, doing so can bring unexpected and ever-changing demands that at times can feel depleting, overwhelming, and frustrating. Taking care of yourself – and making sure your needs are met – while caring for others is vital, especially when caring for elderly parents, a spouse, child, or other family member with a chronic condition.
Studies show that high-fat food intake is associated with increased daytime sleepiness and decreased alertness. The deterioration in alertness was sufficiently great to be a possible deterrent to the performance of specific jobs. However, excessive daytime sleepiness found an association with saturated, but not unsaturated fat. This is another reason to choose nuts, seeds, olive and sesame oil, tahini, and avocado.
One of the easiest ways to keep meals simple is to repeat the basic ingredients from week to week and even day to day and mix things up with fat free and low fat condiments. This blog includes a list of our favorites we use all the time. Happy Cooking!
Heart-healthy omega-3 fats, unsaturated fats, and healthy saturated fats are well known, plus they’re great for metabolism, weight management, and mental wellness. Examples include nuts, seeds, fish, grass-feed beef and even dark chocolate.
An enduring problem associated with strategies aimed to reduce obesity, or at least to make the obese healthier, is the “one size fits all” approach. It is rarely cost effective to work with an individual patient to figure out why weight was gained or perhaps regained. It takes time to figure out how lifestyle may contribute to overeating. Does the patient get enough sleep, or eat to stay awake? Is the patient overwhelmed by work or caregiving, perhaps for an elderly parent or disabled spouse? Is the overeating a response to depression, anxiety, social isolation, marital, financial, or other problems — or simply loneliness? Could intuitive eating work for everyone? The reasons for weight gain are not intuitive; nor, it seems, is the solution.
Fortunately, the increase in emotional comfort and decrease in stress experienced after eating carbohydrates is not dependent on changing food choices or new foods entering the supermarket. Carbohydrates will elicit a positive mood, regardless of whether the food was also eaten by one’s grandparents or is new to the contemporary eater. After eating pasta or quinoa, oatmeal or farro, or orange or purple sweet potatoes, relief from feeling down or anxious or tense.
Using imagery to formulate a specific action in response to a specific obstacle can give you clarity about what actions will support your goal, confidence to follow through, and, ultimately, the success you’re aiming for.
Turmeric is well-known in Ayurvedic and South Asian cuisines for it’s anti-inflammatory, balancing properties. The spice contains curcumin which has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, analgesic, anti-aging & anti-cancer properties as well as positive effects on your brain function & mood. This easy turmeric cauliflower soup recipe is a great way to incorporate turmeric into your diet.
Those with mental illness and their families are aware of the stigma associated with these disorders. We share information about other medical conditions with friends, co-workers, and casual acquaintances without worrying that we might be rejected as employees, friends, or participants in volunteer, religious, and charitable organizations. The Me2Orchestra is a stigma-free zone for people affected by mental illness to focus on joy and who they are rather than being defined by their diagnosis.
By eating healthy, low fat carbohydrate options like sweet potatoes and whole grain crackers rather than candy, you’ll eat less, have the benefit of nutritious foods, your cravings will be satisfied sooner, and you’ll be more likely to avoid unwanted weight gain due to SAD.
The type of fat you eat matters. The reason is twofold: to get the health and nutrient benefit of healthy fats, and to avoid the negative effects of unhealthy fats.
Aim for omega-3 fatty acids and organic and grass-fed foods, and avoid processed and trans fats.
