Posts tagged Serotonin
4 Tips To Have A Relaxing Evening & Reduce Your Stress

Everyone wants to have a relaxing evening. It doesn’t just feel good but offers more than a few mental health benefits. Despite that, it can often be challenging to attain.

Various obstacles can get in the way, including daily life. You may have to work late, there may be social obligations, and you may have a family to look after.

That doesn’t mean you have to settle for doing without a lovely evening, though. You can do more than a few things to relax for the night. While you’ll have to make a little time for them, it shouldn’t be impossible.

So, let’s dive into these practical tips that can help you have a relaxing evening - regardless of how hectic your day.

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The Connection Between Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Neuronutrition - Part 2

Are you or someone close to you struggling with the lasting effects of a traumatic brain injury or concussion? 

Perhaps you’re concerned about Alzheimer’s, dementia or depression. In a world where our cognitive abilities play a pivotal role in our personal and professional lives, it is not surprising this may be a concern. 

In this week’s blog, we’ll continue to explore the connection between neuronutrition and TBI recovery, as well as long-term brain health. If you missed Part 1, I encourage you to check it out on HappiHuman today.

Before we dive in, I’d like to acknowledge how overwhelming the world of nutrition can be, especially if you’re struggling to recover from a TBI. The good news is - I’m here to help!

What might also help is an exciting new online program I designed for people struggling with lingering post-TBI or post-concussion symptoms like fatigue and brain fog. 

I’ve broken everything down for you into easily digestible parts. So, if you’d like more information about this program or want to stay informed about when it will be released, please send me a message or reply to this email with the words “COUNT ME IN!” and I will be in touch.

Until then, please enjoy part two of this blog.

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The Connection Between Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Neuronutrition - Part 1

Perhaps concerns about Alzheimer’s, dementia or depression might be casting a shadow on your thoughts. In a world where our cognitive abilities play a pivotal role in our personal and professional lives, it is not surprising this may be a concern. Discover the vital connection between TBI recovery and neuronutrition. Learn how proper nutrition can expedite brain healing and minimize cognitive deficits.

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Tired of the Winter Blues? How To Elevate Your Mood With Serotonin

As winter approaches, have you started thinking about how to maintain your mental health and keep your mood up?

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and the “winter blues,” its milder cousin, are growing concerns for about 15% of Canadians. Plus, many more people deal with various mood disorders regularly. Read on to discover how serotonin affects us, what may happen if we don’t have enough, and what natural things we can try to keep our levels up.

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How Simple Daily Habits Can Optimize Your Mental Wellness This Winter

Have you ever wondered why donuts or cookies miraculously make us feel better? Why the words “winter” and “blues” go hand in hand? Or why we feel so much better after a good work-out?

If the winter months get you down or leave you feeling fatigued and lacking motivation, you’re not alone! As a nutritionist, I hear the following comments all the time: “I feel so down all winter,” “No matter what I do, I can’t get out of this funk,” or “I just can’t handle going to work and coming home in the dark every day.”

If these sound like words you are known to utter, I’ve got great news for you - you can do something about it!

Start taking action with the simple daily habits discussed in this week’s blog to wash away the winter blues and optimize your mental wellness this winter.

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Brain Inflammation: What it is and what you can do about it

Is your brain inflamed? How can you tell? And if it is, is there anything you can do about it?

One of the most common complaints I hear in my practice is related to brain inflammation. To discover what common complaint this is, to learn what you can do about it, and to download my free resource to help you get started today, be sure to read this week’s blog.

If you care about the health of your brain, you won’t want to miss this!

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Foods that Affect Mood: Mood-Boosters vs. Mood-Busters

Did you know those bad moods can lead to bad eating habits, and that bad eating habits can also lead to bad moods? Are you in need of a mood boost? Many of us are! Read this week’s blog to discover how food impacts our mood and what you can do about it.

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Probiotics vs. Prebiotics 101

Probiotics are getting more and more well-known for their health-promoting benefits. And the research showing the importance of our gut microbes is growing every day.

Did you know that what you eat feeds not only you, but your probiotics, too?

It’s true!

Those little “gut bugs” need to eat a healthful diet, just like you do. The good news is that the foods that are healthy for you are also healthy for them. And, because they’re microbes, they can digest foods that we can’t, like dietary fibre.

The foods that feed probiotics are called “prebiotics.” And this post is the 101 on what you need to know about both probiotics and prebiotics.

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Caring for your Mental Health During a Pandemic

With everything surrounding us including health concerns, financial woes, and news updates around the clock about COVID-19, it’s no wonder that many people are currently swimming in a sea of stress.

Though it is important to stay updated on the latest news and be aware of advisories and cautions as they are placed in effect, it’s just as important that we don’t make ourselves ill with a constant intake of media coverage - especially from the wrong source.

Instead, it’s wise to find a balance between staying informed and becoming all-consumed with the latest news. Try to fill your mind with positive thoughts, navigate each day one step at a time, and do whatever you can to take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Most of all, it’s important to be kind to yourself, take care of your mental health, and improve your mental hygiene.

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How Stress Eating Impacts Your Health and Causes Sugar Craving

Stress? Did someone say stress?

Are you a stress eater?

When you’re surrounded by insurmountable stress and worry, do you find yourself reaching for sugar? (Insert hand raise here!) Have you ever wondered why that may be?

Read this week’s post to discover why your sugar cravings may be out of control right now and, more importantly, what you can do about it!

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Improving Brain Health Through the Gut

How does an unhappy gut equate to an unhappy brain? I’m sure you’ve heard of the gut-brain axis by now.

But just how closely linked is the health of our gut to the health of our brain? How can one affect the other? And, most importantly, how can we use the health of our gut to improve that of our brain?

Keep reading to find out!

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The Psychology Behind a Sweet Tooth

Do you crave sugary treats or have a sweet tooth?

Did you know that behind every ravenous sweet tooth is a scientific and psychological reason as to why your body may be craving sugar?

Moreover, the reasons behind your cravings help determine how you can combat it.

If you find yourself craving sugar throughout the day, you're not alone. There are biological reasons why we, as humans, want sugar. Yes, it tastes good, but there's more to this story.

Read this week’s blog post to explore more of the 'why' you have a sweet tooth and how to remedy it.

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Aspartame and your brain health

Thanks to media coverage and increased education, people are becoming more aware of the harmful effects of sugar. As a result, sugar consumption is starting to decline.

As a nutritionist, this is great news!

I love to hear clients committed to kicking sugar to curb or breaking their addiction to white refined sugar once and for all.

However, when we restrict our sugar intake, what tends to happen is that we start to replace white sugar with sugar substitutes. Though not all sugar substitutes are the same and should not be treated equally, most of them have some startling effects you should know about.

Read on to discover what aspartame is, how it affects your brain health, and what healthier, more natural sweeteners are out there.

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Green Tea vs. Black Tea: Health Benefits that May Surprise You

Today, we’re talking tea!

Tea boasts some great health benefits - which is why we have been drinking it for thousands of years. Its antioxidant abilities make it heart-healthy, brain-friendly and can reduce our risk of developing certain cancers and diabetes.

But, does the type of tea matter? Is green tea that much healthier than black tea? And what difference does adding milk and/or sweeteners do to it?

In today’s blog post, I give you the goods on green tea vs. black tea. And the healthiest way to drink your tea.

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The Autistic Brain & Autism Awareness: 2019

Are you the parent of a child with ASD?

If so, you know the challenges, hardships, and heartbreak that comes with such a diagnosis.

Your child’s future is uncertain and the present poses many challenges. Having your child wander away from safety is a major concern of many - with almost half of all autistic children known to bolt or wander from safety.

April is Autism Awareness Month - a time to raise awareness about the disorder for those who know little about it, and time to band together as one community to help each other and provide support for those who live with it and the devastation it causes daily.

This week’s post is all about autism - how autism affects the brain, what science has to say about it, and what nutritional changes you can make that may help.

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