Posts in Lifestyle

Vitamin D’s Surprising Impact on Brain Health

Did you also know that vitamin D levels significantly impact brain health? Did you know that as you age your body’s ability to turn sunlight into vitamin D decreases?

Vitamin D is a critical nutrient for good health but too many people simply don't get enough of the "sunshine vitamin."

It’s not easy to get most of the year, and it’s not in too many foods. This could help explain why vitamin D deficiencies are very common. But what does vitamin D actually do? And what does a deficiency of it really mean anyway?

Keep reading to get the lowdown on this critical, all-too-often deficient vitamin. And discover three ways you can get enough of it.

6 Vitamins Good for the Brain that You Should be Taking

The brain is one of your most important organs, so it's crucial to care for it. Check out these 6 vitamins good for the brain to add to your routine.

Your brain is like a jet engine.

It's complicated. It uses a lot of fuel to perform at its best. And without it, you'd be grounded.

We all know that. But did you know that about 75% of your brain is made of water? That means that a little dehydration goes a long way toward hampering brain function. Though water is important, it isn't the only thing that your brain needs for peak performance.

Vitamins and nutrients are essential to keep your brain functioning at 100%. And some vitamins are superstars when it comes to improving brain function.

In this article, we'll talk about 6 vitamins good for the brain and why you should take them.

Chocolate Vegan Bliss Balls

Can chocolate really be healthy?

You bet it can! When it’s in its pure, raw form, that is.

The recipe for my Chocolate Vegan Bliss Balls have made me the best friend of many! They are so decadent, delicious, and purely sinful. But at the same time, they are made with wholesome nutritious ingredients and are gluten-free, nut-free and vegan!

Who knew something so rich and tasty could actually be good for you? Well, eaten in moderation, of course.

The good news is that these little balls of love freeze very well, so you can make a whole batch and keep them in the freezer until the desire for chocolate hits. In fact, they even taste better frozen! Yes - they can easily go from freezer to mouth.

I know you will enjoy these as much as I do!

What makes them so wonderful and nutritious? The pure raw cacao!

Before we get there, let’s take a few minutes to consider chocolate.

Desserts, LifestyleKelly AielloJanuary 31, 2019Whole Foods, Vegetarian, Vegan, Plant Based, RecipeComment

January is Mental Wellness Month

What does mental wellness look like to you? It can look, feel, and mean something different to each of us.

Regardless of what it means to you, there are some common things we can all do to help maintain our own good mental health.

Read on to discover 4 common phases of mental wellness and 7 tips on how you may be able to improve yours.

Brain Health, Conditions, Lifestyle, Neuronutrition, OtherKelly AielloJanuary 24, 2019Depression, Mental Health, Memory, Moody, Neuronutrition, Fatigue, Family, Hacks, Health, Sleep, Nutritionist, PerformanceComment

Self-Care and Stress Management: Tips for Caregivers

Last week I discussed cortisol - what it is and natural ways to lower it. Cortisol helps us deal with a multitude of stressors and stressful situations. It is important for survival, but too much can cause problems.

What happens if your cortisol levels are always high?

If you live a very stressful life or happen to be a caregiver to a loved one, you need to set boundaries and start taking care of you!

Read on for ideas to help you better manage stress, especially if you happen to be a caregiver.

Brain Health, Neuronutrition, LifestyleKelly AielloJanuary 17, 2019Alzheimer's, Dementia, Mental Health, Neuronutrition, TBI, Cortisol, Family, Hacks, Health, Mindfulness, Self Care, Stress, FatigueComment

Cortisol: What it is and Natural Ways to Lower it

We’ve all experienced stress.

Maybe you live in a constant state of stress with seemingly no way out.

If you can’t sleep because your mind is constantly buzzing, if you are fired up and cannot turn off your brain, or if you feel so exhausted all the time that you cannot complete even one of the items on your never-ending to-do list, then you understand what I’m talking about.

If this sounds like you, read this week’s blog post to discover what cortisol is, what too much cortisol can do to our bodies, and most importantly, what we can do to lower it.

Brain Health, Neuronutrition, LifestyleKelly AielloJanuary 10, 2019TBI, Neuronutrition, EFA's, Performance, Executive, Meditation, Mindfulness, Neurofatigue, Lifestyle, CortisolComment

Top 10 Memory Boosting Foods You Should Be Eating

Did you know certain foods can help boost your memory?

It's no secret that our memory and cognitive abilities decline as we age. But did you know that your eating habits are just as important to your memory as they are to your waistline?

Many common foods like pasta, processed meats, and white sugar have been associated with impaired memory and serious illnesses like Alzheimer's disease.

If your diet consists of these foods on a regular basis, you should definitely start making some changes that include brain-healthy foods. People with healthier diets are less likely to experience cognitive decline as they age.

And lucky for you, we found the best foods to help you out in that area. So, continue reading this article for our ultimate memory-boosting foods list.

Brain Health, Neuronutrition, Lifestyle, Whole FoodsKelly AielloJanuary 3, 2019Mental Health, Alzheimer's, Whole Foods, Moody, Brain FogComment

Common Weight Loss Myths Debunked

Sometimes it seems that everyone has an opinion on weight loss. It’s full of bad oversimplified advice, and magical “non-diet” diet products. And this information is all over the internet.

I am so pleased to bust 5 common weight-loss myths. Want to know why? It's because I care about you. If you're looking to lose weight, then I want you to be successful. I want you to stop wasting one more second on garbage like the common weight loss myths I’m debunking today.

Please join me in finally putting these weight-loss myths to rest once and for all so you can avoid the common mistakes people have been making for years.

Lifestyle, OtherKelly AielloDecember 27, 2018Weight Management, Calories, LifestyleComment

Gratitude: How Gratitude Improves Brain Health

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends and family!

With Thanksgiving comes the official start of the holiday season!

Most of us look forward to time spent with family and friends. Time to enjoy this festive time of year and share our good fortune with others. In fact, many of us have already started celebrating or anticipating the holidays at the very least.

Yet for others, the holidays can be a challenge, often fraught with anxiety, financial worries, depression, and sadness. If you feel overwhelmed or down when this time of year rolls around, keep reading - I’m about to give you reason to be thankful.

Practicing gratitude goes a lot further than saying “thanks” - it can actually improve your brain health!

Other, Neuronutrition, LifestyleKelly AielloNovember 22, 2018Lifestyle, Mental Health, MindfulnessComment

Diabetes: A Growing Epidemic and What You can do to Prevent Becoming a Statistic

Are you one of the growing number of Americans diagnosed with diabetes?

Maybe you’re not quite there, but your doctor has mentioned you are pre-diabetic or on the verge of becoming diabetic.

Or maybe you have excess fat centred around your mid-section and experience low energy after a meal. Perhaps you get hungry a short time after eating or experience a mid-afternoon energy slump.

If this sounds like you, I urge you to read this week’s post.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. So let’s take a few minutes to consider this disease, how it develops, and what you can do to better manage it. And if you are not one of the millions of Americans dealing with the disease, it’s still important to become educated about it and do what you can to minimize your risk or prevent diabetes from occurring in the first place.

Lifestyle, ConditionsKelly AielloNovember 15, 2018Diabetes, Weight Management, InsulinComment

Three Ways to Avoid Overeating at Meals

We all do it. Sometimes the amazing aroma and delicious flavour gets the best of us. Especially if we're a bit on the hungry (or hangry) side.

I'm talking about overeating at meals.

Of course our body does need food to fuel itself. And even if we usually eat amazingly healthy foods, we may still overeat. This can have a big impact on our weight, energy levels, and overall health and well-being.

In this post I'm going to give you three solid tips for preventing that from happening. Seriously! If you can make these three things a regular habit and part of your daily routine, you've got one up on the overeating cravings.

Lifestyle, OtherKelly AielloOctober 4, 2018Lifestyle, Holiday's, MindfulnessComment

Neuronutrition for Optimal School Performance

Is your child falling behind in school?

Is your teen unable to concentrate in class?

Are you concerned that your child may have a learning disability?

Are you a college or university student constantly stressed, fatigued, and feeling out of control?

Now that the school year is well underway, you may have noticed that your child is suffering in the classroom or lagging behind his peers. Perhaps he’s hyperactive and cannot sit still long enough to allow new material to sink in. Maybe your teen’s teacher(s) have contacted you about concerns with behaviour issues or inattention. Or maybe your worried about your college student’s poor eating habits while constantly burning the midnight oil.

If so, read on because the right nutrition can make all the difference!

Brain Health, Lifestyle, NeuronutritionKelly AielloSeptember 27, 2018Mental Health, Meal Plans, Neuronutrition, Performance, SchoolComment

Assess Your Risk for Alzheimer’s: Word Alzheimer’s Day & Quiz

Assess Your Risk for Alzheimer’s by Taking my Quiz. Are you constantly misplacing important items like your keys or wallet?

Do you go to the grocery store to realize that you have no idea what you went there for?

Do you find yourself rereading the same page of a book several times before you’re able to process the words?

Every 66 seconds one American over the age of 65 is newly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. This is a frightening statistic. And with rates of dementia continually rising, Americans are currently in a brain health crisis.

Maybe you are at risk and worried about the state of your brain or the brain of someone you love.

Well, the good news is that Alzheimer’s is not an inevitable part of aging, and what you do today, can actually help you protect, restore, and regain the health of your brain!

Almost all the risk factors for dementia are preventable or reversible. In honour of World Alzheimer’s Day on September 21, there’s no better time to act than right now!

Read on to educate yourself about the risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s. And be sure to grab a pencil so you can take my quiz to test your personal risk factors for the disease. Then learn what you can start doing today to regain the health of your brain. You are never too old or too young to start improving your brain!

Brain Health, LifestyleKelly AielloSeptember 20, 2018Mental Health, Diabetes, Detox, Depression, Alzheimer'sComment

Top 10 Brain Exercises to Keep Your Mind Sharp

Is staving off dementia and keeping your brain in shape important to you?

Just like you need to work your muscles to stay in shape, so too do you need to work your brain to stay sharp. Read on to learn about the best brain exercises you can do to keep your brain in optimal working order.

Brain Health, Neuronutrition, LifestyleKelly AielloSeptember 5, 2018Brain Fog, Mental Health, Dementia, Depression, Alzheimer's, MindfulnessComment

9 Healthy Eating Tips for Back to School

Some of you may be disappointed that those lazy summer days are over as another school year is about to start. Others may be excited to get back into familiar routines and the kids busy again. But regardless of how you feel about the return of a new school year, it is always a great time to kick-start new habits and create better eating routines for the whole family.

To help you get the school year started on the right foot, this week’s blog post includes 9 healthy eating tips to kick the year off right while improving the focus and productivity of everyone in the household.

Neuronutrition, Whole Foods, LifestyleKelly AielloAugust 30, 2018Mental Health, School, Family, Lifestyle, Whole FoodsComment

THE BLOG

A thriving nutrition and lifestyle blog with our tips & advice.

Cortisol: What it is and Natural Ways to Lower it

We’ve all experienced stress.

Maybe you live in a constant state of stress with seemingly no way out.

If you can’t sleep because your mind is constantly buzzing, if you are fired up and cannot turn off your brain, or if you feel so exhausted all the time that you cannot complete even one of the items on your never-ending to-do list, then you understand what I’m talking about.

If this sounds like you, read this week’s blog post to discover what cortisol is, what too much cortisol can do to our bodies, and most importantly, what we can do to lower it.