How many hours of sleep do you typically get each night? Do you wake feeling rested?
Sleep accounts for up to 33% of our lives. We know it’s important and feel the ramifications when we don’t get enough. But what exactly happens when we sleep? And how does our sleep affect both our physical and mental health?
Read this week’s post to find out!
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Regular readers of mine may have seen me use the term “antioxidants” from time to time but do you know what they are and why they are important?
I figured it was time to address the buzzword of antioxidants. It's been quite popular in the media and online lately, and I want to make sure that you get the right information where antioxidants are concerned.
Yes, antioxidants are super-healthy. And yes, we should be eating foods full of them. But, when it comes to supplements, the evidence is not so great.
Read this week’s post to discover the science and health benefits of antioxidant foods and supplements, as well as which delicious foods contain them.
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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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Welcome to my new series highlighting nutritional guidelines for specific conditions.
We all know that certain foods are better for us than others, but when dealing with a learning disability, neurological disorder, mental health issue, or other condition, consuming the right foods while avoiding certain others can have a huge impact on outcome.
This week, we start with autism and what to feed the autistic brain. Read on to discover some do’s and don’ts when feeding autism and why certain foods can have a huge impact on daily life.
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Research points strongly to the correlation between sugar and Alzheimer's disease, suggesting a diet high in sugary foods may lead to predisposed symptoms.
So much of Alzheimer's disease and dementia remains a mystery. And when a new piece of evidence arrives on the scene, it changes the way we look at the condition.
Predicting Alzheimer's in patients is both complicated and vital. Current evidence suggests that when a physician can diagnose Alzheimer's early (before symptoms begin), the patient has the best chance for staving off the symptoms.
Over the last few years, scientists began to unravel a very specific connection with Alzheimer's: blood sugar glucose.
What do sugar and Alzheimer's have in common? And what does it mean for your lifestyle choices and nutrition?
Read this week’s blog post to learn more about sugar, the brain-healthy Alzheimer's diet, and the benefits of a neuronutritionist for high-risk populations.
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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Do you have diabetes? Pre-diabetes? Higher than normal blood sugar levels?
Are you experiencing memory problems or showing signs of dementia?
Did you know that the two are connected?
Most people are aware that diabetes is a serious condition that requires care and monitoring. If left untreated or uncontrolled, serious consequences can result.
But did you know that diabetes can also affect your memory? In fact, if you have diabetes, you have an increased risk for developing not only memory problems, but dementia and Alzheimer’s, as well.
Keep reading to discover how diabetes affects your brain and what you can do about it.
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For those of you who prefer a can of soda in the morning to rev up your engine, or for those of you who down a soda to get yourself through the mid-afternoon slump, this blog post is for you!
Read on to discover if soda is bad for your brain and if diet soda is any better.
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Are you tired of falling behind in school and constantly burning the midnight oil? Would you like to improve your concentration in class and maintain better focus when studying? Would you like to learn how best to fuel your brain so that it will perform better than ever? Are you ready to start the school year feeling better than ever before?
If so, read on because proper neuronutrition can make all the difference - to optimize brain function and improve academic performance!
And if you’re not a student, this blog can help you, too! The principles within can certainly be applied to everyone in all walks of life - high school students, those in elementary school, and even adults who’d like to perform better at work and in life.
Your brain is your most valuable asset, and feeding it well is a great insurance policy!
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Carbohydrates. Are they really the enemy?
Carbs have been demonized as of late. After all, they are largely to blame for the world’s obesity epidemic and the multitude of health problems that follow.
But are all crabs created equal?
Read this week’s post to discover the truth about carbohydrates before you swear off this misunderstood food group completely.
And as always, I welcome your feedback. Drop me a line and please share and like us on Facebook and be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel.
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Yes, a celiac diagnosis changes everything. This section is designed to help you navigate through all the hype and educate you about gluten, where it’s often hidden, and how to avoid cross-contamination to help get you started you on your journey to better health.
The first step is recognizing that if you have celiac disease, you must adopt a gluten-free diet for life - and “cheating” on this kind of diet when you have celiac disease spells disaster.
The second step is to educate yourself. You need to be aware of what gluten is, which foods contain it, and how to avoid cross-contamination so you don’t get sick.
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When most people think of celiac disease, they immediately think of the common digestive symptoms that manifest if gluten is consumed, including diarrhea, gas and bloating. But there are many other less common, or “atypical” signs and symptoms of the disease - some of which may surprise you. Could you be suffering from one of them?
In honour of May being Celiac Awareness Month, let’s dive right into the disease, test your knowledge of celiac, and examine symptoms during Part 1 of my series on celiac disease. Then be sure to return next week for part 2 of this series to learn how to live gluten-free healthfully.
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Inflammation. It’s not just for health headlines; It’s a fact.
Scientists are measuring levels of inflammation in our bodies and finding that it can be devastating for our health. This is especially true when it becomes chronic, but even low levels of inflammation on a chronic basis can create problems and lead to disease.
Inflammation is often thought of as the root cause of all disease. This makes sense when you consider that it has been closely linked to obesity, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, Rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes - just to name a few.
As I’ve discussed often, inflammation is a vital part of our immune system's response to injury or infection. It’s our body's way of triggering the immune system to spring to action to repair damaged cells or tissues and defend our body against foreign invaders like viruses and bacteria.
Without inflammation, wounds may become septic and infections deadly. But if the inflammatory process continues for too long, or if inflammation occurs in places where it’s not needed, it can become a problem anywhere in our body or brain.
Luckily, a healthy diet and lifestyle can help keep inflammation under control.
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Not all stress is bad. In fact, stress can save our lives. Your natural fight-or-flight response is crucial to help you get out of a dangerous situation alive.
And even the hormones produced in response to stress, including cortisol, adrenaline, and epinephrine, aren’t always bad either. Their levels change throughout the course of the day in response to various challenges you face, including waking up in the morning (yes, that is a form of stress), dealing with traffic, managing an unruly child, or being showered with a birthday surprise.
During times when you feel stressed, various hormones (cortisol included) are released. And once the stressful event is over, levels should return back to normal.
This form of acute (or temporary) stress usually won’t mess with your health too much. It is your body’s natural reaction to circumstances, and, as discussed, can be a good thing.
When the “threat” (a.k.a. “stressor”) is gone, the reaction subsides, and all is well.
It's the chronic, or long-term stress that's a problem.
You see, your body has specific stress reactions. If these stress reactions are triggered every day or many times a day and cortisol levels are never allowed to subside, your health will pay the price.
This kind of stress (and the stress hormones that go along with it) can have a huge impact on every aspect of your health.
Let's dive into this "stress mess.”
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Would you like to guess what may be the worst food for your brain?
Though many foods can be harmful to brain health, one food, in particular, stands out as being the worst - by far.
Let me give you a hint: This food can cause tooth decay, lead to diabetes, weaken bones, age skin, and damage organs. Less known but just as significant, is the fact that it can also cause anxiety, depression, brain fog, neruofatigue, and mood swings.
Ready to take a guess?
That’s right, you guessed it - Sugar!
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