31/10/2021
Working on improving health (gut, brain, or otherwise) means more than just eating well.
Yes, food is incredible maker or breaker of health.
I mean, let’s look at the Standard American Diet… and how it has contributed to the Standard American disease (including Alzheimer’s).
When I was young, I believed that my mother who ate organic food and loved to walk would never develop any sort of disease. However, she developed ovarian cancer and Alzheimer’s.
I fully appreciate that she did the best that she could with what she knew.
But when I reflect on how she ate and lived, knowing what I know now, I can see the contributing factors to her getting sick:
• she ate organic, but it included lots of carbs and packaged foods
• she struggled with constipation
• she had many a sleepless night
• she walked her dog but did no other physical exercise…no cardio, no strength-training
• she did nothing to challenge herself…in fact, she took early retirement and downsized everything
• she did not like to play games or socialize
• she did not try to learn new skills
AND
• she endured decades of stress (working in job that she didn’t like…raising me, from infancy, as a single mom…financial stresses…familial stresses…then health stresses).
Growing up, I never really thought about how my mother managed her stress, but here is how I feel she did it.
At the end of her day, she would have a drink…rye and ginger ale. She also sat in front of the TV, every night. That’s it.
These are probably the two most common coping mechanisms, and perhaps they work on some level, but they are not promoters of good health.
We can do a lot to manage our stress and our response to it. And being mindful is a great one…it is free and we can take it and do it anywhere:
…at bedtime
…during mealtime
…at the office
…stuck in traffic
…cleaning the house
…
Try it out and experience the wondrous benefits.
Remember… the least stressful time and place is in the moment.
I am accepting clients into my private consulting. Tap the link in my bio to book a free 15-minute call to see if we are a good fit to work together to boost gut and brain health.