Category Archives: Health & Wellbeing
The Vital Connection Between Brain and Digestion
Monday Morning Mentoring
The connection between the brain and the gut is one of the most important concepts for us to understand in this day and age of overly processed diets.
Our brains require at least 25% of our nutrient intake. So if we are eating a poor diet, you can bet your brain will not output much of anything of quality. We see this in a higher rate of suicide, depression, anxiety. We see this in an inability to focus, anger and emotional difficulties.
We need to take a deeper look at this correlation, personally as well as a nation.
While I said 25%, that is for adults. Infants require over 85% of nutrients for the brain health and a child – 45%. So if we are not aware of the correlation of gut and digestive health and the brain, we are not addressing the source of the problems we face as a culture.
What is the absolute worse thing you can do for your brain – feed it —- did you guess it?? YES! SUGAR!! That glucose is NOT helping the brain. What does the brain need? What is it’s primary building block – FAT. But not any kind of FAT – we need nutrient dense, toxin free fats. That’s going to look like pasture raised, organic, wild caught in clean waters – animal tissue. That’s been really hard for me to get around being a 12 year vegan. But folks, the science is out. We are not meant to thrive as vegans.
Healthy Brain Function Requires Healthy Sleep
Monday Morning Mentoring
We’ve been talking about the brain all month! What actions have you started to take to improve brain health and optimize your brain?
Here are my top daily actions I apply to keep my brain and my boys brains functioning optimally.
LOVE YOUR BRAIN
- Healthy fats like avocado, coconut oil, olives, salmon, organ meats, macadamia nuts and walnuts, pure water and sometimes green and macha tea
- Connection and belonging – volunteering, contributing to others in a positive way through our neighborhood, community, etc
- Positive habits – kind thoughts to self and others, honesty/integrity, gratitude
- Regular exercise preferably out doors. Learning some new activity, crossing the midline, blind fold games, improving the sensory and function of all senses.
- Sunshine, fresh air, fresh water, lessening toxic loads from digital/screen time and toxic people, toxins in the form of pollution and food and clothing toxins by buying organic, growing our own where we can, shutting down grid at night.
- Good night sleep and resting with silence and quiet time built in throughout the day. Allowing for natural transitions from work, play, learning and sleep
These are just a few.
To lead a life you love, you have to love yourself and your life enough to set out on a healthy path that nourishes not only your body, but your brain too!