Eating for Revision and Exams

A toolbox for mental sharpness Many young people, including my own kids, have been revising hard and will continue to do so over the coming weeks as they sit GCSE’s, A Levels and other end of year exams. Are they supporting their bodies and minds in the best way through diet and lifestyle to make this often stressful time a little easier??? I’m guessing possibly not, if they are anything like mine, so here are a few pointers which may help fire up their brains, help them sleep and stay energised throughout the process. What should they be eating? Brain Boosting Food If we provide the brain with the right nutrients, it will work more effectively and efficiently, increasing mental sharpness, memory, focus, learning and creativity ability. Brain food will help:
  • Increase blood flow to the brain
  • Support neurotransmitters
  • Stimulate new brain cells
  • Protect and repair existing brain cells
Focus on healthy fats and hydration including:
  • Oily fish for omega 3s, especially DHA found in high concentration in the cerebral cortex which is responsible for memory, attention, creativity and language
  • Avocados are high in monounsaturated fats required for fluidity of cell membranes and high in tyrosine, an amino acid precursor to dopamine associated with motivation and focus
  • Walnuts which look like the brain, so it is no surprise that they are beneficial for their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which studies have shown to improve cognition, memory and learning as well as anxiety.
  • Eggs that provide the nutrient choline, the precursor of acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter most strongly associated with learning, memory and cognition in general.
  • Berries & beetroot are rich in flavonoids, good for relaxing blood vessels and enhanced circulation to peripheries….brain!
  • Dark chocolate is shown to improve neuroplasticity increasing gamma frequency in the cerebral cortex involved in memory and processing.
  • Water… the brain is approximately 70% water. Studies suggest that even mild dehydration, such as the loss of just 1-3% of body weight can impair many aspects of brain function including memory, concentration and alertness.
Brain boosting breakfast idea – Paprika Spiced Smoked Salmon Omelette served with Guacamole Brain boosting snack – Dark Chocolate Dipped Berries and Walnuts Eating for Energy Staying sharp and alert especially through an afternoon exam or revision session can lead to reaching for a sugary snack or drink, however this can be counterproductive. Avoid refined sugars and carbohydrates:
  • If you flood your bloodstream with fast releasing sugars the initial energetic high is soon followed by a crash as glucose is rapidly taken into cells due to the rush of insulin, leaving your blood sugar levels low leading to tiredness, irritability, grogginess and a downward mood spiral.
  • The best approach for steady energy, mood and concentration is consuming a moderate amount of complex carbohydrates at each meal which also include high levels of protein and healthy fats.
Teen friendly dinner idea – Baked (or air fried) Pesto Crusted Chicken served with Sweet Potato Wedges & Steamed Vegetables (ideally green!!) B vitamins
  • B vitamins are important for energy production and have far reaching functions throughout the body but especially in the brain including supporting memory and learning and the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin and the production of GABA, both important for sleep and reducing anxiety.
  • The best sources of B vitamins include beans and pulses, especially lentils, meat, fish, eggs and greens.
Other Considerations Eat regularly – Starting the day with a balanced low sugar breakfast really helps set the tone for the day’s energy and concentration.  However, many young people (including mine) don’t feel like eating early so consider a smoothie or sending them on their way with natural yogurt and berries.  Focusing on eating regular balanced meals would be the best approach and avoid constant grazing, snacking and nibbling while revising. Manage stress – This can be a stressful time for all and having strategies to keep calm will help really help.  Getting daily fresh air and gentle exercise, like a short walk, can be a transformative practice, especially when on study leave.  When anxiety begins to rise, breathing techniques have been shown to quickly calm the body and mind, slow the heart rate and reduce the physical and psychological symptoms. Prioritise sleep – Sleep is when we repair the powers of both the mind and the body. It is essential for the regeneration of our brain cells and the reorganisation of our memory, processing the day and helps improve our learning capacity.  Sleep deprivation causes irritability, memory loss and reduced capacity for concentration as well as the likelihood we will be reaching for caffeine, energy drinks and sugary snacks to perk us up. Strategic caffeine – On the subject of caffeine, while a little at the right time can be beneficial, too much can lead to irritability, sleeplessness and anxiety.  Everyone metabolises caffeine differently so finding the right time and quantity before exams is a good idea.  Looking for natural sources from good quality coffee and green tea while avoiding energy drinks and other synthetic caffeine is the best approach. Essential Oils – A great addition to the tool kit and one I often utilise myself, whether diffused, applied topically or just inhaled from the bottle, essential oils can improve concentration and alertness… try Rosemary, Lemon, Orange or Peppermint and for a calm and grounding effect, try Lavender or Frankincense Alcohol – A note for us all!!  Overindulging in alcohol damages dendrites, the nerve connection between brain cells and slows down the central nervous system.  The brains of teens and young adults, which are not fully formed until around 25, are particularly vulnerable to memory loss and cognitive impairment from alcohol.  Needless to say, best to leave the celebrations until after the exams! In conclusion, let your teens read this and together build strategies ahead of time to maximise their body and mind for success. GOOD LUCK!

Is Our Diet Causing Destruction?

5 top tips to reduce your risk of metabolic syndrome

you know if your diet is putting you at risk of a metabolic syndrome?  Do you know what a metabolic syndrome is and why it may be a problem?

Metabolic syndrome became high on the agenda during the pandemic because those suffering with it had an increased risk of severe symptoms of Covid 19,leading to the most severe clinical outcomes.

So what is metabolic syndrome?

It is a medical term for a combination of 2 main metabolic conditions which are diabetes and high blood pressure (which can lead to heart disease) and both conditions are related to chronic inflammation.  People living with these conditions (but by no means all) may also be overweight and excess body fat can compromise our immune system, stopping it from working effectively.   These 2 factors create the prefect storm, putting many at higher risk.  You may think this does not affect you, but many people are living with early stages or low levels of these conditions and do not even realise it.

The major contributing factor to developing metabolic syndrome, which lead to this perfect storm, is DIET, yes lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking, exercise, sleep and stress all play a part, but diet has the biggest impact.

The good news is that a change in Diet can reduce and even reverse these conditions and the factors leading to the STORM.

Here are my 5 top tips to reduce your risk of metabolic syndrome:

  1. SWAP white refined carbohydrates to low glycaemic carbohydrates – here we are talking about swapping white for brown, eg brown rice, brown bread, whole wheat pasta etc. These are full of fibre and slow the release of sugars into the blood stream helping to stabilise blood sugars and the insulin response.
  2. SWAP refined sugar laden foods to naturally sweet fruits and vegetables and limited unrefined sugars eg coconut sugar or yacon syrup – these are more nutrient dense and also have less impact on our blood sugars and insulin response.
  3. SWAP shop bought processed foods to home cooked meals – many of the ingredients in process foods can have a toxic, damaging effect on the body over time which leads to inflammation. Meals cooked from scratch are more nourishing and freer from the damaging added ingredients in processed foods.
  4. Increase fruits and vegetables in a range of colours – they are full of micro nutrients eg vitamins and minerals, but even more importantly, plant compounds or phytochemicals that are full of anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties which help combat the damage free radicals cause which lead to chronic inflammation.
  5. Balance your plate – making sure you have a good source of quality protein, low glycaemic carbohydrates (which may come from root vegetables), leafy greens and healthy fats at each meal will ensure you stabilise your blood sugars and provide the body with everything it needs.

Along with these top tips I must also mention the importance of hydration.  Every cell in the body needs fluid and our water intake helps to keep this in balance.  It also helps us to digest, absorb and utilise our food and nutrients effectively.

So following some of these top tips will help ensure your diet is not causing destruction!

Dry January – Time for a re-set of my biggest vice

Alcohol & Honesty – Am I brave enough?

It’s 11am January 3rd 2023 and I am 36 hours sober. Yes another year of Dry January for me.

So, we all have our vices and drinking is mine. No, I’m not an alcoholic, no I’m not alcohol dependant and no I do not drink everyday but I do like to drink and when I do I can put away rather a lot, I am well practiced. What do I mean by this because everyone has different limits, parameters, tolerance etc etc.

Well, laying my cards on the table – I’m a weekend binge drinker – there I said it! Friday and Saturday (sometimes Sunday) are my dinking nights, one would be a prosecco night (and no, I will not share my bottle, unless there is another one to hand) and the other a heavy red wine night when I share with hubby and at least 2 sometimes 3 bottles will be consumed.

Some may be shocked by this, some may think this is not so bad, it doesn’t really matter, what does matter is an understanding of what this consumption is doing to my body and my health. I think that many of us bury our heads in the sand about it – I know I certainly do, justifying it with β€˜the rest of what I put in my body and my lifestyle choices are good so this does not matter’ – Well it does matter!! PS in the interests of being completely honest about my consumption, if it is a special occasion or party I can consume a lot more than previously stated!

Effects of alcohol on the body – long term and short term

State changer – choices/inhibitions

This is the first thing alcohol does and is probably the reason most of us enjoy it, it changes how we feel, it relaxes us and gives us a warm buzz, even a sense of euphoria or giddiness and this can happen even after just a glass. So why is one glass not enough? Because this feeling does not last long and we want to try and prolong it.

As we continue to drink we loose our inhibitions and ability to make the same choices we would normally make and our brain becomes less able to control our body leading to slowed or slurred speech, blurred vison, loss of co-ordination and stability and eventually loss of consciousness. For me this loss of control leads to overeating on unnecessary snacks!

Sleep

Many people use alcohol to help relax them and think it helps them sleep, the reality is that you may go into a deep sleep more easily, but this does not last and it is unlikely you will get a quality night’s sleep after consume alcohol. This is due to the affect alcohol has on heart rate, body temperature and blood sugar levels.

For me this is one of the effects I am fully aware of and I don’t like it. From a flippant perspective I get annoyed that I fall asleep and miss the end of a film I’m watching! On a more serious note, I often wake in the night with a racing heart rate and raised body temp and know I am not getting quality sleep and the alcohol is doing something to my body that is not beneficial.

Memory, concentration and mood

Memory is a big one for me and the older I get the worse it gets. Even with a relatively small amount of alcohol I find my memory the next day is very patchy! This is due the affect alcohol has on our central nervous system, reducing our brains ability to communicate with the rest of the body effecting our concentration, co-ordination, rational thinking and regulation of our emotions and long term can contribute to anxiety and depression for some people.

Liver

The liver is best known for its role in detoxifying, but this is not its only function, it is also responsible for producing proteins, cholesterol and bile as well as storing vitamins, minerals and glycogen (reserved carbs). Alcohol is a toxin and the body needs to break this down for elimination before it can deal with anything else and so the liver needs to work extra hard to do its job if you drink a lot in one sitting and means it is unable to perform its other functions efficiently while it is doing this.

Digestion & Gut health

Not the most obvious area that alcohol can impact, however a very important one as its consequences will truly affect your long term health. Alcohol can damage tissues in your digestive tract potentially impeding your ability to digest and absorb food effectively. It can also be the cause of some IBS symptoms such as gas, bloating, diarrhoea or constipation as well as haemorrhoids and ulcers. It will also alter the balance of bacteria in our large intestines reducing its diversity and its ability to support the body effectively, further impacting our brain health, digestion & weight management as well as our immunity – to name just a couple of its important functions.

Dehydration

Alcohol is a diuretic and so causes your system to remove fluid from your body through your renal system at a much higher rate and can lead to nausea, vomiting, headaches. It will also affect your skin, muscles, liver, kidneys and brain.

Sugar levels & Inflammation

The high content of sugar in alcohol should not be ignored and not just because of the β€˜empty calories’ being consumed. It places a burden on our pancreas which is responsible for producing insulin to regulate safe blood sugar levels. In the long term if we are unable to manage our blood sugar levels this can lead to many complications including diabetes as well as chronic inflammation related to many other chronic diseases.

Are there any benefits?

There are reported benefits but not enough to out way the list above and are only of benefit if consumed in small amounts so the above risks are kept in check! Here are a couple:

  • Red wine has been found to contain flavonoids and antioxidants which help fight oxidative stress and free radicals in the body which plays a role in managing inflammation. Just to note there are also many foods that have the same effect!
  • Alcohol reduces the production of a protein called fibrinogen which helps the blood to clots to form so reduces the risk of ischemic strokes.
  • Alcohol also increases your HDL cholesterol which helps to clear the LDL cholesterol promoting heart health.

Recommended levels of consumption

So what is the recommended β€˜safe’ levels of alcohol consumption? According to the NHS the advice is:

  • Men and women are not advised to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis
  • Spread your drinking over 3 or more days if you regularly drink as much as 14 units a week
  • Try to have several drink free days weeks

On that basis I don’t feel so bad about my drinking habit!! I think I am averaging 18-20 units a week. 1 bottle of 14% red wine is 10.5 units and a bottle of 11% prosecco is 8 units. I need to reduce the amount a little and reduce the regularity of these drinking nights – Why does it have to be every Friday and Saturday night I ask myself?

How do you measure up?

Supporting the body pre/post alcohol intake

The 2 main things we can do to help our bodies before and after consuming alcohol are:

Stay Hydrated

    • Drinking lots of water and herbal teas. Drinking water along with alcohol consumption is very helpful too.
    • Increase fruit and vegetables especially those with high water content eg cucumber, watermelon etc.
    • Consume food and drinks which support electrolytes – potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, eg – banana, coconut water, greens, sweet potato, avocado, nuts & seeds, dairy, Himalayan or sea salt.

    Liver support

    There are many foods and drinks we can consume to support our liver and detoxification they include:

    • Coffee and tea – especially green tea
    • Grapefruit
    • Blueberries & cranberries
    • Grapes
    • Beetroot and beetroot juice
    • Cruciferous vegetables – broccoli, brussels, cauliflower etc
    • Nuts
    • Oily Fish
    • Olive oil

    Check out this months liver supporting recipe – Citrus Miso Roasted Brussels and Beetroot Salad.

    Bottom Line

    Alcohol has a wide reaching, mostly detrimental, impact on our body and its ability to function effectively and efficiently. So we need to be mindful and honest about our consumption and effect on our health short term and long term.

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Understanding and Managing Sugar Cravings

Do you have a sweet tooth? Do you often find yourself craving a sugary treat? Do you feel you are addicted to sugar and wish you could get off it?

YES??  Then read on…..

We should not be surprised that so many of us struggle with the white stuff.  Sugar has become such an integral part of today’s diet and most of us could do with limiting our intake or at least checking in with how much we are actually consuming on a daily or weekly basis. Becoming aware of the ADDED sugars and where the HIDDEN sugars are in what we are consuming regularly.

But what about these cravings and urges we have for something sweet? It is natural to enjoy sweet food, after all it is the first taste we were ever introduced to, breast milk and formula milk is sweet, this will have a deep association in our psyche with comfort, love and security. Further back, when food was scarce, our ancestors would enjoy this seasonal high calorie food because it was important for survival, so it is no wonder it is so deeply ingrained.

For us today there are two sides to the story – Biological and Psychological

Biological

Our diet and lifestyle has a major impact on our biology and this can affect our cravings for something sweet.

  • Balanced blood sugars – Getting off the blood sugar roller coaster is the most significant change we can make.  When we eat simple sugars or refined carbohydrates our blood glucose levels rise quickly and the quicker they rises the quicker they fall and have us reaching for our next hit. The key to balanced blood sugars is a balanced plate. Having adequate protein and fat as well as fibre rich carbohydrates will slow the release of glucose into the blood stream, levelling out that roller coaster. 
  • Sleep – Lack of quality sleep decreases our brain function affecting judgement and decision making.  This, coupled with the inevitable lethargy, often leads to poor choices and reaching for an energy boost from something sweet.
  • Stress – High stress levels, especially over a sustained period of time, leads to raised cortisol which alters the circulating levels of glucose and insulin disrupting the blood sugar balance. 
  • Hormone balance – Along with the stress hormone cortisol, our hunger hormones leptin and ghrelin will influence our cravings. Because all our hormones are interconnected, when one gets out of balance the others are often affected.
  • Vitamins and minerals – Deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals may influence our cravings. For example, iron and B vitamins are important for energy and when we are low in energy we go looking for a sweet pick me up. Calcium, zinc, chromium and magnesium imbalances can manifest in sugar cravings as they are involved in, among other things, carbohydrate metabolism and regulating hormones and enzyme activity.
  • Hydration – Dehydration can make you crave sugar when you are actually just thirsty.
  • Gut microbiome – The balance of bacteria in your gut may influence your cravings too as many will want to be fed the sweet stuff, usually the less beneficial ones so let’s not fatten them up!

Psychological

We have already touched on the ancestral link to fatten up for the winter and the connection with love, security and comfort associated with the sweet taste of breast milk, so it’s no surprise our brain plays a key role partly biological but more psychological as the brain is responsible for:

  • Neurotransmitters – Including serotonin, which also acts as a hormone (our happy hormone) and regulates mood, appetite, memory and social behaviour, increases post sugar consumption and our brain will crave this happy hormone and the feeling it gives us.
  • Making memories – It remembers the taste of dark chocolate v milk chocolate and what our preferences are (but remember, new memories can be made or modified!)
  • Creating habits – This is a big one! Our habits may be conditioned or learnt behaviours, beneficial or not so beneficial, emotionally connected or just association.   For example, are you part of the clean plate brigade because your parents made you do this as a child? This often leads to feelings of guilt if you waste food. Or were you rewarded with pudding/a treat if you had a clean plate or did well at school? Maybe when you have a cup of tea you always have to have a biscuit or two or the whole packet because that’s what you did as a child.
  • Emotional responses to sensory experiences – This relates to how you feel when you taste chocolate which may be linked to memories of happy birthday celebrations or gifts of love and happy times.

What can we do to help?

Learning to listen to our bodies and tune in when we want something sweet and asking ourselves what type of hungry is this and how are we going to respond?

  • Stomach hungry – hormone stimulated signal that the body needs feeding, rumbling, aching, empty tummy
  • Mouth hungry – stimulated by our senses, sight, smell, thought, hearing and saliva is released anticipating food
  • Heart hungry – a desire led want for food due to emotional triggers, a memory or association, or desire to fill a need for β€˜sweetness’ in another part of our life and may relate to self-image and self-worth. Fulfilling this desire often leads to feelings of guilt and shame perpetuating the negative feelings cycle instead of satisfaction which you get satisfying stomach hunger.

Top Tips

  • Prioritise a nutrient dense whole food diet with balanced macro nutrients at each meal and snack.
  • Start the day with a savoury breakfast so as not to stimulate the sweet taste buds too early in the day and it will help keep the blood sugars balanced too.
  • Tune into your sugar habits, bringing awareness to your habits will enable you to slowly make changes over time to more beneficial habits.
  • Identify situations that usually result in overeating sugar and make alternative plans and boundaries for these events.
  • Question yourself when reaching for the sweet treat, do you really need it and is there a healthier alternative?
  • Find other ways to reward, comfort, celebrate, relax and show love, for example, take a bath, go for a walk, organise an activity instead of party, write a letter of love etc.
  • Priorities sleep – 7-8 hours quality sleep is recommended.
  • Manage stress – try meditation, journaling, moderate exercise, take up or practice your hobby.
  • Stay hydrated – drinking 2ltrs of water is recommended.
  • Take a multi vitamin – this is a good insurance policy against deficiencies.
  • Don’t store high sugar treats in the house.
  • Use fruit and naturally sweet foods to hit the sweet spot.
  • Avoid artificial sweeteners
  • Try intervening with Mint as this may help stop the sweet taste buds tingling, have a mint tea or clean your teeth.
  • Drink Apple Cider Vinegar – a little dash diluted with water before a meal can help control blood sugar balance.
  • Go cold turkey!! – changes those taste buds for ever.

What keeps women stuck when it comes to health and weight loss?

Turn the CRAP to KEEP!

How many times have you decided that you are going to lose weight and get healthy?  How many times did you say to yourself β€œI’m serious this time, I’m going to make changes for good”? 

And how many times have you made it 2, maybe even 5, days being really β€˜good’ and then rewarded yourself with a slice of pizza and a glass of prosecco only to berate yourself for failure, thrown in the towel and resorted to comfort eating until the following Monday to try it all over again? ‍‍

Many of us will relate to this feeling because, let’s face it, losing weight and getting healthy for good is really hard. Β It takes more than just a bit of willpower, motivation and a healthy food shop to see real lasting results.Β  The internet and social media has helped us all obtain the information we need from all the β€˜experts’ for free telling us the best way to get results quick…. How to cut the carbs, hack our hormones, eat low fat, eat high fat, only drink celery juice etc etc…!!

So what is standing in our way of achieving our goals?  Having worked with many women and been through a 10-year journey to better health following 10 years of struggling with my weight and, in hindsight, my health, I think it is all a lot of CRAP!

Confusion

Responsibility

Awareness

Patience

Confusion

With all the information out there the first one has to be Confusion and information overload.  Have you ever wondered…

  • Health v weight which should I focus on? Aren’t they the same?
  • Should I count calories, macros or nutrients?
  • Which diet is best for me, keto, carb cycling, fasting etc?
  • Why is β€˜Eat less Move More’ not working for me?
  • I can’t start before I know and understand everything!
  • I have so much information I don’t know where I start! 

We need to change that confusion to knowledge, focus on one or two science based qualified sources when it comes to nutrition e.g. Dr Hyman or Dale Pinnock.  Keep YOU at the centre when focusing on what will work for you in your life?

Responsibility

The next one is Responsibility, or lack of it. Are we really taking ownership of our health and weight loss journey? Taking control and making decisions for ourselves? Making it a priority and giving it the time it deserves?Β  Are you making excuses like…

  • but we went out for dinner
  • but my husband bought me a chocolate bar
  • but I don’t have time
  • but I can’t run
  • but my kids wanted pizza
  • but I can’t do it on my own I need someone else to give me a meal plan and exercise routine

We need to change this lack of responsibility to Empowerment, once you have the knowledge and take ownership for your health it will become a priority and the actions and choices you make become all the more empowering.

Awareness

Next, we have Awareness, or lack of it. We can’t make meaningful sustainable changes until we bring some awareness and understanding to what we are doing, when and why.  Consider…

  • what are you actually doing with your time and why?
  • when are you actually snacking or drinking alcohol and why?
  • how are you actually sleeping and why?
  • how do you actually exercise and why?
  • where are you actually trying to get to and why?
  • what have your dieting, health and fitness been like in the past and why?

We need to change this lack of awareness into Experience, we need to become an expert on ourselves without rose tinted glasses!! Being honest with ourselves without judgement and negative self-talk.  This new Experience and knowledge will guide our choices and lead to real habit change.

Patience

Lastly, it has to be Patience, or again lack of it!Β  In this generation we expect instant gratification, we have lost the ability to wait.Β  We want and expect results now or at least as quick as Dawn who lives next door!!Β  But β€˜all good things come to those who wait’.Β  So why do we…

  • feel like we are failing if we don’t lose 3lbs a week every week?
  • talk negatively to ourselves when the scales don’t comply with our expectations?
  • find consistency so hard?
  • always want to follow the next new thing because it might bring quicker results?

We need to change this lack of Patience into Perseverance.  Learn to enjoy the process and not focus too closely on the end goal, small daily steps and weekly targets are the most important thing and celebrating every little win however small. Build consistency over time and it becomes a habit that is second nature and just part of your routine.

The Solution: KEEP 

Knowledge

Empowerment

Experience

Perseverance

  • Keep it simple – Lots of lean protein, fibre rich carbs – mostly from veg, healthy fats – more vegetables oh and some more vegetables!!
  • Keep walking every day
  • Keep drinking lots of water
  • Keep making healthy swaps for the less healthy options in your diet
  • Keep prioritising sleep
  • Keep making the choices for YOU!

However, sometimes the thing we really need is a voice of understanding and someone who can support you on your health and weight loss journey.Β  I love to bring people together and help to support them to achieve long-term sustainable health together.Β 

Contact me via my email info@timetonourish.co.uk and learn more about my Time to Nourish For Life Programme launching soon.