We are a nation in pain with over 264 million people of all ages suffering from depression. For many, a conversation on poor nutrition conjures photos of someone standing on a bathroom scale and staring helplessly at the numbers as they climb higher and higher. But how many people realize the connection between poor nutrition and the brain?
Poor Nutrition Affects More Than Just Your Waistline
Your brain is part of your body, which means that poor nutrition affects it just as much as it affects your waistline. This last point may seem obvious but for many people, the idea that their depression, anxiety, and daily struggles could be lessened with a shift in their diet leads them to stagger two feet back before falling over.
The brain is an organ. It controls thought, touch, vision, memory, breathing, emotion, motor skills, hunger, and more. It makes sense that a brain fueled with essential nutrients– vitamins, minerals, protein, healthy fats, water, and carbohydrates– functions better than a brain fueled with avalanches of processed food and sugary beverages.
If you hold yourself to the same standards that you hold children to you will see a difference in your mood, perspective, and other aspects of your brain. Consider the rules of a child:
- Don’t snack right before a meal.
- Go to bed at a set time every night.
- Don’t drink many, if at all, sugary beverages.
- Make sure to eat your fruits and vegetables.
- Never forget breakfast.
- Rest when you’re tired and don’t be ashamed of naps.
- Always drink water when you’re engaging in strenuous activity.
Treat your body, which includes your brain, with as much respect as you insist children do with their bodies. If you do this, you will see a remarkable difference.
You Think What You Eat & Drink
Just like your food and beverage consumption is in your hands, so too is your attitude and perspective. ‘You are what you eat’ is a common phrase, and maybe one day ‘You think what you eat and drink’ will be too. Your brain and your gut are a highway that’s never closed. What you consume determines what tools your body has to work with all day long. Stop giving your body more of what it doesn’t want, and start giving it the essential nutrients it craves.
Author: Evelyn Lindell
Certified Health & Wellness Coach