Mental Healthy Mental Happy – Being the Best Me Possible: 1
[image error] May is National Mental Health Awareness Month and as many of you know, mental health is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. I teamed up with Certified Nutrition Consultant, Jen Simon of FoodWorks Wellness LLC, to bring you some pointers for being healthy from the inside out! Each week in May we’ll feature a different topic on how to keep our insides healthier, so our outsides can be happier!
Week 1: Blood Sugar Balance
One of the simplest ways to combat anxiety, depression, stress, and mental illness can be by balancing, or evening out, blood sugar levels. Bouncing blood sugar levels can cause changes in cortisol (stress hormone) levels, and lower serotonin, a calming neurotransmitter. Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, increases anxiety by releasing epinephrine, a stimulating neurotransmitter in the body. Changes in blood sugar also increases our craving for sugar and refined carbohydrates, which perpetuates the cycle of changing blood sugar levels. So how can we keep those sugar levels steady?
Jen tells us that there are 3 easy things we can do to balance our blood sugar levels!
Eat a meal or snack every 3-4 hours starting with breakfast! Include all 3 macronutrients, carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats, in each meal or snack.Add fiber to help food break down slower and keep you feeling full longer. Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and natural fiber supplements are great ways to get in fiber! If you’re adding fiber to you diet, increase intake slowly.
Limit high caffeine drinks like coffee and black tea. Caffeine is a stimulant and can contribute to anxiety. It also ultimately depletes serotonin and dopamine levels. Think about drinking green tea as a substitute since it contains less caffeine, and bonus, has healthy anti-oxidants.
The take home: to keep your blood sugar levels steady eat healthy meals and snacks throughout the day, avoid high carbohydrate and sugary foods, make sure you get a good balance of healthy fats, and limit caffeine and alcohol consumption!
Stay tuned next week for the second installment of my Mental Healthy Mental Happy, Healthy Gut, Happier You!
To learn more you can go to Jen’s website at http://www.foodworkswellness.com/!
All the best,
Tricia
Week 1: Blood Sugar Balance
One of the simplest ways to combat anxiety, depression, stress, and mental illness can be by balancing, or evening out, blood sugar levels. Bouncing blood sugar levels can cause changes in cortisol (stress hormone) levels, and lower serotonin, a calming neurotransmitter. Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, increases anxiety by releasing epinephrine, a stimulating neurotransmitter in the body. Changes in blood sugar also increases our craving for sugar and refined carbohydrates, which perpetuates the cycle of changing blood sugar levels. So how can we keep those sugar levels steady?
Jen tells us that there are 3 easy things we can do to balance our blood sugar levels!
Eat a meal or snack every 3-4 hours starting with breakfast! Include all 3 macronutrients, carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats, in each meal or snack.Add fiber to help food break down slower and keep you feeling full longer. Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and natural fiber supplements are great ways to get in fiber! If you’re adding fiber to you diet, increase intake slowly.
Limit high caffeine drinks like coffee and black tea. Caffeine is a stimulant and can contribute to anxiety. It also ultimately depletes serotonin and dopamine levels. Think about drinking green tea as a substitute since it contains less caffeine, and bonus, has healthy anti-oxidants.
The take home: to keep your blood sugar levels steady eat healthy meals and snacks throughout the day, avoid high carbohydrate and sugary foods, make sure you get a good balance of healthy fats, and limit caffeine and alcohol consumption!
Stay tuned next week for the second installment of my Mental Healthy Mental Happy, Healthy Gut, Happier You!
To learn more you can go to Jen’s website at http://www.foodworkswellness.com/!
All the best,
Tricia
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