Supporting Your Optimal Health while Managing a Busy Schedule

When your body is in a state of suboptimal health, managing a heavy stress load can be completely unmanageable and debilitating. Naturopathic medicine seeks to optimize your body’s response to stress, supporting your body’s inflammatory response, adrenal glands, nervous system, and more. Our naturopathic doctors can provide functional testing to understand if any underlying health factors are playing a role in your ability to manage stress. There are also a number of natural treatments that can help better manage symptoms of stress, fatigue, brain fog, or poor sleep that often come along with managing a busy schedule!

3 Ways to Enhance Your Brain Power Through Food

Your brains use more energy than any other system in your body. It needs energy to help neurons fire, and energy to repair and maintain healthy brain cells. The brain runs on ATP energy, a process the body uses to provide fuel to cells. It can become depleted through times of stress, heavy mental processing, or learning something new. That's why it is important to support your body with foods that fuel and protect your brain health.

Add Protein

Your brain needs amino acids to function at an optimal level, and the best way to provide these is with a morning meal high in protein. This will raise your tyrosine levels and help your body provide neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine. These two chemicals will help you feel awake and alert.

It's important to eat complete proteins. If you are eating lean, organic meats, you will be getting complete protein. If you are on a plant-based diet, you might need to combine protein sources. This will provide the body with all the amino acids it needs to support the production of a variety of neurotransmitters that your brain needs to run at peak performance.

One added benefit of a high-protein breakfast is that you will also be supporting your blood sugar levels, which will help you feel full throughout the day. Fluctuations in blood sugar can impact your mood and your mental clarity, so keeping your levels stable will help you power through your day.

Reduce Inflammation

Research is showing that brain inflammation can have a dramatic impact on memory, processing speed, and the general ability to think clearly. It has also been linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia. Reducing inflammation is a powerful way to protect the brain.

Foods can have powerful anti-inflammatory properties, such as:

tomatoes

olive oil

green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards

nuts like almonds and walnuts

fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines

fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges

It is also important to avoid foods that increase inflammation such as:

refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and pastries

french fries and other fried foods

soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages

processed meat (hot dogs, sausage)

margarine, shortening, and lard

high-fat dairy products and butter

There are other diets that can help boost your brain power because of their protective properties. A Mediterranean diet is naturally anti-inflammatory because it is high in healthy foods such as vegetables, nuts and fish, and low in refined carbohydrates and sweets. The majority of the diet contains fresh vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy nuts. It is also a lifestyle that focuses on eating slowly over a long period of time, and enjoying meals with loved ones.

Another diet that is naturally anti-inflammatory is a plant-based diet. This diet focuses on whole foods that are not animal-based such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. The recipes use minimal cooking so that the antioxidants and other vitamins and minerals are preserved. This diet provides the body with the nutrients it needs to repair cells and fuel ATP energy production.

Increase Brain Food

There are specific foods that provide your brain with just the right balance of nutrients. These brain foods help fuel the brain's energy production and protect brain cells from environmental stress and damage.

Walnuts provide a high concentration of DHA, a special form of omega-3 fatty acids that protect the brain and can help reverse cognitive decline.

Pomegranate Juice has high amounts of antioxidants that can protect brain cells from damage. Studies are also suggesting that the juice can help restore cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer's. One study showed it even helped increase learning and memory skills in healthy adults.

Olive Oil provides a potent combination of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and polyphenols that all protect the brain. It is important not to use high heat on olive oil because it destroys some of the healing properties.

Green Tea is about 30% polyphenols, including a potent antioxidant called EGCG that protects and heals cells throughout the body. Studies have shown that EGCG helps boost brain function, specifically when taken regularly.

Spirulina contain antioxidants that help reduce inflammation in the brain and protect cells from oxidative stress. It can be taken in supplement form, or used as an additive to smoothies and protein shakes.

We believe food is medicine. By adding these brain foods into your diet, you can help protect your brain health and increase your mental clarity and performance.

Drinking Your Way to Better Sleep

Teas and healing tonics have been used for centuries to promote better health, and some herbs can help your body prepare itself for deep relaxing sleep. We know the healing power of herbs and other medicinals for helping the body find its own natural balance.

Here are a few drink ideas to help your body turn off the stress of the day:

Sleep and Relax Herbal Tea by Gaia Herbs

This healing tea is filled with herbs that help the body unwind after a stressful day. Lemon Balm, Passionflower, and Chamomile all have micronutrients that reduce stress levels, while licorice supports the adrenal glands. This tea has a bright and tropical flavor with a hint of natural orange, and will help you destress without becoming habit forming. It's perfect to drink an hour before bed to help the body prepare for sleep.

Reduce Caffeine

Your morning cup of joe may be the thing that gets your engine running in the morning, but it could also be the thing that keeps you up at night. New research is showing a connection between your genes and your ability to metabolize coffee. The gene variant CYP1A2 controls an enzyme that breaks down caffeine. If you have this gene variant, the caffeine from one cup of coffee could stay in your system for up to 24 hours.

There are easy ways to reduce your caffeine. Switching to decaf is one way to avoid the caffeine while keeping your beloved morning ritual. You can also try Teechino, a tea alternative to coffee that comes in many flavors. To get an even healthier boost of energy in the morning, try juicing fresh fruits and vegetables to give you body a cocktail of antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients.

Tart Cherry Juice

Tart Cherry Juice is a potent cocktail for boosting melatonin production. One study showed that fresh tart cherry juice improved sleep quality and duration. Taking 8 oz twice a day will help the body produce more melatonin, a hormone that supports the sleep cycle.

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