Embracing change
I have had so much change in my life over the last six years – and I am really not fantastic at coping with change. To start, my 22 year old marriage ended, which was so hard, and also it happened in the midst of completing my PhD.
Mental! Who are you calling mental
The very use of the word ‘mental’ in mental health is pretty screwed up - do you agree? Why not ‘emotional health’? In 1960, Thomas Szasz published ‘The Myth of Mental Illness’ a controversial paper that rang alarm bells throughout psychiatry circles. Szasz argued that mental illness is a damaging myth, and had no established foundation in biological pathology.
Canola oil- Don’t eat it
As the food industry tried to find healthy and cost-effective alternatives for saturated fats in oils, they came up with canola oil. Saturated fats were highlighted as ‘bad’ due to research indicating that saturated fats play a role in poor cardiovascular health. Many of these reports were particularly aimed at corn oil and soybean oil.
We were wrong about cholesterol
It seems we have been wrong in regards to saturated fat and high cholesterol increasing our risk of heart disease. We have been advised to eat carbohydrate and reduce our intake of saturated fats for over 50 years- and yet Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the number 1 cause of death globally.
Importance of being vulnerable
Few of us feel comfortable being vulnerable as it leaves us with nowhere to hide, and it may not be safe. We want to protect ourselves, and therefore we put on masks, and build walls around ourselves.
Lessons from the yellow wallpaper
Most of us are embarrassed when we feel unwell in our mind. In fact, and stigma attached to mental illness is almost as bad as the illness itself in some cases.
Not all kilojoules are equal!
I was taught during my undergraduate degree that we can maintain our weight by following the kilojoule in vs kilojoule out rule of thumb. If you want to lose weight then eat less and exercise more- right? No this is definitely not always the case.
Inflammation and mental health
Research has indicated that levels of inflammatory cytokines tend to be higher in people with mood and mental health disorders. Also, those who suffer mood disorders and mental health disorders are more vulnerable to autoimmune diseases arising from inflammation
Paleovedic way
We have all heard of the Paleo diet now, and more and more research suggests that this eating pattern is linked with reduced inflammation, lower LDL cholesterol, reduced risk of diabetes and stabilised blood sugar levels.
Sugar, carbs and dietary recommendations
We should all know now that sugar is addictive and is damaging our health. However it’s not just the sugar in sugary 'junk' foods that are contributing to the problem.
Modern portion sizes
The problem is over the years portion sizes have grown along with plate sizes! A few extra cm on your plate can increase kJ intake significantly.
What’s wrong with our dietary guidelines?
Our dietary guidelines in Australia (including the health star rating) should be reviewed. It is utterly ridiculous that in a country with a growing incidence of diabetes, sugar laden, highly processed cereal gets a healthy 4-star rating and the Heart Foundation Tick, despite containing 23.5% sugar.
Teach kids about gut health
It is now reported, that in modern times, for the first time, children are sicker than their parents. The current high prevalence of chronic illness in kids was unheard of 30 years ago.
Intermittent Fasting
If you had asked me to skip breakfast a few years ago I would have scoffed. In fact the first thing I thought of as I got out of bed was breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day, right? Well no, not really.
Inflammation and Mood
Most of us have experienced flat moods, irritability, sadness, fatigue and brain fog. These symptoms are often referred to as depression, but there is much that we don’t understand regarding mood disorders. However, thankfully there is now more attention focused on mental health and the underlying causes of some pathologies of the mind.
Gut health and mood
What if we could eradicate depression and anxiety, or at least ease symptoms, by making lifestyle changes?
Emotional eating
The feeling of self sabotage is real and often fuels the next session of emotional eating.
Ashwagandha for mental health
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a herb commonly used in Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India. The root of Ashwagandha smells like a horse and it is believed the herb gives the strength and virility of a horse (in Sanskrit, ashva means horse and gandha means smell).
Gratitude for a well mind
It is entrenched in all major religions and is a philosophy that has been taught for years. Be thankful each day.
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