19-01-31 QUESTIONS WE WILL ADDRESS TODAY How does what you eat - - PDF document

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BRAIN FOOD

EATING FOR ENERGY, FOCUS, AND A HEALTHY MIND

Registered Die;;an Nutri;on Coaches Who am I?

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QUESTIONS WE WILL ADDRESS TODAY

• How does what you eat affect your mood, energy,

and hunger?

• Which foods will help increase your energy and

focus?

• How does what you eat affect the health of your

mind over ;me?

• Strategies to deal with ‘emo;onal’ ea;ng and stress

THE FOOD – BRAIN CONNECTION

• What you eat can have a POWERFUL effect on your energy and

concentra;on levels as well as the health of your brain as you age

• Some of the BEST ways to manage your energy, mood, and hunger is to:

○ Eat foods that FILL YOU UP ○ Choose food that provides SUSTAINABLE ENERGY ○ Reach for NUTRIENT DENSE foods most oRen

• STAY TUNED to learn how to avoid ‘hanger’ and how to keep both your

body and mind healthy for the years to come!

LET’S GET STARTED

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WHERE DOES BRAIN FOOD COME FROM?

• Your brain’s first and main

source of energy = CARBOHYDRATES

• Carbohydrates = Sugar

○ Although carbohydrates oRen get

a bad rap, they are essen;al for

• ur body to func;on at it’s best
• Understanding how your body

responds to sugar is important, even if you DON’T have diabetes

SUGAR AND THE BRAIN

By managing our blood sugar we can manage our:

• ENERGY
• MOOD
• HUNGER

Ideally we want

• ur blood sugar to

rise and fall gradually throughout the day to help promote sustained energy, a stable mood, and controlled hunger – aka avoid HANGER!

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BUT HOW?

• It is important to know the difference between carbohydrates

that fuel you and carbohydrates that rob you of energy Refined Carbohydrates

• Energy rises but falls quickly
• Results in the ‘CRASH’
• Don’t satisfy & leave you

searching for more Complex Carbohydrates

• Sustained energy
• Stable mood
• Reduced Cravings =

Improved Focus!

ANYTHING ELSE?

• There are other ways to ‘make your

carbs last longer’

• Including foods that are high in

PROTEIN and HEALTHY FATS is an important way to ensure you are geWng all the nutrients you need for a healthy body and brain

• All foods are made up of a

combina;on of either Carbs, Proteins, and/or Fats

• By choosing healthy op;ons from

each of these categories it will help keep you func;oning at your best!

EXAMPLES

Whole grains: quinoa, barley, brown rice, whole wheat pasta Starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes

Carbs

Lean meats: Chicken breast, turkey, fish Pulses: Lentils, Beans, Chickpeas Dairy: Cottage Cheese, Greek Yogurt, Milk Eggs

Protein

Healthy Oils: Canola, Olive Nuts and Nut Butters Seeds

Fats

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BUT WHERE?

• Examples of food that make you feel ;red, restless, and foggy-

headed:

BUT WHERE?

• Examples of foods that increase energy and focus:

SAMPLE DAY

Breakfast

• 2 slices whole

wheat toast

• 2 Tbsp Peanut

Butter

• 1 cup milk

Lunch

• 1 cup whole

wheat pasta

• ½ cup pasta

sauce with ground turkey, beans,

• nions, and

peppers

• 2 cups salad with

a homemade olive

• il and vinegar

dressing Dinner

• Roasted salmon

with sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, and asparagus drizzled with canola oil

• Dessert = Plain

greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp honey, and sliced berries

Don’t forget to add in healthy snacks and drink plenty of water throughout the day! Dehydration can contribute to brain fog too!

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Our food choices not only influence our mood, but our mood can influence our food choices

• Stress increases cor;sol which increase insulin and affects blood

sugars

• Fa;gue can result in choosing sweet foods for quick energy boost
• Boredom/procras;na;on can result in grazing mindlessly
• What kind of hunger am I experiencing?
• Stomach vs Mouth (distract) vs Heart (nurture vs nourish)

We like to ask our clients: Are you a Mindful or Mindless Eater? TOP TIPS FOR THE SHORT TERM

• Avoid skipping meals – leads to ++ PM. Stash snacks in your desk,

trunk, gym bag, purse, pantry

• Pack protein-rich aRernoon snack to last un;l supper
• Include healthy carbs in modera;on at lunch
• Track water intake using app, schedule it
• Eat slowly and un;l you’re comfortably full – 80% full, no longer

hungry

• No restric;ve die;ng = pre-occupa;on w food
• Track energy and learn about yourself

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IN A SLUMP?

• PRO TIP!

○ If you find yourself restless at your desk, unable

to concentrate, or if you are experiencing a low mood, ask yourself these 3 ques;ons:

1) When was the last ;me I ate? 2) Have I been drinking water today? 3) Have I eaten foods that fuel me today or lots of

sugary treats?

LET’S DIG DEEPER!

• Some interes;ng news:

○ Brain food isn’t important just for short term energy and

focus but also for keeping our mind healthy in the years to come

○ New research is constantly being done to learn how diet

may affect the health of our brains as we age.

■ FACT: According to the Alzheimer Society of Canada ~

564, 000 Canadians are living with demen;a

THE MIND DIET

• The MIND Diet is a combina;on of two different ea;ng styles:

Mediterranean + DASH

• Emphasis on natural PLANT-BASED FOODS
• BERRIES as the most common fruit choice
• Consumption of FISH – at least 1x/week
• Limited intake of other animal foods and high saturated fat

foods

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10 HEALTHY BRAIN FOODS

• The MIND Diet Studies iden;fied 10 healthy brain foods:
• 1. Green Leafy Vegetables
• 2. Other Vegetables
• 3. Nuts
• 4. Berries
• 5. Beans
• 6. Whole Grains
• 7. Fish
• 8. Poultry
• 9. Olive Oil
• 10. Wine

5 FOODS THAT WON’T HELP YOUR BRAIN

• The MIND Diet Studies iden;fied 5 unhealthy brain food groups:
• 1. Red Meats
• 2. Butter and Stick Margarine
• 3. Cheese
• 4. Pastries and Sweets
• 5. Fried/Fast Foods

NUTRIENTS OF INTEREST

• Although evidence is s;ll not clear, there may be some benefit to

making an effort to consume more of the following nutrients :

Vitamin A Vitamin C Vitamin E Omega-3 B6 B12

• Antioxidant commonly found in ORANGE fruits and vegetables
• Antioxidant commonly found in citrus fruits, bell peppers
• Antioxidant commonly found in vegetable oils and nuts
• Essential fatty acid commonly found in fatty fish such as salmon, trout,

herring

• Found in many common foods including meat, starchy vegetables, and

some fruit

• Only found naturally in animal foods such as shellfish, eggs, and cheese
• Found in leafy greens, legumes, and is added to some grain products in

Canada

• Many Canadians need a supplement as is not found in many common

foods

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HEALTHY BRAIN = HEALTHY YOU

Our brains control every aspect of

• ur life including how we feel, function,

and think. Start eating for energy, focus, and a healthy mind today!

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU!

• Stop the weight gain and ini;ate weight loss
• Develop healthy habits to maintain weight lost
• Manage and eliminate food cravings
• Improve your rela;onship with food (become in control of

your food choices)

• Prevent or manage health concerns
• Improve physical appearance
• Achieve op;mal wellness through balanced nutri;on
• Become more energized

Other nutri;on services:

• Cooking classes
• Recipe/ menu development and analysis
• Nutri;on labeling
• “Lunch n’ Learns”
• Spokesperson Ac;vi;es
• Grocery store tours
• Corporate Wellness
• Menu and Meal Planning

Susan Watson, BHNsc. Registered Dietitian www.alittlenutrition.com Email: susan@alittlenutrition.com 204-792-1893 Follow my Blog or Facebook to get recipe and nutrition tips

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REFERENCES

• Morris, M. C., Tangney, C. C., Wang, Y., Sacks, F. M., Benneo, D. A.,

& Aggarwal, N. T. (2015). MIND Diet Associated with Reduced Incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s & Demen/a : The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Associa/on, 11(9), 1007–1014. hop://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2014.11.009

• Morris, M. C., Tangney, C. C., Wang, Y., Sacks, F. M., Barnes, L. L.,

Benneo, D. A., & Aggarwal, N. T. (2015). MIND diet slows cogni;ve decline with aging. Alzheimer’s & Demen/a : The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Associa/on, 11(9), 1015–1022. hop://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2015.04.011