NOURISHING YOUR BRAIN!
This concept is quite foreign to most people and the time I really jumped on board with this concept was during my studies.
Often, we associate eating with fueling our bodies but did you know that our brain also needs feeding too… From food!
Your brain uses up energy to think and work and energy comes from food! I know that when I was studying, I had to pack two to three sets of snacks otherwise I would be way too hungry before lunch time. But on holiday, I could do with having just three main meals a day. I would be so confused about why I was hungry so much more during university until it dawned on me…
Brain uses energy, energy comes from food so not only do you feed your body, you HAVE to feed your brain.
That being said, don’t hate on your body when it’s hungry. Try find out W H Y it's hungry. Have you been working hard - mentally and physically - that your body needs more fuel? Have you had a bad nights sleep and your body needs energy? Are you thirsty? These things can be causes of hunger, so don't bash on your body for saying "hiiiii I need energy to work!", feed it nourishingly.
The brain is made of fat and, in naturopathy, the concept of "like heals like" is an important one. So include healthy fats into your daily meals - olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, coconut oil, eggs, butter, dairy, fatty fish, meat, poultry. These will aid the brain in keeping strong as well as ensure correct functioning. But honestly, more important than that, is make sure you're eating enough!
Remember, your brain needs fuel, fuel = food! And your body thrives on wholesome foods too. I'm not giving you permission to gorge on foods that have a negative effect on your health!!!
When I was at varsity, this is what I would do:
eggs or oats for breakfast
SNACK: nuts/raw veggie sticks (celery, cucumber, carrots)/honestly, sometimes a sandwich. often I would eat my snacks twice before lunch
left over dinner for lunch - chicken/fish/meat with salad or roasted veggies
SNACK: I would sometimes eat something before I left for home, as this would be a 45minute drive and I wanted to ward off any hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) so I wouldn't go crazy and stuff my face when I got home.
Now, My brain usage is a lot less - I'm not sitting in 6-7 hours worth of lectures - but depending on my workload, I do sometimes snack! or eat lunch earlier :)
Let me know what you think!
Keep smiling!
Yours in health,
Dr Shavit
~ Love Health & Wellness ~