Fuelling the Brain for Productivity
Good day Optimal Living Summit Community!
We have an upcoming nutrition workshop and there's still time for you to reserve your seat!
Guest speaker: Dr. Dominique Vanier (Naturopathic medicine)
When: July 23,2019
Time: 12:15pm to 1:00 PM
Where: 3280 Bloor St W, Etobicoke, ON M8X 2X3 (Centre Tower, 2nd floor Conference Room)
Cost: $10 at the door.
Here's a little nutrition tip for you. 🍎🍐🍊🍋🍌🍉🍇🍈🍑🥭🍍🥥🥝🥑🥦🥬🥒🥕
Our whole lives we are told to eat healthily or we will end up with heart disease, high/low blood pressure, diabetes, etc. Unfortunately, nobody ever mentioned how a bad diet will not only hurt our body’s but will also hurt our brain. For many people, keeping our brains and bodies running effectively can be a full-time effort. What if I told you that fueling your brain to feel better is actually quite simple? In fact, healthy eating can increase our brain function by 20% throughout the day. Naturopathic Doctor, Dominique Vanier, has dedicated her life to sharing her knowledge and supporting those who seek natural approaches to health and wellness. She has shared a few fun facts with us that we now want to share with you.
Our brains are very needy. Without proper nutrition and hydration, they begin to fail us. According to Dr. Dominique Vanier we require 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of our body weight (for exercisers: 1.2 - 1.4. grams). This will keep or brains processing speed and memory at full function. Also, eating too much-processed sugar can cause a quick crash in our brains energy and focus. Finding your sugars from fruit is a great alternative to this, and it will help avoid the sugar crash. Did you know that blueberries are rich in antioxidants which maintain good brain function, helps prevent age-related memory loss, and it increases healthy gut bacteria? Next time you’re craving candy, why not try to replace it with frozen blueberry’s. It’s a tasty and nutrition filled snack leading to a healthier you.
Another important nutritional factor is to feed our brain fats. We all know that there are bad fats, but not everyone is aware of the necessity and health benefits that come from ingesting the good fats. Our brains are made up of 60% fat and absorb around 20% of our daily calorie intake. So, what kind of fats do our brains need and where can we get it from? The answer is simple. These “healthy” fats are called Omega-3 fatty acids. They are crucial for children’s/fetus brain development, improving adult brain cognition and to mitigate brain injury. These fats can be found in lots of different foods including nuts, fish, plant oils, seeds, avocados, etc. On the other hand, Trans fats can be found in most foods (margarine, pizza, chips, crackers, pie, dough products, coffee creamer, French fries, fried chicken, etc.), and have been found to have adverse effects on the human brain. Junk Food plays a large role in the ability of our brain to make a connection. Too many trans fats will cause a decline in cognitive performance and brain plasticity.
Moral of the story – stay away from trans fats, and adopt more Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet.
Now that you have the basic knowledge and tools to adopt positive change for your brain and body, challenge yourself to be more aware of your diet (changing it if needed) and how it affects your productivity.
Don't forget to sign up for our monthly Optimal Living Summit wellness workshops!!
See you soon!
The Optimal Living Summit Team.
