In case you haven’t heard, dieting doesn’t work. I don’t think there is one case of someone going on a diet, getting healthier (not just skinnier) and being able to maintain that diet over time. Despite perhaps losing some initial weight, the dieter will eventually throw in the towel and gain all the weight back and then some. 

Diets don’t work because they are too restrictive and often far too dangerous. But, when people are focused on losing weight instead of getting healthy, these diets are usually what they turn to. 

It’s Time to Change the Way We Think And Eat! 

Eating should be a flexible thing that’s based on nutrition, satiation, hunger, and pleasure, rather than being based entirely on weight loss. But if dieting is not the answer – what is? 

Mindful Eating. 

Mindful eating stems from the centuries-old practice of mindfulness, or mindful meditation. This practice involves giving your FULL attention to the present moment. 

Mindful eating discourages “judging” ones eating patterns and instead encourages the individual to make food choices that will be not only satisfying to their body but also nourishing. The idea is that once we really become FULLY aware of our eating habits and can make the connection between them and how we look and feel, we can take the necessary steps to change what needs to be changed. 

Tips for Getting Started with Mindful Eating 

If you’ve been struggling with your weight and would like to completely shift how you think about food, here are some tips for getting started with a mindful eating practice: 

• Appreciate the food – Honor where your food came from and how it got onto your plate. 
• Be Sensible – Use all of your senses to really smell, taste, see and recognize the textures of your food. Be in the moment with your food. 
• Savor and Chew Thoroughly – When you are in the present moment, fully mindful of the taste and deliciousness of the food, and when you are certain to chew thoroughly, you can’t help but slow way down. This helps not to overeat. 

These are only a few of the principles behind mindful eating. But when you change how you think about food, any negative thoughts and emotions you have about food and weight loss will be replaced with awareness and self-control.  

If you would like to develop your mindfulness practices, related to eating or other concerns, please contact our office. We would be pleased to discuss treatment options with you.

SOURCES: 

• https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/mindful-eating/ 
• https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindful-eating/ 
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mindful-eating-guide 

According to Statista.com, Canadians drank 2.7 cups of coffee per day in 2020. While coffee is one of our most beloved beverages, it also comes with some controversy. There are health experts that claim coffee is beneficial and those that claim it is NOT beneficial to your health.

Of course, most of these claims have to do with the caffeine content in the coffee. So what is the truth about caffeine? Is it good or bad for us? Well, the answer is – it’s both!

Let’s take a deeper dive into the pros and cons of caffeine.

Caffeine Pros

It Makes Us More Alert

Perhaps the most obvious benefit people experience from drinking coffee is that it helps to give us a jolt of energy and make us feel more alert and awake. Caffeine has also been shown to improve response time and accuracy. So there really is something to people saying, “I can’t even think until I’ve had my first cup of coffee!”

It Puts Us in a Better Mood

Beyond making us more alert, caffeine can actually perk up our mood and flood us with positive feelings. Health experts believe this positive impact on our mood is what gets most people hooked on caffeinated drinks.

May Improve Memory

While more human studies are necessary, caffeine has been shown to improve long-term memory. In fact, worldwide studies have found that moderate caffeine consumption reduces the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s. In Finland, where coffee consumption is higher than anywhere else in the world, people have the lowest risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Caffeine Cons

Disruption of Normal Sleep Patterns

When we drink caffeinated beverages later in the day, they can interfere with us getting a good night’s sleep. This makes us feel sleepy the next day, which then makes it more likely that we will reach for more and more caffeine, which can start a vicious cycle and reliance on caffeine.

Increased Production of Stress Hormones

Caffeine prompts our adrenal glands to produce more of the stress hormones norepinephrine, adrenaline, and cortisol. This is concerning because cortisol release contributes to both fatigue and insomnia.

Additionally, the increase of stress hormones in our bloodstream can cause us to have an exaggerated reaction to everyday stressful events. A traffic jam can send us reeling, as can our neighbor’s barking dog and a telemarketer calling at dinner.

Heart Health

Health researchers have found a link between the habitual use of caffeine and inflammation. Now when you combine this with caffeine’s tendency to raise blood pressure (thanks to those stress hormones!), you have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Of course, how caffeine will affect you will have much to do with your own genetic makeup and how much you drink. Your best option when it comes to caffeine consumption is to use moderation and to monitor how caffeine makes you feel and go from there!

 

SOURCES:

• https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-10-2013/coffee-for-health.html
• https://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/fatigueandinsomnia/effectsofcaffeine.aspx
• https://www.upmcmyhealthmatters.com/caffeine-effects/

Have you ever found yourself feeling hangry? “Hangry,” a mash-up of the words “hungry” and “angry,” is used to describe people who become short and irritable due to hunger. But what does it really mean to be “hangry”? Why do some people get angry when they reach a certain level of hunger?

While high blood sugar could be a sign that your body is not creating enough insulin to manage your food intake, low blood sugar is a sign that your body is not receiving enough glucose to function properly. The most common cause of low blood sugar in a physically healthy person is straightforward – you need to eat.

Low blood sugar can cause mood changes, making you feel depressed, anxious or irritable. For people with mood disorders or other issues controlling their mood, low blood sugar can exacerbate these issues. High blood sugar is typically an issue affecting diabetics with uncontrolled blood sugar, can cause a person to feel aggressive or angry. To keep your mood stable, controlling spikes in blood sugar is key.

To maintain a stable blood sugar, many nutritionists recommend frequent small meals and snacks, ensuring the body receives nutrients every 3 to 4 hours. Extremely low-fat diets are notorious for causing mood swings, as fat is needed for energy, to support cell growth, to help you absorb nutrients and produce important hormones.

For maximum energy and satiety, many nutritionists recommend that every snack and meal contains a fat, a carb and a protein. For example, a spinach omelet with a slice of whole wheat toast for breakfast, or a snack with yogurt, fruit and nuts. Limiting coffee, regular exercise and plenty of sleep and hydration are also important factors for stabilizing your mood.

If you’re worried that your blood sugar is consistently too high or too low, make an appointment with your primary care physician to rule out other health issues.

If you’re struggling with a mood disorder and need the help of a registered psychologist, call our office at your earliest convenience and let’s schedule an appointment to talk.