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How to Eat for Mental Clarity
Many doctors do not recognize the term “brain fog.” It is not technically a medical diagnosis, but it is a common complaint I hear in the office. Although tough to describe, people will often complain of forgetfulness, slow thinking, difficulty focusing, words-finding, or clouded thoughts. They may call it “mommy brain” or “frequent senior moments” and have valid worries about Alzheimer’s disease. Short, transient bouts of “fog” related to a missed night of sleep or a physically taxing day may be normal, but when these symptoms are chronic, they are warning signs of brain inflammation and compromised health.
Addressing the root cause of these symptoms is important to restoring normal brain function. Addressing brain fog takes a comprehensive approach. Optimizing sleep, managing stress, balancing hormones, reducing sedating medications and controlling other illnesses like diabetes are all important. Diet is also an important tool to leverage. We can use our food choices to nourish our brain with important vitamins and minerals and turn on or off inflammation.
Here is what you need to know:
Many doctors do not recognize the term “brain fog.” It is not technically a medical diagnosis, but it is a common complaint I hear in the office. Although tough to describe, people will often complain of forgetfulness, slow thinking, difficulty focusing, words-finding, or clouded thoughts. They may call it “mommy brain” or “frequent senior moments” and have valid worries about Alzheimer’s disease. Short, transient bouts of “fog” related to a missed night of sleep or a physically taxing day may be normal, but when these symptoms are chronic, they are warning signs of brain inflammation and compromised health.
Addressing the root cause of these symptoms is important to restoring normal brain function. Addressing brain fog takes a comprehensive approach. Optimizing sleep, managing stress, balancing hormones, reducing sedating medications and controlling other illnesses like diabetes are all important. Diet is also an important tool to leverage. We can use our food choices to nourish our brain with important vitamins and minerals and turn on or off inflammation.
Here’s what you need to know:
Eat to nourish your brain. The health of our brain hinges in large part on what we eat. We need to consume several vitamins, minerals, fats, and antioxidants to feel our best. The only way to authentically do this is with real food. This means eating a balance of vegetables, well-sourced proteins, starchy tubers (translation: sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, plantains), fermented foods, nuts and seeds, fruit and plenty of healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, and fatty fish (like salmon). What’s not on the plate is what most Americans are eating— sugar, refined carbs (i.e., bread, crackers, pasta, cookies, even seemingly healthy vegan baked goods and gluten-free replacement foods) and inflammatory oils, such as canola oil and fried foods.
Avoid foods that make you feel sad, foggy or tired. When we talk about eating real food, we often overlook the flip side, which is avoiding the foods that contribute to feeling poorly. This includes anything that takes our mood for a roller-coaster ride like sugar, alcohol, and caffeine and anything that inflames us like gluten, industrially processed vegetable oils, all processed foods, and dairy for some people.
As a society we prefer to add things to our diet or routine to improve our health. It may be easier to take a supplement or add a colorful superfood to the grocery list than to remove something from our diet—particularly when that something is tasty and cheap (and potentially addictive). While not popular, there is tremendous health gains to be had when we remove foods that are inflammatory or empty calories. For people struggling with brain fog I recommend completing an elimination diet for 30 days. Avoiding gluten, dairy, sugar and processed foods can give the gut and brain a reset and help you know if these foods are problematic.
Try time-restricted eating (also called intermittent fasting). Our brains are like hybrid cars. We can run on two fuel sources, glucose and ketones. When we are regularly eating, glucose is the primary fuel used by cells, including neurons. Fasting is defined by not consuming food for a long enough period of time to deplete the liver’s store of glucose. This prompts the liver to produce ketones which are essentially small pieces of fats that cells can use as an energy source. This metabolic switch— going from using glucose to using ketones as an energy source— happens after about 10 to 14 hours of not consuming food, depending on how active you are. In lab animals and we believe humans, fasting stimulates the production of a protein in nerve cells called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. This protein plays critical roles in learning, memory, and the generation of new nerve cells. BDNF also makes neurons more resistant to stress and is overall beneficial to the brain.
Need help getting started and adapting these strategies to your personal situation. Relish Health is here to help.
How to Eat for Mental Clarity
Many doctors do not recognize the term “brain fog.” It is not technically a medical diagnosis, but it is a common complaint I hear in the office. Although tough to describe, people will often complain of forgetfulness, slow thinking, difficulty focusing, words-finding, or clouded thoughts. They may call it “mommy brain” or “frequent senior moments” and have valid worries about Alzheimer’s disease. Short, transient bouts of “fog” related to a missed night of sleep or a physically taxing day may be normal, but when these symptoms are chronic, they are warning signs of brain inflammation and compromised health.
Addressing the root cause of these symptoms is important to restoring normal brain function. Addressing brain fog takes a comprehensive approach. Optimizing sleep, managing stress, balancing hormones, reducing sedating medications and controlling other illnesses like diabetes are all important. Diet is also an important tool to leverage. We can use our food choices to nourish our brain with important vitamins and minerals and turn on or off inflammation.
Here is what you need to know:
Many doctors do not recognize the term “brain fog.” It is not technically a medical diagnosis, but it is a common complaint I hear in the office. Although tough to describe, people will often complain of forgetfulness, slow thinking, difficulty focusing, words-finding, or clouded thoughts. They may call it “mommy brain” or “frequent senior moments” and have valid worries about Alzheimer’s disease. Short, transient bouts of “fog” related to a missed night of sleep or a physically taxing day may be normal, but when these symptoms are chronic, they are warning signs of brain inflammation and compromised health.
Addressing the root cause of these symptoms is important to restoring normal brain function. Addressing brain fog takes a comprehensive approach. Optimizing sleep, managing stress, balancing hormones, reducing sedating medications and controlling other illnesses like diabetes are all important. Diet is also an important tool to leverage. We can use our food choices to nourish our brain with important vitamins and minerals and turn on or off inflammation.
Here’s what you need to know:
Eat to nourish your brain. The health of our brain hinges in large part on what we eat. We need to consume several vitamins, minerals, fats, and antioxidants to feel our best. The only way to authentically do this is with real food. This means eating a balance of vegetables, well-sourced proteins, starchy tubers (translation: sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, plantains), fermented foods, nuts and seeds, fruit and plenty of healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, and fatty fish (like salmon). What’s not on the plate is what most Americans are eating— sugar, refined carbs (i.e., bread, crackers, pasta, cookies, even seemingly healthy vegan baked goods and gluten-free replacement foods) and inflammatory oils, such as canola oil and fried foods.
Avoid foods that make you feel sad, foggy or tired. When we talk about eating real food, we often overlook the flip side, which is avoiding the foods that contribute to feeling poorly. This includes anything that takes our mood for a roller-coaster ride like sugar, alcohol, and caffeine and anything that inflames us like gluten, industrially processed vegetable oils, all processed foods, and dairy for some people.
As a society we prefer to add things to our diet or routine to improve our health. It may be easier to take a supplement or add a colorful superfood to the grocery list than to remove something from our diet—particularly when that something is tasty and cheap (and potentially addictive). While not popular, there is tremendous health gains to be had when we remove foods that are inflammatory or empty calories. For people struggling with brain fog I recommend completing an elimination diet for 30 days. Avoiding gluten, dairy, sugar and processed foods can give the gut and brain a reset and help you know if these foods are problematic.
Try time-restricted eating (also called intermittent fasting). Our brains are like hybrid cars. We can run on two fuel sources, glucose and ketones. When we are regularly eating, glucose is the primary fuel used by cells, including neurons. Fasting is defined by not consuming food for a long enough period of time to deplete the liver’s store of glucose. This prompts the liver to produce ketones which are essentially small pieces of fats that cells can use as an energy source. This metabolic switch— going from using glucose to using ketones as an energy source— happens after about 10 to 14 hours of not consuming food, depending on how active you are. In lab animals and we believe humans, fasting stimulates the production of a protein in nerve cells called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. This protein plays critical roles in learning, memory, and the generation of new nerve cells. BDNF also makes neurons more resistant to stress and is overall beneficial to the brain.
Need help getting started and adapting these strategies to your personal situation. Relish Health is here to help.
Back to School Breakfasts
The start of the school year means that many of us are getting back to familiar routines that may have become lax in the summer (or during quarantine). For those of us with school age children, late summer is a natural time to reset some of our habits for the upcoming year. Switching up your breakfast is an easy opportunity to increase your energy, control your cravings, encourage mental focus and potentially lose weight. These are benefits that can be enjoyed by the whole family regardless of age. If you are currently skipping breakfast or not having a healthy breakfast, consider prioritizing this meal for a month and note how you feel.
Avocado Toast
The start of the school year means that many of us are getting back to familiar routines that may have become lax in the summer (or during quarantine). For those of us with school age children, late summer is a natural time to reset some of our habits for the upcoming year. Switching up your breakfast is an easy opportunity to increase your energy, control your cravings, encourage mental focus and potentially lose weight. These are benefits that can be enjoyed by the whole family regardless of age. If you are currently skipping breakfast or not having a healthy breakfast, consider prioritizing this meal for a month and note how you feel.
What is a healthy breakfast?
The typical American breakfast brings to mind foods like cereal, muffins, waffles, oatmeal and orange juice. Each of these foods and others like them are filled with sugar and carbs, and lack key nutrients such as protein and healthy fats. A meal high in sugar and carbs can temporarily boost energy, but without protein, healthy fats and fiber our blood sugar may spike and then quickly crash. This blood sugar roller coaster leads to more carb cravings, as well as compromised focus and erratic energy. The perfect breakfast is low in sugar and contains protein, healthy fats and plenty of fiber. The combination of these macronutrients ensures that our blood sugars are stable helping to keep us appropriately fueled for our day.
Consider these sources:
Protein: Plant-based protein powders (I like rice, pea and hemp), eggs, collagen or well-sourced, high-quality, unprocessed meats
Fat: Nuts, nut butters, olives, high quality oils (EVOO, avocado oil, coconut oil)
Fiber: Veggies of all colors and varieties especially greens, flax meal, chia seeds or psyllium husk
Breakfast when fasting:
If you’ve read my blogs or seen me in the office, you know I am a fan of time-restricted eating (AKA intermittent fasting). Not only is what we eat important, but when we eat it also impacts our health. Ideally the first meal of your day, regardless of the time it is eaten, includes protein, fat and fiber to set the tone for balanced blood sugars for the rest of the day.
Easy Swaps for your breakfast favorites:
We all have favorite foods. Try applying some of these simple swaps to ensure balance in your meal.
If you are fan of baked goods, including waffles or pancakes, try swapping the white flour for whole grain flour or almond flour to increase fiber. Almond flour can be easily swapped for a portion of the flour in most recipes. The almonds give added fiber and healthy fat to keep you full longer. Another tip for pancakes: if you like syrup, then try swapping with almond butter and cinnamon, applesauce, or berries.
Include veggies in your favorite smoothie recipe. I recommend kale, spinach, avocado, cucumber or even carrots to add fiber and antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. The goal here is to provide extra flavor and nutrition without sugar. Add only enough fruit to make the smoothie delicious enough for your to have it in your rotation. Bananas and pineapple can send your blood sugar soaring if not balanced with fat, protein and fiber. So, use them sparingly and with enough veggies to balance them.
Use leftovers from dinner to balance your eggs. If you are only eating eggs, you are getting good protein, but you are missing fiber. Save some extra roasted or steamed veggies from dinner and add to your eggs in the morning. You will gain extra fiber and antioxidants to start your day. Or, serve your eggs with a side of mixed greens dressed with lemon juice and olive oil for a savory early day meal.
Avocado toast is not just for brunch at your favorite restaurant. Smash an avocado and place on whole grain toast, with lemon, red pepper flakes, sliced radishes and “everything bagel” seasoning to add delicious favor. Experiment and make it your own with your favorite toppings. The avocado provides fat, fiber and antioxidants. For a twist, try hummus on toast.
Make your oatmeal a complete meal. By itself, it is a good source of carbs and fiber, however it lacks protein and fat. Try adding a spoonful of protein powder, whole nuts or nut butter to make it work for you.
Below I have listed several quick and easy breakfast options to inspire you to have your (breakfast) cake and eat it too. By focusing on one meal at a time you can easily make food habits healthier, and breakfast is a simple place to start. These recipes are nutrient-dense, balanced and most importantly convenient for the morning rush.
Chocolate Chia Pudding with Berries
Decadent German Chocolate Chia Pudding
Breakfast Parfait with Coconut Yogurt and Nutty Low-Sugar Granola
Sweet Potato with Chai Spiced Almond Butter
Is It Time for a Whole-Body Tune up?
Sugar, wine, comfort food, boredom snacking. Sound familiar? The coronavirus has many of us “coping” in ways that may not be ideal for our long-term health. Finding ways to break the cycle of food cravings and unhealthy habits may be as close as 5 days away.
Sugar, wine, comfort food, boredom snacking. Sound familiar? The coronavirus has many of us “coping” in ways that may not be ideal for our long-term health. Finding ways to break the cycle of food cravings and unhealthy habits may be as close as 5 days away.
What is a Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD)?
A fasting mimicking diet is a type of intermittent fasting. It was developed by Dr. Valter Longo, an Italian biologist, researcher and expert in the field of longevity. Science has demonstrated that water fasting (drinking only water for a prescribed amount of time) can enhance healthy aging. Unfortunately, many people find skipping meals too challenging for regular practice. Dr. Longo, with his team of scientists at the University of Southern California, developed a FMD protocol using specific amounts of plant-based proteins, carbohydrates and fats that allows the body to “mimic” the beneficial response of a 5-day water fast. These include:
Improved blood sugar- When it comes to managing blood sugar, intermittent fasting takes center stage. It has been proven to lower insulin resistance and increase metabolism.
Weight loss- Weight-loss resistance can often be due to an underlying hormone imbalance. Leptin is a hormone produced in your fat cells. Leptin resistance occurs when your brain stops recognizing leptin's signals to use your body’s fat stores for energy. This causes your body to continually store fat instead of using it. Fasting has been shown to improve chronic inflammation that can dull the brain’s leptin receptor sites. FMD is clinically shown to help individuals with normal-BMI reading to lose an average of 5.7 lbs of fat and 1.2 inches off waist circumference, while overweight/obese lost >8lbs, mainly with visceral fat reduction while protecting lean body mass.
Curbed cravings- Fasting decreases your hunger hormone ghrelin, which in turn can increase dopamine levels in the brain. Fasting can also help free people from emotional eating and kill cravings by transitioning your metabolism from unstable sugar-burning to steady fat-burning.
Lower cancer risk- Multiple studies have shown a link between fasting and a reduced risk of breast cancer.
Enhanced heart health- Intermittent fasting is thought to lower heart disease risk due to its ability to lower triglycerides and blood pressure and raise beneficial HDL cholesterol.
Improved autoimmune conditions- A fasting-mimicking diet under 1,000 calories a day for three-day cycles has been shown to improve symptoms associated with autoimmune conditions like multiple sclerosis as well as lupus.
How does it work?
During the five days of restricted FMD calories, the body goes into repair and recycle mode. When caloric consumption is low, the body turns to internal sources of stored energy. Not only does the body burn stored fat, it begins breaking down and recycling internal cellular components or entire damaged cells that weren’t working optimally. This process is called autophagy. Toward days 4-5 of the FMD, the body increases stem cell activity triggering a regenerative process to occur. It’s “out with the old, in with the new” at the cellular level. There are many studies ongoing right now looking at FMD in cancer, cognitive impairment, kidney disease, multiple sclerosis, cardiomyopathy, depression, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity.
How to complete a FMD?
While there may be multiple ways to complete an FMD on your own, Dr. Longo and his researchers have developed a specific, patented product called Prolon, which I believe achieves the best results. It includes a kit with 5 small boxes containing all the food and beverages you need to complete a 5 days FMD. The meals include a nut bar for breakfast, dried soups for lunch and dinner, various snacks, a special low-calorie drink, as well as herbal teas. After you finish the 5-day cycle, you return to your normal, healthy eating habits for the rest of the month. Each cycle is beneficial, but completing a FMD for 5 consecutive days per month for 3 months shows significant benefits for people with excess weight or metabolic concerns, but even those at their ideal weight will also see benefits. The daily calories are as follows:
On day one, 1090 calories are provided (10% protein, 56% fat, and 34% carbohydrate)
On days two through five, 725 calories are provided (9% protein, 44% fat, and 47% carbohydrate).
My experience with FMD:
As a foodie and nutritional expert I did try my hand at recreating the FMD myself. I copied the calories and macronutrients described in the studies and created my own snacks, soups and salads. After comparing my results with my experience using Prolon, I found I had more weight loss and better energy response using the pre-packaged Prolon kit. I have now completed five Prolon FMD cycles. Here is what else I have discovered:
I loved having the boxes of Prolon food. One of the hardest parts of being on a diet is figuring out what to eat, so this made it simple. I completed 3 cycles in 3 consecutive months and plan to continue doing 2-4 cycles per year.
Day 1 is fairly easy, but days 2 (and sometimes 3) can bring fatigue. By days 4-5, my energy and focus skyrocket. I have found that each cycle becomes easier.
The food: As a trained chef and foodie I know that my food choices are particular. The nut bar, olives and kale crackers are delicious. The soups are tasty, but I admit that I add a few dried herbs like oregano or basil to liven them up. The choco-crisp bar is a welcome sweet treat.
At the end of the five days, my clothes fit better, cravings improve and my sleep is more restful and energizing. I will admit I have been tempted to continue the fast because I felt amazing!
I lost weight with each cycle. There is a small (and expected) bounce back in weight after resuming regular eating habits. However, over time with multiple cycles under my belt, I have experienced sustained reduction in weight and waist circumference.
Who should try Prolon FMD?
Prolon is best for people who want to maintain healthy levels of:
Fasting blood glucose
Cholesterol
Blood pressure
C-reactive protein
Triglycerides
Reduce excess fat while maintaining body mass.
Prolon fasting mimicking diet is not for everyone. Side effects include weakness and lightheadedness. It is important to keep exercise minimal while completing the 5 day program. Prolon FMD is NOT appropriate for anyone with nut allergy, diabetes or significant blood sugar problems, low body weight, eating disorder, pregnant or nursing women, chronically weak/ill, or the elderly. I recommend working with a healthcare practitioner to decide if it is right for you, especially if you want to monitor your health status with blood pressure and lab work.
Learn more about the various types of fasting.
Schedule an appointment to learn more.
Prolon kits are available in the office or can be ordered here.
Fasting for Weight Control and Longevity
Fasting is a trendy topic in the wellness community but fasting is certainly nothing new. It has been a regular part of human society and culture for millennia. Historically, periods of feasting and fasting were associated with the natural rhythm of seasons, and alternated between times of plenty and times of scarcity. Additionally, many world religions have long recognized the importance of fasting for mental and physical purification and many people still incorporate regular periods of fasting today. Yet despite its deep root in human evolution and culture, many of us may associate fasting with deprivation and declining health. This is far from the truth; human culture has thrived for millennia with this ancient practice.
Fasting is a trendy topic in the wellness community but fasting is certainly nothing new. It has been a regular part of human society and culture for millennia. Historically, periods of feasting and fasting were associated with the natural rhythm of seasons, and alternated between times of plenty and times of scarcity. Additionally, many world religions have long recognized the importance of fasting for mental and physical purification and many people still incorporate regular periods of fasting today. Yet despite its deep root in human evolution and culture, many of us may associate fasting with deprivation and declining health. This is far from the truth; human culture has thrived for millennia with this ancient practice.
There are many benefits of adopting a lifestyle with periods of fasting. The power of fasting lies not in the mere reduction of calories, but the beneficial hormonal and biochemical changes that occur. Fasting has effects on many hormones including insulin, cortisol and hunger hormone, ghrelin. For years, epidemiological study of centenarians and groups that voluntarily eat less have strongly suggests that people could extend their average lifespan and live healthier. Unfortunately, despite the benefits, cutting calories indefinitely is challenging. Fasting offers a practical solution. There are several fasting strategies that are analogous to daily caloric restriction, such as time restricted feeding (often called intermittent fasting), alternate-day fasting or periodic prolonged fasting.
The list of fasting benefits is extensive:
Evidence shows that fasting may improve our cholesterol levels and reduce our risk of cardiovascular disease.
Fasting improves the way we metabolize glucose and how well our cells respond to insulin. This offers protection against obesity.
Fasting can improve our cognitive function and may improve mood.
Fasting significantly improves inflammatory markers in the blood and may reduce autoimmune diseases.
Fasting can activate stem cell-based rejuvenation.
Studies suggest that careful use of fasting can reverse type 2 diabetes.
Fasting can promote weight loss and decrease body fat, especially the visceral fat near our organs that is particularly risky to our health.
Some fasting regimens and time-restricted eating patterns can improve circadian rhythms that are important for body weight regulation, hormone balance, coordination and sleep.
Because over consumption of food is stressful for the body and brain, fasting from 12-40 hours can benefit overall health and even slow the aging process.
Fasting is powerful! It turns out that not only is what we eat important but also when we eat it. Excited to get started?
There are a number of fasting regimens and there really is no one best way to fast. Popular fasting strategies include:
Time-restricted eating means that a person eats all of their meals and snacks within a particular window of time each day. This timeframe can vary according to the person's preference. Typically, the eating window in time-restricted programs ranges from 6–12 hours a day.
Alternate day fasting is just as it sounds. You fast every other day. Calories are not restricted on the non-fasting days. The most common version of this diet actually involves a "modified" fasting where you can eat a limited number of calories on fasting days.
Prolonged fasting protocols vary widely, but typically involve fasts lasting longer than 24 hours occurring at intervals between several times a week to several times a year.
Where to start? It may be easier than you think.
At Relish Health I recommend that most people begin fasting by doing a 12-hour fast overnight. For example, if you eat dinner around 7pm you would then aim to eat breakfast around 7am. This process gives the body a 12-hour window of fasting that may allow some of the benefits listed above.
If a 12-hour fast goes well, you can try increasing the period to 16 hours. You can do this daily, or if you’re just getting started, I recommend 2-3 days per week. More intensive or prolonged fasting may be needed for people with specific goals like weight loss or diabetes reversal. I encourage you to talk to a professional familiar with fasting before attempting prolonged fasts. Schedule an appointment with Relish Health to discuss a plan customized to you.
For some people, just one night of fasting yields benefits like increased focus and metabolism, while others need a few weeks of 12-hour fasting windows to see results. Regardless of how long it takes, nearly all report waking up feeling physically lighter and mentally sharper.
A word of caution: while fasting has proven to be safe, there are select groups of individuals that should not fast. These include pregnant and nursing mothers, underweight individuals or people with a history of eating disorders. In each of these cases, fasting may lead to undernourishment during a time of high nutrient need or may lead to emotional or restrictive eating.
Life is meant to be celebrated. Feasting with friends and family is an important part of a happy and fulfilled life. Adding periods of fasting to your routine can give a deeper understanding of the feast and celebrations while honoring your health. Balance your feasting with periods of fasting to maintain a healthy rhythm of life.