In future posts we will dig further into the gut-brain connection, but for this post we’re going to keep it simple with three foundational pillars of a diet that are extendable.
Balanced Nutrition. The body and brain processes rely on building blocks of vitamins, minerals, and basic ‘raw resources’ to function. The simplest habit to have at minimum is taking a multivitamin as it could help to offset vitamins/minerals that your diet are lacking.
Extending this pillar - balance the proportion of food classes you intake and ensure to have a diverse variety of foods - fruits and vegetables being the most important for vitamins and minerals and yet least achieved when 5 servings per day is recommended! Proteins are important for repairing and building tissue. Whole grains can help you feel full and satisfied. Foods with “healthy fats” (like avocados, olive oil, and foods with omega-3) are good for your heart.
The “sunshine vitamin”- Without even changing what you eat, you can improve your nutrition! get outside in the sun for a moderate amount of time each day to activate Vitamin D (which helps with bone health, glucose metabolism, and inflammation), improves your mood and sleep (it helps regulate serotonin and melatonin), improves energy (helps to lower adenosine levels which increase energy/decrease sleepy feelings), and increases metabolism for body processes (like the absorption of calcium for healthy bones and teeth).
Hydration. Not only does water help aid in digestion, it also helps for a variety of body transports and regulates body temperature. Many people live unfortunately close to dehydration and that has a negative impact on the concentration of toxins in your body, can cause headaches, and other [avoidable] negative body symptoms.
Extending this pillar- while water is key here, and many beverages contain water, often different beverages have different pH levels (either more acidic or more basic - the chemistry that impacts how your cells work) or chemicals that are diuretic (dehydrate you). The body works best with plain water - as different pH levels (even in sparkling water) can impair the body functions.
Avoid Eating Late. Eating late can disrupt your sleep but also often leads to weight gain. With metabolism slowing down at night, any calories you intake have a much higher chance of being stored as fat. Try to finish eating 2-3 hours before your regular bedtime.
These are 3 habits that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine that can have an impact on your wellness, health, sleep, and build confidence to take on other small positive habits!
Notice how none of these initial elements require you to change anything about your current diet, only about the habits around your current diet! Once these are in place you can then think about adjustments to the composition of your diet as it relates to your personal goals.