Modifying Our Dietary Views

When it comes to healthy eating, many of us have no clue about how to eat to maximize personal performance.  Too many of us eat to fill our bellies, diet to look desirable, or satisfy sugar or salt cravings.  Our lack of understanding of the chemical relationship of food to our individual body’s function is the core element in why we often feel lethargic, irritable, or constantly struggling with mental or physical issues.

Our eating habits are a combination of social influence, personal budgets, and physical cravings.  Here are some aspects to think about before changing your eating habits:

• When we diet to lose weight, we deplete our bodies of vital nutrients, which means that whatever diet is selected needs to be nutritionally balanced.
• Remember that not all diets are for every body type, so select a diet based on your body’s health needs.
• Losing weight to be thin does not make one “healthy” or “fit.”
• It’s important to understand that fitness is about overall performance, not thinness.
• Losing weight needs to be beneficial for the “function” of one’s body and lifestyle.
• It is essential to eat mindfully to prevent mood destabilization and avoid erratic sugar fluctuations.
• The type and number of calories consumed greatly depend on your physical needs and activities.
• Physical movement is essential since it regulates the body’s overall physical function, such as circulation, flexibility, and endurance.

The types of foods you consume will enhance your specific body type, which means you should avoid fad diets and seek proper nutritional guidance tailored to your lifestyle and physical needs.

Our eating habits are shaped by our early introduction to food via family, friends, and social interactions.  Our culture, as well as the environment we live in, will determine what foods are available for our consumption, which in turn can impede healthy choices.

When embarking on a diet, here are a few things to consider:

1. It should consist of things you enjoy simply because it will make sticking to a diet easier
2. Your cooking skills will determine the types of meals you can cook.
3. Your budget is essential in helping you shop for healthy foods.
4. Access to a kitchen: if you live in a dorm or shelter, you may not have a kitchen to work with.
5. Your work or school schedule can make spending time in the kitchen challenging.
6. The food sources are available in your area, especially if you live in a remote location or a low-income neighborhood.
7. Your overall health includes food allergies, illness, and energy levels.
8. Mental states, such as stress, anxiety, or depression, can impact appetite.

Once you have sorted out specific considerations, here are some practical tips to get you started:

• If and when possible, get a physical and have your doctor review your blood work for any signs of deficiencies or pending health issues.
• Avoid fad diets even if they work for folks you know.  Fad diets are not always balanced or appropriate for every body type.
• Review your pantry for items you know may sabotage your dietary efforts, such as a large quantity of processed snacks and items you know will keep you from achieving your goal.
• Start modifying eating habits by making some changes every day rather than doing everything at once.
• Cut the portions by using smaller plates to serve your food and measuring servings.
• Make sure to move your body at least 30 minutes daily: You can walk, dance to YouTube videos, bike, garden, play with your kids or pets, organize or clean your home, etc.  Anything that keeps your heart rate higher than typical for at least 30 minutes.
• Drink water before and after your meals to help you feel fuller.
• Meditate to help your mind create the right mindset.

Remember that your dietary changes are not about being thin but healthy. When changing eating habits, focus on obtaining optimum physical and mental function because it will make it easier to stick to healthy eating. Keep in mind your biggest diet tool is your mindset and how you view food.

Copyright. 2024, R. Castro

New Year

Many blessings to all of you on this New Year. I am thrilled to share another year of blogging. I am always surprised by the fact that I am still blogging regularly.

When I began this blogging journey, I did it mainly to help myself recover from brain surgery.

I was diagnosed with a brain tumor in New York in 2011, but since the medical follow-up was handled poorly by the hospital, eventually, I decided to ignore it.  Initially, I was told by one doctor that many folks had tumors, and often, they went unnoticed due to a lack of symptoms. The same doctor scheduled an MRI, but upon the follow-up appointment, he had left the hospital.  The next doctor scheduled another MRI, and the appointments were rescheduled twice. On the third appointment, he was no longer working at the hospital. What finally convinced me to stop trying to get the tumor checked out was another doctor who worked in the department that treated my asthma. During an asthma routine check-up, I asked the doctor to review my records because I couldn’t get through the neurological department for a proper appointment.  He candidly told me that since my diagnosis was over 2 years old, I should be ok as long as it didn’t grow or give me any problems like seizures or chronic headaches.  His comment gave me the green light to stop worrying until 2017 when I had my first seizure while living in Sweden. I ended up in the ER, and within 25 days, I got a tumor removed from the right frontal lobe. The operation impacted my speech, short-term memory, mobility, moods, and ability to learn Swedish, so I couldn’t fully integrate into the culture.  I struggled with depression, isolation, and adjustment.  Luckily, since I had over 35 years of experience as a therapist before relocating to Sweden, I was able to regain some functionality.  I used several methods to recover from surgery, which included writing, exercising, and changing my eating habits, as well as breaking old patterns.  Whenever I write about ways to cope and improve, I do it from personal experience and techniques I have used with the clients I worked with throughout my career as a therapist. 

Though I found many techniques helpful and quite effective in helping me recover, I do struggle with Aphasia and short-term memory issues.  I have learned through my healing journey that no matter what we face in life, what we encounter does not have to define our entire life.  We all encounter unpleasant and critical events that often leave us emotionally scarred and doubting our ability to cope and regain balance. I learned that self-forgiveness and patience are vital to living a balanced life, and no matter how hard we fight, we can only take things one day at a time.

 I will continue another year of blogging, even though there are times I genuinely do not want to blog. But I do so because writing for me is therapeutic and allows me to inspire others who might be struggling with similar issues. Copyright 2024. R. Castro

NOTE: 

If you are curious about my journey or some of the techniques I use, here are two links to the books I have written.  Keep in mind that my book on my recovery is not the most elegantly written because, as I said, I struggle. with Aphasia, plus I was in my early stages of recovery: https://wordpress.com/page/holisticcoachingsite.wordpress.com/2296 Sources on Aphasia –  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/aphasia/symptoms-causes/syc-20369518

Natural Dopamine Hacks

You may be wondering why you would need to hack your dopamine levels. For starters, dopamine functions as a neurotransmitter and a hormone (a neurohormone) released in the brain’s hypothalamus region.  Dopamine is one of several neurohormones in the brain responsible for our moods, cravings, motivation, ability to focus, and regulation of movement.  It is also the core neurotransmitter that influences habits and addictions.  The main reason to hack your dopamine levels is to help you regulate your moods, habits, and specific behavior patterns.

Our inability to stick to healthy schedules, goals, and habits is not necessarily a matter of personal failure or lack of willpower. The brain’s reward system influences our habits and patterns.  Regardless of how many self-help programs you start, you may stop before seeing results, not because of willpower but because your brain’s reward system is not fully engaged.

There are many ways that the brain releases dopamine; some are natural, and some are chemically induced.  The way dopamine gets released impacts the reward systems in ways that can either stabilize our moods or create dependencies.  The more natural the methods of releasing dopamine, the less destabilization we encounter. 

The main reason the brain gets destabilized by certain drugs or activities is based on the spontaneous production of neurotransmitters, which changes the brain’s equilibrium faster than usual.  The repetitive induction of activators creates an overproduction of neurochemicals, eventually destabilizing the brain’s ability to produce healthy amounts of dopamine. To compensate for the overproduction, the brain reduces the uptake levels of dopamine, creating a deficit. Once the reward system is in a state of depletion, it signals the brain to seek replenishment by igniting the cycle of dopamine-enhancing behaviors. The dopamine-seeking behaviors are regarded as cravings.

Here is a list of dopamine activators that can contribute to addictive and compulsive patterns:

Alcohol
Barbiturates
Cocaine
Crystal Meth
heroin
Nicotine
Gambling
Caffeine
Sex
Shopping
Sugar

Not all dopamine activators lead to addictive or compulsive behaviors. The fact is that a steady and healthy intake of activities that increase dopamine production is necessary for brain function. Dopamine stabilizes our moods and helps us remain motivated and engaged.  There are valid reasons for having a reward system that alerts your brain into taking actions such as eating, sleeping, and participating in activities that keep us balanced.  Here is a list of natural dopamine-balancing activities:

Meditation
Naps
Eating per your dietary needs
Dancing
Sitting by the river, ocean, etc.
Yoga
Reading enjoyable books
Laughing
Self-pampering (home spa -pedicure, manicure, facials)
Socializing
Pets
Drawing
Crafts (anything that expresses your creativity)
Finishing projects
Sitting in the park
Aromatherapy
Bodywork
Taking walks
Talking to good friends

Dopamine is one of several neurohormones that impact us. However, the same hacks you use to enhance your natural dopamine production will also work with the other neurohormones in your brain.  Our optimal health is based on a balanced lifestyle that reflects our needs and well-being.

Copyright 2023, R. Castro

Resources:

Dopamine:  https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/dopamine

Dopamine:  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22581-dopamine

What is Dopamine:   https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-dopamine

How does Dopamine Influence your Mental Health:  https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-dopamine

Dopamine: the pathway to pleasure: https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/dopamine-the-pathway-to-pleasure

Uncovering the brains’ reward system:  https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-future-brain/201902/uncovering-the-brains-reward-system

Brain Reward System:  https://www.simplypsychology.org/brain-reward-system.html

Changing Eating Habits

At some point in our lives, we go on a diet. Some folks are successful at losing and maintaining their weight. But the majority of us seem to struggle to begin to lose, and once we do, we struggle to maintain the weight, and sadly we regain it’s often a bit more than what we started with. If you belong to the unsuccessful weight loss group category, you are not alone.

There are many reasons we don’t keep the weight off, and it has nothing to do with willpower but everything to do with brain chemistry and how our body has adapted to a specific diet in order to feel functional. For starters, this blog is not about a weight loss program or diet plan. Sorry, but diets don’t provide lasting effects unless you turn a diet into a lifestyle, and for goodness sake, that is utterly boring, which is one reason may stop dieting.

The key to weight loss has a lot to do with lifestyle, economics, and your brain function. I focus on the personal because not everyone thrives on eating carrots and celery or on keto diets. And in addition, not everyone can afford to buy organic foods from the farmers’ market or whole foods. Let’s keep it real. As someone who lived in NYC, in Washington Heights, I witnessed produce expiring within a few days of purchase. The quality of fresh produce in Washington Heights was horrible because foods were often sold that were not so fresh; this is the reality of low-income communities. (In order to obtain decent food, I had to travel below 135^th Street and Shop in Fairway or some supermarket below that area). Of course, since it’s now gentrified, that has been slowly changing to meet the needs of the new folks.

Now, the idea of this blog is to help you understand that your weight is not about your lack of discipline but about a need to read labels and minimizing on foods designed to keep you consuming them within the confines of your reality.  But the actual reality of this blog is about encouraging you to modify as much as possible based on your life reality.

Food changes are often slow, and normally is because we eat whatever is available and affordable.  Not everyone has the time and luxury of cooking or prepping food in advance.  Some folks actually work so many hours that the little time they have is consumed by rest.  Keep in mind not every individual works an 8-hour day.  There are more and more folks working two jobs, which means their workday may consist of 10 hours plus. Or they work a full day and attend school. The fact is many folks truly have limited resources and eat what is available to them based on cost, shopping hours, and energy for prepping. 

There are some practical ways to change your eating habits that work even for those who work two jobs or work and attend school. The eat consist of the following:

• Use your freezer for storing prepped food
• Create a food budget.
• shopping in bulk
• devoting one day to prepping food
• reading labels
• taking food with you, rather than buying on the run
• prepping for a 30-day food supply
• creating a realistic menu
• take snacks to eat at work.
• Drinking at least 6 cups of water (if you hate work, add lemon or mint)

The biggest investment you should make is in your health. Food should not be the thing you compromise on regardless of budget, simply because food is what keeps you healthy, and without your health, everything else fails to be important. Good food is the best health insurance.  Healthy eating does not need to be based on a vegan, vegetarian, or paleo diet but is simply a reflection of your physical needs.   I will include some resources to help you design practical food-prepping goals which will help you eat well, save money, and maintain your health.

Copyright 2023. R. Castro

Resources

Food prepping for beginner

https://youtu.be/ghsw19qAG1g

https://youtu.be/6An7iH4BwJo

Simple Meal Prep Hacks

https://youtu.be/af8zzqb4Jnw

Improving Our Relationship with Food

Many folks want to change their eating habits primarily because of their health or weight, so they start unrealistic and unhealthy diets. The reality is that our health and weight can only improve when we alter our relationship with food. Many individuals have an unhealthy relationship with food that stems from several factors that they are often unaware of. Several situations impact how well we eat.

There are a few things to consider when changing your eating habits: 1. your genetics, 2. potential health risks, 3. cooking ability, 4. budget and 5. access to healthy foods (yes, some areas do not provide fresh produce). It helps to review your needs and your limitations when it comes to improving your eating habits. It is not enough to need to change; you must also have a method that helps you obtain results. Take some time to write down a list of things to consider when making changes in the way you eat:

• What food groups do you struggle to avoid eating? Do these food groups consist of sweets, fried foods, salt, or processed foods?
• What type of food budget do you have? Are you working, collecting food stamps, or depending on others to feed you?
• What type of local food sources do you have access to?
• Do you have any way of growing vegetables or herbs? A window, backyard, or local community garden?
• How often do you eat? And are you eating full meals or snacks?
• Do you have any health issues? Diabetes, low blood sugar, Anemia, chronic illness, etc. Or does chronic illness run in your family?
• Do you consume alcohol or medications, or street drugs?
• Do you sleep enough hours when you go to bed?
• Do you work, and if you do, how many hours a week do you work?
• Do you know how to cook, and if you do, how often do you cook?
• Do you have access to a kitchen? And if not, how do you prepare your meals?
• How often do you eat out? And why?

I listed some topics above because eating is not just about food selection but economic realities. Not everyone can afford decent food or have access to a kitchen. Many assume that folks eat incorrectly because they are unaware of how to eat. But some folks do know about the benefits of good food, but their reality does not permit them to cook. Here are some options that may help:

• Learn new recipes to expand your cooking ideas.
• Frozen fruits and vegetables are a better option than can goods.
• Buy what you need to avoid throwing out spoiled food.
• Get a list of the local farmers’ markets. If you are on a fixed income, many vendors at the farmers market take food stamps.
• Plant as many herbs and vegetables as possible in your home. If you have a window only, use small containers.
• Join community gardens.
• Learn to drink more water since thirst is often confused with hunger.
• Rest even if you are not sleepy to reboot your energy levels.
• When tired, rest rather than recharge with sugar or caffeine

Remember, your food choices should reflect your tastes, lifestyle, cooking ability, and access to resources.  Your specific eating style can consist of anything you enjoy; fish with veggies, meat, and veggies, a strict vegan or vegetarian diet, Mediterranean-style food, or whatever fits your lifestyle or budget. The key to improving your relationship with food is making conscious choices that are realistic and doable for you. Avoid following trends or dietary recommendations that do not meet your health profile or reality, even if it comes from a doctor on YouTube. Remember, this is a blog about eating healthy and not weight loss or trendy diets


Copyright 2023 R. Castro

Resources:

Healthy Eating Ideas

https://youtu.be/9h9S9kD67-Q

https://youtu.be/Gloa9Rcm7T0

https://youtu.be/u4yibn5XC7k

Wall gardens
https://youtu.be/bad0OPKW6HM

Creating a balcony Garden
https://youtu.be/7Xm7nkb4XfA


Building gardens in small places
https://youtu.be/o_RZhQVN1s4

Starting a garden on a low budget
https://youtu.be/5XKv3-a_QaY

How to make growing pots for small spaces

Handling Sugar

We hear a lot about the negative impacts of consuming too much sugar. We have learned that sugar contributes to many health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, mood swings, and sleep disorders, yet we struggle to stop overconsuming it.

It is easier to desire to quit than to stop consuming sugar. Ironically, quitting sugar has many of the same side effects as quitting caffeine and even certain drugs. Anything that changes our body’s chemical system will initially cause havoc, which is why so many individuals struggle to quit sugar and often return to old habits. To understand why it is hard to quit sugar, you need to understand brain function.

Brain vs. Sugar.

One must understand how the brain plays a role in dietary needs. Our brain is a crucial component producing joy, pain, or even fear. Our habitual activities and consumptions provide a certain level of psychological comfort connected to the brain’s reward system. Regardless of what we are trying to change, whether it’s the consumption of certain foods, drugs, or habitual activities, we need to know how our brain works in association with those activities.

The brain’s reward system produces different neurotransmitters, a specific one related to pleasure is dopamine. Dopamine makes us feel good; the more we do things that produce dopamine, the more we feel good. The more dopamine production occurs, the more we enjoy the activity we are engaged in, whether it is dancing, sex, drugs, or food produces. The problem with dopamine production is that the brain does not sustain the same production levels. Eventually, we experience a decline in dopamine production, requiring more dopamine-enhancing activities to maintain an adequate level of pleasure. In summary, the brain requires an increase in consumption; otherwise, we hit a dip in energy, creating tiredness, lethargy, irritability, annoyance, and sometimes even depression.

Regarding sugar, our brain produces dopamine levels that enhance our ability to feel awake, alert, and energized. Unfortunately, sugar metabolizes through our system quickly, creating a decline requiring more sugar consumption to reboot, which is why we continuously crave sugar. 

 To reset your craving for sugar, you need to reset your diet, eliminating the product that has offset your dopamine production. I will not lie; it is not an easy task. Here is what to expect:

• Excessive craving
• Annoyance
• Endless hunger (it’s just cravings)
• Headaches
• Low energy
• Everything looks like dessert.
• Mental fog
• Mood swings
• Self-pity
• Self-negotiating tiny consumptions
• Relapse
• Guilt and shame
• Self-righteousness
• Finally reaching balance

Here are some practical ideas to manage your sugar cravings:

• Avoid skipping meals to keep your brain balanced.
• Try to eat at the same timeframes; this stabilizes your sugar levels. Once you have achieved balance, you must still be mindful and select food choices with small quantities of sugar; otherwise, you will restart the craving cycle.
• If you are hungry shortly after having dinner, drink water rather than consume sweets; rather than have more food or sugar, drink plain water or seltzer water with lemon.
• Avoid hidden sugars: alcohol and too much bread since they increase sugar levels, and processed foods because they use sugar as flavor enhances.
• Drink more water; dehydration can create a false hunger.
• Rest when tired, especially if you have already eaten.
• If your sugar levels are low, have a fruit since it will naturally spike your sugar levels.
• Avoid artificial sweeteners; they will reactivate sugar cravings.
• Do eat snacks; just make sure they are natural based products since processed foods tend to use flavor enhancers made from sugar.
• Eat more protein since it will stabilize your cravings.

Remember that the blog is about “handling Sugar,” not necessarily avoiding dessert forever. The iconic part of reducing your sugar intake is that, eventually, you will not crave sugar, and you may find yourself naturally selecting other types of foods. The key to learning to manage is to stabilize your cravings by resetting your sugar consumption. It will take a while to reset, but it will change.

Copyright 2023 R.Castro