Clive’s December Blog – Nutrition

To write a blog about ‘nutrition’ at the beginning of December is a tough call.  Can I be brutally honest with you and say that much of the stuff that’s going to be put on your table in the last week of the month is almost certainly not going to be much good for you?  

All those sweets, chocolates and sticky cakes that you are going to buy for your friends and family are a mixed blessing. No matter whether they enjoy them or not.  

So I am really sorry if this article is starting to appear a bit depressing.   However, it’s not all bad news. With a little thought and self-restraint, you can still keep yourself alive, enjoy life and your food and be healthier as a result.  

Because that is exactly what we are talking about ‘ health’ and, more particularly, ‘mental health’.   

Before I get into all of the detail, let us consider the hugely rising obesity levels in the Western world. Some of it may be down to the large volume of unhealthy, processed food available and promoted to tempt us, but unfortunately quite a lot of it is caused by ‘comfort eating’ and you know where this is going?   Yes, of course, back to Trauma!   

Like so many other addictions, excessive food consumption is largely driven by your survival instinct in order to release tension from your central nervous system and is a ‘coping strategy’. It is therefore worth thinking about some healing methods and ideas to help resolve and heal the trauma, release the tension and improve the diet. But that’s not what I am writing about today, so let’s get back to ‘nutrition’.   

There is a lot of very interesting stuff out there which could easily ‘bury you’ in links and books. I’ll give you a selection and you can choose for yourself.   

The first link is to a video by Dr Zach Bush who came from a medical background to study the production of food. This is where it all starts – the production of the right sort of food , grown, produced and presented safely, honestly and properly. 

What’s more, Zach really knows his onions. (Sorry, I could not resist that)   

Then there are lots of websites, which help you choose the type of food and diet that suits you best.  The NHS have some good advice with this one. 

Here are a couple more:-

This lady, Julia Rucklidge, with her Ted Talk  from New Zealand, has more or less produced it for me and my blog.  Seventeen minutes of riveting information, passionately delivered.

Also have a look at https://getwildfit.com/  

Then Sue Ellar:     https://sueellar.com/   Sue  works with her groups with understanding and takes time to address the deeper reasons we turn to food, i.e. as a trauma response, in some cases leading to sugar addiction.  

There has been much talk about sugar and its ability to cause hyperactivity in children. There seems little doubt that neurodiversity increases with a ‘sugar hit’.    Similar name but different person https://www.deliciouslyella.com/  

Here is an Instagram video -  Natural Ways to Treat ADHD  -   of approximately 45 minutes.  In it is an interview by Kirkland Newman of Mindhealth 360 with a Dr Gow.  This is the book by Dr Gow.  Smart Foods for ADHD and Brain Health: How Nutrition Influences Cognitive Function, Behaviour and Mood. It is easy to read and clear. 

Neurodiversity can also be helped and calmed with supplements where required. See Finally Focused: The Breakthrough Natural Treatment Plan for ADHD That Restores Attention, Minimizes Hyperactivity, and Helps Eliminate Drug Side Effects  

I have heard that Magnesium can be beneficial. Indeed, it can be a good idea to follow the principles of Functional Medicine and check out your body for toxins and other irregularities which may be working negatively on your brain and body.   

This is the theory behind it https://www.walshinstitute.org/   

A blood test can be analysed to show this and there are a number of laboratories in the UK and Ireland which can do the testing.  

Picking up on Cognitive Function.  You can, of course, go to extremes, but for someone who has cognitive decline it is worth following a really good diet plan, seriously reducing sugar along with some regular exercise to reduce Amyloid Plaques which may be causing the damage to the little grey cells.  

If you wish to get seriously into this, read this book by Dr Dale Bredesen, titled The End of Alzheimers – Programme.     

There is a group in Edinburgh named Cogmission who follow his principles.  

This is a very big subject and is a work in progress but enjoy Christmas and eat sensibly and well.