Tag: sleep

Signing on for Dry January can reset more than just your relationship with alcohol​

Posted on by Sol
Illustration for Dry January Image source: Viktoria Hnatiuk / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Illustration for Dry January Image source: Viktoria Hnatiuk / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Signing on for Dry January can reset more than just your relationship with alcohol

Each January, more and more people decide to commit to a month without alcohol. This year, it is estimated that one in ten drinkers will try Dry January. But does quitting booze for a month really make a difference to our health and should you take part in this new tradition? 

If you approach Dry January thoughtfully, it can feel less like a fad and more like an opportunity to reset. Dry January can help you commit to a New Year’s resolution to cut back on alcohol after a month of indulgences.The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines moderate drinking as up to four alcoholic drinks for men and three for women in any single day and a maximum of 14 drinks for men and seven drinks for women per week. 

Dropping alcohol for one month can lower blood pressure, improve your insulin resistance, and reduce blood levels of a signaling protein linked to cancer, according to a small study. People who quit drinking for a month also find it easier afterward. Additionally, refraining from alcohol will relieve metabolic stress on your liver — as about half of all liver disease deaths are from alcoholic liver disease. It can also positively affect your sleep habits, immune system, and help reduce anxiety. 

However, it’s important to remember that abstaining from alcohol for one month will not make up for eleven months of binge drinking. The true health benefits associated with cutting out alcohol are based on long term abstinence. 

The biggest benefits of Dry January, a short period of abstinence, are psychological or psychosocial ones. If you think your regular (or excessive) drinking habits might be contributing to how you are feeling (mentally, physically, socially, etc.), removing alcohol can give you the perspective you need to make sustainable, healthy changes. 

While Dry January won’t directly cure your depression, stepping back from your nightly drinks can provide the distance you need to assess your motivation for drinking. When not self-medicating, you’ll be in a better position to recognize that you might need help from a doctor or therapist. 

When you remove alcohol from social situations, does it change how you want to spend your time? Are you ordering that mimosa at brunch because you like it…or because that’s the expectation in your friend group? How much is external pressure part of your alcohol consumption? It’s hard to critically observe these situations when you’re in the middle of them. Taking a step back always helps, and Dry January gives you an excuse, if you need one, to observe the dynamics of your personal relationships. 

Like cutting out any other harmful substance in our lives, focusing more on what we gain — rather than what we lose — is key to success. Participating in Dry January can provide you with clarity and inspire you to make larger positive life changes.   

Do you need to detox? Or just stop eating things that are bad for you?

Posted on by Sol
Stock image to go with detox post / image source: psychologies.co.uk

Stock image to go with detox post

Do you need to detox? Or just stop eating things that are bad for you?

Toxins are everywhere. We’re constantly alerted to the fact pollution, chemicals, and poisonous substances surround us. From air quality alerts to the waxy substances on non-organic fruit, we are inundated with reminders of our compromised environment. A number of classes, products, websites, programs, and articles also urge us to eliminate the buildup of toxins in our bodies. Without taking action, we are putting our health in danger. But is there any truth to these threats? Is a detox an effective way to reset ourselves?

Our fear of toxins is at the heart of detox diets and products. And fear sells. In fact, many detox diets and products are harmful to the body and your well-being. Adding chemicals to your diet, paying for products that promote sweating or promise to pull impurities out through your feet are all quick fixes to a non-existent problem. The fact is you don’t need a cleanse or detox to rid yourself of toxins.

When we’re looking for a solution to a frightening problem, it’s easier to look outside of ourselves than knowing that our bodies are actually equipped with a detoxification system of their own. The skin, lungs, respiratory system, intestines, liver, and kidneys all work together to create barriers or eliminate toxins. And that popular myth that sweating eliminates toxins is just that — a myth.

Detox diets work because you are cutting calories. Removing food groups, limiting the intake of certain foods, eating at certain times of the day, or adding extra fibre can lead to gastrointestinal issues, low blood pressure, fainting, nausea, and fatigue. There is no research showing the positives of  any detox diets.

Instead of buying into the detox hype, start by removing processed foods from your diet and prioritizing exercise, hydratation, and sleep. Make choices to use quality ingredients (fresh or frozen) and whole grains in your cooking.

There are many ways to take care of yourself, physically and mentally. Using products that boast detoxifying properties or recommend unhealthy eating practices are a waste of money and potentially dangerous. Instead, I invite you to do an internet detox. It’s time to unfollow, unsubscribe, and delete content that promotes unrealistic, unhealthy, and costly solutions to an imaginary problem.

Your gut’s connection to your emotional state makes it your second brain

Posted on by Sol
Gut outline on chalkboard / image source: healthbeat.spectrum.org

Your gut is your second brain

Have you ever heard of the gut-brain connection? If not, you’ve definitely experienced it. It’s that nervous feeling in your stomach when you’re in an unfamiliar situation or that full feeling when you’ve received unexpected sad news. Emotions such as happiness, anger, anxiety, and sadness can all cause a physical reaction in your gut.

The gut includes every organ involved in digesting food and processing it into waste. The gut or “second brain” can operate on its own and communicates back and forth with your actual brain. The vagus nerve controls messages to the gut and runs all the way from the brain stem to part of the colon. Hormones and neurotransmitters also connect your gut chemically to your brain.

Many contributing factors affect how your body digested and eliminates what you eat and drink. They include diet, food intolerances, lifestyle, hormones, sleep, and medications.

To maintain or restore gut health and support good overall health, it is important to maintain a strong balance of beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract. Eating a diet that includes foods with probiotic or prebiotic ingredients support a microbial health by restoring balance.

What are Probiotic Foods?

Probiotics contain live beneficial bacteria grown during carefully-controlled fermentation processes. You may already have probiotics in your diet: plain yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, fresh sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, apple cider vinegar, and miso.

What are Prebiotic Foods?

Prebiotics do not contain bacteria. They contain indigestible fibers that ferment in the GI tract. There, they are consumed by probiotic bacteria and converted into other healthful substances. Prebiotic foods include artichokes, leeks, onions, garlic, chicory, cabbage, asparagus, legumes, and oats.

Are There Other Foods that Benefit the Gut-Brain relationship?

The following foods have also been shown to balance and improve the gut:

  • Omega-3 fats
  • High-fiber foods
  • Polyphenol-rich foods
  • Tryptophan-rich foods

If you’re experiencing indigestion or even if you are prone to depression or anxiety, you may want to look at your diet. By incorporating gut-healthy foods, you can begin to nurture your second brain.

Image: healthbeat.spectrum.org

Video: Ghulam Ali