What does nutrition & digestion have to do with mental wellbeing? Let's find out.
First things first.
Your emotional and psychological state is dependent on your body/brain chemistry.
That chemistry is related to hormones, minerals, vitamins, proteins, fats.
Now that we got that cleared up, let's begin looking at the role these aspects of food and digestion plays in our mental health.
We will do a general synopsis here.
If you want to read more about this, you can check out this book:
Disclaimer: I am not a counselor, therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist. And nothing I am saying is meant to be a cure or diagnosis for mental health. So don't go there. The information I am presenting is just that, information. Ultimately, you have sovereignty over your health decisions. We recommend you investigate various perspectives.
Now that's out of the way...
Let's get to work!
Tryptophan--Serotonin--melatonin
Tyrosine--Dopamine
Methionine-- SAMe--homocysteine--Glutathione
What do all these have in common?
They are all Essential Amino Acids; that means your body cannot produce them and must be acquired through your diet.
What are amino acids?
PROTEINS.
Important questions:
How many of you are completely happy with your digestion?
How many of you think you get enough protein in your diet?
If you are not giving a resounding "YES!" to both of those questions, then you may be deficient in proteins, meaning you are deficient in the basic amino acids.
In order for you to fulfill question 1 you must have proper digestion of the proteins you eat.
That happens via adequate digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid.
The #1 digestive enzymes for proteins is PEPSIN.
And pepsin likes an acid environment.
How acidic?
Like pH 1-3.
If you know anything about pH, you know that is very very acidic.
Where do we find that level of acidity?
You guessed it. Your stomach. The HCl in your stomach creates a very acidic environment.
What is one of the most popular over the counter (OTC) drugs out there?
Antacids (prilosec, zantac, rolaids, tums).
Guess what?
No acid.
No protein digestion.
Getting the picture?
Getting enough protein
So when I was in school we learned that adequate protein was basically 33% of your body weight in grams. Therefore, if you were 100lbs. you needed 33 grams of protein to maintain your muscle mass and take care of all your basic needs.
Boy how times, and research, has changed.
The current research shows you need about 100% of your body weight in grams.
Again if you are 100lbs., that is 100grams of protein!
I have tried this and it is more challenging than I thought.
(If you work out and want to gain muscle, you have to take even more protein).
Trust me when I tell you, MOST of you are deficient in protein.
Supplement support
Supplements are a valuable tool to help us achieve our overall health goals. Sometimes its tricky to get enough of the nutrition we need from our every day diet. This is where "supplementing" fills those gaps.
Yes, that is what supplements are supposed to be used for.
Otherwise, we would call them substitutes. Right?!
Protefood is a whole food supplement that provides the essential amino acids. These are the amino acids that your body cannot make on its own and must get from food.
Protefood is a good way to ensure you have all the necessary essential amino acids.
If you feel you really need extra support in all proteins, then SP complete is a good option.
!3 grams of protein per serving.
Just mix with your favorite juice or make a smoothie.
Zypan is a HCL and enzyme supplement to make sure your proteins are properly digested. Remember, it's not just eating adequate protein but also making sure your body has the necessary acid and enzymes to digest them.
Our emotional health is something that has been getting more and more attention lately. And I am personally excited that this is happening because it has been sorely lacking for decades.
But nothing in healthcare is a linear solution.
Because we as humans are more complex.
Our lives are complex and interconnected.
We need to take a more holistic approach.
My goal is to help you understand as many of the aspects of health as I can so that you can make a more educated decision on how to best help yourself.
A decision that is more in alignment with who you are and what may work best for you.
I believe that is the future of healthcare.
We'll talk more.
In the meantime, enjoy some Zen time.
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