Day 71 of 365 Blogs
As I sit and write this, Jim is less than one hour away. The snow was light and they came through just fine. Lunch is in the oven and bread is rising for a fresh loaf to be savored later this afternoon. Chores were easy today. I threw hay to the cows into the loafing shed since they were there because of the snow. I will throw them more in a while. Chickens stayed in their house this morning but I will see if they want to come out this afternoon.
I have a sweet story in all the tragic stories from Ukraine. Perhaps some of you heard it. There was an American reporter who was doing a piece on what people grabbed to put in their suitcase as they were fleeing the country. At one point he was speaking to a 9-year-old girl and having her act as a reporter to her little sister translating for her. When that conversation was completed, the reporter asked the 9-year-old what she had packed in her own small case. She stated she put some papers to color and brought her collection of colored pencils. She had sharpened them but not too much so they would not take up much room. The reporter asked if he could see them and she stated, “No, I gave them away one by one to other children along the way”. …..Yeah, I know. Pretty great!
Nutritional Education
One of my favorite books is called Lost Connections by Johann Hari. It covers 9 reasons why people experience depression. One of them deals with food. Two other reasons are because a person does not know what the future will be and has lost hope. The other reason is because a person needs to have a purpose and when they get a purpose it can change their world. This is a hard concept when a person is in the middle of the problem, but if they can see a crack of light that allows them to think of some other thing to do with their life, then they can have a new purpose. I have had many people say to me. My life is over. I can’t do this or that any more. But then we sit down and talk about what they can do and what new adventures await them that they would never think to do before.
But let’s talk about how food can contribute to depression. There is an entire new field that Harvard has now. It is called Nutritional psychiatry. What we eat matters to our heart, our energy, and body, but it especially matters to our mental health. Through several studies they have found a strong link between what we eat and the risk of depression. Your brain requires Premium Fuel. Refined foods and processed foods are the lowest grade of fuel. This lower grade fuel makes blood sugar regulation difficult, increases inflammation and oxidative stress. These all impair brain function, linking to mood disorders and depression.
If you or someone you love could benefit from learning more about how to improve your mood or reduce cravings, please register for the March 23rd Webinar to learn why and how to feed your brain so your mood and cravings can be optimal. Join me at 7 PM central time. Register at https://mailchi.mp/0da226d6db57/feed-your-brain.