Dear DynaMO,
I am struggling with depression, fatigue, poor sleep and questions with what to eat. What should I do.
Thank you,
Struggling for Health
DEAR STRUGGLING for HEALTH,
First of all, let me assure you that you have taken the first step to combat “struggling”. Admitting what you have realized is huge. Now, the many decisions you make will be the admission and acceptance of what your actions need to be to achieve your goal – to combat depression, become energized, get better sleep and find out how you will benefit from true nourishment.
This is not going to be a simple nor a short answer, but let’s take a brief look at all of this and find some doable and reasonable actions to consider. No matter what you do, each little effort and success will help.
When we have depression, fatigue, poor sleep and questions about what to eat, we must consider that the underlying problem is definitely rooted in what we are or are not putting in our bodies, brain and beliefs. Please look at three very important things – blood sugar regulation, sleep and digestion. Is your blood sugar managed well? (Do not worry, we will talk about this.) Is your sleep adequate? (We already know it isn’t.) Is your digestion working well? This needs improvement in most people. However, two other very important aspects to consider are 1) what you think and 2) what you believe. We won’t talk about these today, but know that focusing on thoughts that are true, good, and pure are beneficial for your entire health. Also, believing what is true concerning God’s complete care and love for you is foundational in your health. We must not leave God out of the picture of our health. Furthermore, HIS WORD is absolutely necessary for overall true nourishment. Please keep this in your day, morning and night.
Pretend with me that you are someone who knows nothing about what to eat or how to live. I will speak to you as if you have just realized that you need to eat, sleep and digest food. Do not be insulted, but rather receive this as if it is the most important information you need at this point in time.
BLOOD SUGAR REGULATION – What to eat – What to do – What helps this?
Drink plenty of water, at least half your body weight (pounds) in ounces (of water).
This helps regulate blood sugar, improves digestion, detoxifies body, supports cells.
Prioritize protein, at least half your body weight (pounds) in grams (of protein).
This drives your metabolism, your neurotransmitter production, cellular repair and energy.
It actually affects your mood and brain health tremendously, your energy, too.
Get healthy fats – from eggs, olive oil, meat, nuts and seeds, legumes.
This is foundational to your hormone health. We need fats for our hormones. We also need cholesterol for hormone production, and we get cholesterol from these healthy fats.
Sleep – at least 8 hours or more per night; get to bed by 10PM each night.
This helps blood sugar regulation, decluttering of brain, muscle repair, mood, and cravings; allows the body to detoxify (like your brain and liver, etc.)
Get plenty of fiber – from the colors of the rainbow, leafy greens and other vegetables.
Fiber helps to regulate blood sugar because it slows down the process of the natural sugar getting into your bloodstream. A gradual increase in blood sugar allows the body to avoid stress from a sugar spike. This in itself helps with mood balance and support of the mental challenges we face.
Eat fat, fiber and protein at each meal.
Again, this helps regulate blood sugar balance. It also helps to keep you satiated and keeps the body in balance which will relieve stress.
HOW TO GET GOOD SLEEP
Get to bed before 10PM. This allows the normal circadian rhythm to be respected and followed which in turn assists the production of melatonin, our sleep hormone; it helps us to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Quit eating at least 3 hours before you go to bed so that the body is not working to digest food while it is trying to rest. Also, do not overeat at supper. Do not drink too much before bed to decrease trips to the bathroom during the night.
Keep the computer, phone, and ipad screens from your eyes at least one hour before bed. If you cannot do this, use blue light blockers. The reason for this is so that you do not stimulate your pineal gland which tells your brain that it is daytime; the light will decrease melatonin production which we need for sleep. Melatonin is our sleep hormone. Do you see how your ingestion of fats is necessary for sleep due to this connection. We need fats for hormone production.
Do not go to bed famished; sometimes people need a tiny “meat pill” right before bed. This is just something to calm the stomach down but should not be overwhelming to the digestive system. 10-15 grams of protein from a small piece of meat could do wonders for neurotransmitters and for de-stressing the body as it will keep cortisol levels low; this is relevant becomes cortisol becomes elevated if one is too hungry.
HOW TO IMPROVE DIGESTION
Increase stomach acid by adding apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp.) in a glass of water 10-15 minutes before eating. Do NOT drink too much water as we do not want to dilute this. Do NOT drink during meals so that stomach acid does not become diluted. Yes, drink plenty of water, but not when you eat.
Chew food thoroughly – 30 times per bite. Liquify your solids before you swallow, especially the protein so that it gets absorbed more readily due to the small pieces it becomes. The stomach acid will have more opportunity to break it down. This will also help you to eat more slowly so that you do not overeat which is hard on the digestive system.
Eat fiber; we already talked about this.
Engage the cephalic phase of digestion; this is just the mere thought of food. Think about what you are eating; how you are eating; where you are eating; when you are eating. Give thanks prior to eating. All of these “thoughts”, these mindful moments to consider that you are eating and the timer to give thanks actually give your body a chance to begin secreting the digestive enzymes which will improve the absorption of your food. This in turn will improve your overall health including neurotransmitter production as well as protein breakdown which will support your brain and immune health. In addition, it will improve your energy.
Deep breathe before eating. Consider the 5-5-7 method where you inhale for 5 counts, hold for 5 counts and exhale for 7 counts. This stimulates the vagus nerve which will relax your smooth muscle, and which will also help your body digest food.
Finally, precious individuals, and especially “Struggling for Health”. Be sure to eat your final meal 2-3 hours before you go to bed. This allows for the digestive system to rest while you sleep.
This is just a small portion of what you could do to help your blood sugar regulation, your sleep and your digestion. All of this will lead to more energy and improved mood. We did not even talk about relationships and stress management, but believe me, these are important topics to consider.
Be blameless, my dear friend. Be blameless by how you manage every small detail of your health.
Sincerely,
DynaMO