How What You Eat Affects Your Brain

Neurotransmitters & Nutrition

They say “You are what you eat”.  That statement has a lot of truth behind it.  Neurotransmitters are messenger molecules produced by the body to communicate and control almost every bodily function.  Many are made from the nutrients in our diet.  Amino acids & B vitamins from the food we eat are building blocks to these neurotransmitters.  3 of the most important neurotransmitters are Dopamine, Norepinephrine (NE), and Serotonin.  Dopamine is associated with pleasure & reward.  Low levels of Dopamine are associated with ADHD, Parkinson’s, depression, and addictions.  High levels of Dopamine are associated with mania, psychosis, and schizophrenia.  It is a precursor to NE.  Good sources of Dopamine include chicken, turkey, fish, almonds, avocados, cheese, yogurt, pumpkin seeds.  NE is released from the sympathetic nervous system and is responsible in part for the flight or fight response.  Serotonin is associated with well- being & happiness.  It regulates sleep & appetite.  Good sources for serotonin are bananas, papayas, dates.  

Blood Sugar, Brain & Behavior

Glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how much and how quickly a food will raise blood glucose.  High GI foods include refined grains, potatoes, and sugary foods.  Low GI foods include beans, fat-free dairy, some fruits, and barley.  The human brain uses glucose as fuel.  Decreased blood glucose can cause impatience, irritability & aggressiveness.  Self-control requires adequate levels of glucose in brain.  Stevia is 300x sweeter than glucose, but will lower blood glucose and can decrease carb cravings.  Psyllium absorbs excess glucose, fat & water in gut.  

Stress-Related Eating & Appetite

Cortisol is the main hormone associated with chronic stress.  Cortisol levels are increased with lack of sleep, excessive exercise & restrictive dieting.  Cortisol elevates blood glucose levels, and causes increased cravings for sweet, salty & fatty foods.  Effects of chronic cortisol elevation can be lessened by omega-3 supplementation.  

Inflammation & Mood

Inflammation in the body is a response of the vascular system to harmful stimuli.  Acute inflammation is a good thing; it helps you heal from injury.  Chronic inflammation is detrimental; it results in an increased cortisol level, which can suppress the immune system.  Increased stress increases cortisol which can increase depression & memory problems.  Anti-inflammatory nutrients can ward off these problems.  Generally those foods are associated with the Mediterranean diet: fruits, vegetables, fish, walnuts, flax & whole grains, sage, ginger, chili peppers, black pepper, green tea, red wine, and dark chocolate.  Omega 3 fatty acids are called nature’s natural anti-depressant, and are only found in our diet.

In conclusion: the nutrients we put in our mouth have a direct relationship with how our cells communicate, particularly how our brain functions.  Those nutrients can affect our cravings, our mood and our immune system.  There are no empty calories; every single one has some influence on how we function as a system.

-Bethany, PT, ATC

Curcumin's benefit, add it to your diet.

Curcumin (Tumeric) is a food and supplement that boasts several healthy effects. Its benefits include: 

-Supporting health joint function

-Promoting skin health

-Improving digestion

-Maintaining cholesterol levels

-Promoting healthy blood and liver functions

Curcumin’s antioxidants:

-Support memory function

-Promote heart health

-Support the immune system

-Protect cells from free radical damage

-Support body against stress

Consider adding Curcumin as a supplement to your diet. The benefits are numerous and the side effects very few. Check with your doctor if you question if Curcumin is right for you.

-Deb, Owner, PT

Keep Shoulder Pain Away!

In 1995, a study by Sher (not the entertainer!) using MRI’s showed that 34% of all the individuals (and 54% over age 60) in the study demonstrated rotator cuff tear(s). 11 years later, a study by Yamaguchi, using diagnostic ultrasounds, found that number to be 36% of the population having rotator cuff tears.  In general, studies have shown that 30-50% of the population over 50 years of age have either a partial or full thickness tear of one of their 4 rotator cuff muscles.   

These numbers are rather significant, however, many of these individuals do not have any symptoms.  Those who do have rotator cuff injuries understand the significance of their injury, as well as how limiting it can be on their daily lives. The key to good rotator cuff health is posture and strength.  

I like to always start my posture education by breaking my patient's days into thirds. 1/3 of your day you sleep, 1/3 you work, and 1/3 you do whatever you want to do (generally speaking, excluding our retired patient population!). If you can tweak the 1/3 of your day that you sleep (to put yourself in better positioning), that can play a large role in how your shoulder feels for the rest of the day. I typically recommend sleeping on your back or on your side(s) with your top arm at your side (either with a pillow between your arm and side or with your hand in a pocket). 

At work, I recommend proper posture (easier said than done!). Most people know what this should look like, but we don't always follow this recommendation!  The third of your day that you do whatever you want (outside of work and sleep), we are typically moving around, so it's not as big of an issue unless you have a serious quilting, knitting, or computer hobby that puts you in more of a forward head and shoulder posture.

Once your shoulder is properly positioned with good posture, your rotator cuff should move in a more appropriate manner, and thus limiting fraying that may occur due to impingement-like issues.  You can then begin to build strong rotator cuff musculature.  Most literature shows that the rotator cuff only fires up to about 15 pounds of resistance.  That means, for most people, doing rubber band resistance exercises and light dumbbell strengthening should improve one’s rotator cuff strength and health.  By putting a pillow or a rolled up towel between your arm and side, studies have shown that the rotator cuff fires up to 200% more effectively as compared to not having something between your arm and side.

By working on some basic strengthening exercises you should be able to improve your rotator cuff strength and limit potentially problematic range of motion loss and increased pain later in life.

-Matt, Lead Physical Therapist

Pain: Part 2

Have you ever heard the phrase; the pain is all in your head?  This statement may seem cliché, but it is very true.  The key to getting the pain out of your head is having an understanding of what pain is.  People who better understand their pain actually experience less pain.  Most people think that injury and pain go hand in hand.  Once the damaged tissue is healed, then the pain will go away.  But this is not always correct.  Ongoing pain is due to a more sensitive nervous system.  Learning the biological processes of pain is called therapeutic neuroscience education.  It has been shown that teaching people about their pain has both immediate and long-term effects. 

There are many nerves in your body.  They are constantly sending signals to your brain about the surroundings.  When something happens, like you break a bone, your nerves set off an alarm telling your brain to address the problem and avoid further injury.  This alarm is pain.  As the bone heals, the alarm should decrease.  You will still feel pain for the next few weeks but normally it will gradually subside.  In one in four people, though, the alarm stays firing and the pain remains after the tissues have healed.  The nerves are extra sensitive.  The slightest movement will lead to pain so you think that there must be another injury somewhere. 

The point of therapeutic neuroscience education is to teach people that the chronic pain they feel is due to extra sensitive nerves, not tissue damage.  Focusing on strategies that help calm down your alarm system can help you regain movement, experience less pain, and return to normal function.