Brain and Behaviour
Exercise is generally good for health, and one form of exercise that I advocate strongly is walking. Regular walking has been associated with protection from chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It also is an activity that tends to take people outdoors. This may have spin-off benefits in terms of, say, […]
Brain and Behaviour
I make no secret of my leaning towards high-protein, relatively low-carb diets. I am well aware of the relatively unhealthy reputation that such diets have. However, when one looks at the research one generally finds that the criticisms of such diet are based on theoretical and ideological concerns. They are not, generally speaking, based on […]
Brain and Behaviour
I was out last night with a friend, and he mentioned his mother’s depression. Seeing as we’re now deep into the autumn here in the UK, I asked if there was any seasonal component to this. There is. Like a lot of people, his mother’s mood takes a distinct turn for the worse in the […]
Brain and Behaviour
I’m a huge advocate of sunlight exposure, on the basis that this mostly pleasurable endeavour is associated with wide-ranging benefits for the body. It also appears to benefit the brain. Lack of sunlight in the winter months can lead to lowering of mood and even depression that has been termed ‘seasonal affective disorder’. There is […]
Brain and Behaviour
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener which, once consumed, breaks down into three components ” aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol. Aspartame has been passed as fit to consume by more than 100 countries around the World, but there is evidence that each of aspartame’s chemical components can have toxic effects on health. See here and here […]
Brain and Behaviour
Over the last few weeks I have, as part of a book I am writing, embarked on a bit of an overhaul of my own diet. Apart from ‘tightening things up’ a bit, I’ve also decided (urged by my girlfriend) to slow my eating down and eat a bit more ‘mindfully’. I have generally been […]
Brain and Behaviour
On Monday my blog focused on the just one of the hazards associated with eating a high-carbohydrate diet, namely changes in markers of cardiovascular disease risk that would signal an increase in the likelihood of developing this condition. Other evidence exists which links diets of high glycaemic index (GI) and glycaemic load (GL) and an […]
Brain and Behaviour
Yesterday in practice I saw a female patient who, among other things, was troubled by the fact that she craved sugar like you wouldn’t believe. It is my experience in practice that many individuals with sugar cravings view it as a sign of weakness on their part. However, food can have powerful addictive qualities, and […]
Brain and Behaviour
Nutritional needs can vary a bit between men and women, and this does certainly seem to be generally so for iron. Women who menstruate are at risk of iron deficiency because of the iron lost in menstrual blood each month. In my experience, a very significant proportion of such women have low or suboptimal iron […]
Brain and Behaviour
Partly because I have never and am never going to breastfeed, I am wary about advocating it. I do genuinely believe that women who want to benefit should be given every available support and encouragement. On the other hand, if a woman chooses not to breastfeed or cannot breastfeed for some reason, then as a […]