Do you have big plans for January? Many of our patients say they’d like to take control of their health in 2020 (New Year, New You, right?). That often includes losing some extra pounds.


However, it’s always important not to get caught up in the numbers on the scale. Instead, a good alternative goal is to focus on lowering your body fat (but only if that would help your general health) and raising your energy levels. In other words, your goal should always be to improve your overall quality of life, not to chase after an often-elusive number on a scale.


No matter why you want to lose weight, it’s important to approach your New Year’s resolution with a strategy. That will raise your odds of success. (Here’s a sobering fact: About 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions are abandoned by February.)


The Run-Up to the New Year
Think about it. We often coast through December, eating, drinking, and neglecting our usual fitness routine. Then January arrives and we expect our body to adjust to an austere new regime. It’s no wonder that many people give up.


Believe it or not, it’s possible to prime your body to get ready for January’s resolutions/yourreallife while still enjoying the holidays. That includes revving up your metabolism so it’s ready to deal with dietary changes. And it’s even possible to do this during the busy month of December. Here are some steps that can help.


7 Ways to Avoid Packing On Extra Pounds This Holiday Season

1. Watch What You Eat. This is not just about how much you eat. The macro and micronutrient choices you make when selecting your food can change how efficiently your body metabolizes fat. In particular, include a source of protein with every meal. One reason for this is that it helps your body maintain muscle tone. (You can lose muscle when you lose weight, which slows your metabolism.) 
2. Don’t Cut Back On Sleep. Since we’re not technically moving during our sleeping hours, it doesn’t seem like that time should impact your base metabolism. However, researchers have found that getting adequate sleep, which for most people is around eight hours, is essential to good metabolism. 
3. Develop a Herbal Tea Habit. While you’re celebrating the holidays, consider switching some of that eggnog and champagne for herbal tea. Not only is it lower in calories, you will be consuming more water, one of the main catalysts for weight loss, and warm water is soothing to your digestive system which improves metabolism. Peppermint tea is particularly good for a stomach that’s complaining about the extra food, whereas Chamomile sets you up for a good night’s sleep, and Rooibos tea is full of antioxidants as well as being a natural energy booster.
4. Get Enough Vitamin D. During the winter, and especially before you make any dietary changes, it’s a good idea to check your Vitamin D levels. In addition to its many other health benefits, new studies have found that vitamin D can help with weight loss. In one study, women with adequate levels of vitamin D in their bloodstream lost more weight than women who were deficient in vitamin D. Note that it can be difficult to get enough vitamin D through diet alone. And at this time of the year, we often don’t get enough sun exposure to generate our own vitamin D. Supplementation is key this time of year. At our office, we offer vitamin D testing, and while not covered by OHIP for most, it gives us valuable insight into your immune function, mental health and digestive health. It is absolutely worth your time to know your number so that you can strategically supplement, as most general guidelines for vitamin D dosing are not enough to get you to optimal vitamin D status.
5. Top Up Your Magnesium. Magnesium helps with many processes in your body, so many that a deficiency of magnesium is quite common. Although it may not directly impact weight loss, having adequate levels of magnesium can help you sleep more deeply, regulate your moods, and control your blood sugar. Those are all important elements to maintaining a healthy metabolism. Good sources of magnesium include leafy vegetables, nuts, beans, and dark chocolate as well as magnesium glycinate supplements. We can help you with this too! 
6. Get Eat Probiotic Foods. Before you even start ramping up your healthy eating routine, get your gut in shape (from the inside!). Healthy gut flora can help with weight control. In fact, the makeup of the gut bacteria of overweight or obese people is typically different than that of people of healthy weight. In addition to fermented foods like kimchi or yoghurt, taking a high quality probiotic supplement in December can boost your gut bacteria levels. Not only can probiotics pave the way for better digestion in January, they also boost the immune system which makes for a healthier social season.
7. Stay Active. Yes, it’s hard when you’re busy. However, continuing to stay active will make it easier to hit the gym when you’re ready to ramp up your routine. Not only will your muscles stay limber, but you’ll also be taking steps to prevent your mind from slipping into a winter funk, which can impact your motivation. The good news is that it doesn’t take too much to maintain your base fitness levels. Remember: It’s better to do a bit, every day, then to be a weekend warrior. So fit in some 20-minute workouts, try a short YouTube cardio video, or meet some friends at yoga (or even walk around the mall!). Your metabolism will be grateful that you did come January. If you’re focusing on sustaining your metabolism so that you can crush those New Year’s resolutions in 2020, make sure you include strength training. Simply put, the more muscle you have, the more efficient your metabolism will be. Even when you’re just sitting still, you’ll burn more calories.

Yes, improving your metabolism can feel like a daunting task this time of the year. However, taking a few simple steps now can help get ready to meet your New Year’s resolutions head on!  

 If you’re not sure how to begin with all these tips, the best plan is to speak with an expert! We’d be happy to help you create a unique plan that suits you and would love to have a complimentary Health Discovery Session with you.

Sources:

1. Leidy HJ, Clifton PM, Astrup A. et. al. The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Jun;101(6):1320S-1329S. Epub 2015 Apr 29.
2. ​Diepvens K,Westerterp KR, Westerterp-Plantenga MS. Obesity and thermogenesis related to the consumption of caffeine, ephedrine, capsaicin, and green tea. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2007 Jan;292(1):R77-85. Epub 2006 Jul 13. 
3. Hruby A, Ngwa JS, Renström F et al. Higher magnesium intake is associated with lower fasting glucose and insulin, with no evidence of interaction with select genetic loci, in a meta-analysis of 15 CHARGE Consortium Studies.J Nutr. 2013 Mar;143(3):345-53. doi: 10.3945/jn.112.172049. Epub 2013 Jan 23. 
4. Turnbaugh PJ, Hamady M, Yatsunenko T et al. A core gut microbiome in obese and lean twins. Nature. 2009 Jan 22;457(7228):480-4. doi: 10.1038/nature07540. Epub 2008 Nov 30. ​

Should you be concerned about  your cognitive health? Consider these facts:

• Dementia affects between five and eight percent of adults over 60. As the average age of the population rises, that could add up to an astounding 150 million people with dementia worldwide by 2050.


• Dementia is more complex than most people realize. Although Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, many other diseases can play a role.


• Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) happens when someone experiences enough impairment to be noticeable, but not enough for a dementia diagnosis. People with MCI are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Everyone experiences some moments of “brain fog” from time to time, whether they’re trying to find their keys or are struggling to remember a name. As we age, these little moments of forgetfulness become more worrying. And in fact, the damage from Alzheimer’s can start up to 10 years before symptoms become troublesome. But stress, fatigue, and nutritional deficiencies can all contribute to cognitive issues, even without Alzheimer’s.

The good news is that foggy thinking and poor memory don’t have to be a normal part of aging. Cognitive decline is not inevitable. And the steps to protecting our brain health can also help the rest of our bodies - further evidence that everything is connected when it comes to our optimum health!

So what can you do to maintain peak mental fitness? Here are some of my favorite high-impact strategies:

Get enough sleep. A great deal of research supports a link between brain health and adequate sleep. Scientists think the relationship may work both ways: not getting enough sleep can lead to cognitive decline, but cognitive decline can also cause sleep problems. Either way, the best approach is to be proactive. For example, avoid substances like caffeine or alcohol before bed. Practice insomnia.htmlgood sleep hygiene by sleeping in a cool, quiet room and pay attention to when the body wants to sleep. Your circadian rhythm is your natural sleep cycle, which for many people means unwinding and falling asleep around 10-10:30 pm. Fighting it and staying up later sends an adrenaline rush to your body to keep it awake. Contact our office if sleep issues interfere with daily living. You may also find that following the other tips on this list help with sleep – did I mention that it’s all connected?


Focus on a plant-based diet with plenty of healthy fats. Good nutrition fuels our brain. Processed, low-nutrient foods can lead to inflammation and oxidative stress. The result can be cognitive and mood issues. Up to 95 percent of the serotonin in our bodies is produced in our gut, so what we eat can have a profound impact on our emotions and the way we think. As a result, having adequate “good” bacteria in our gut can reduce the inflammation throughout our bodies, so it’s important to eat with this in mind.

Some important nutrients for brain health include:

• Vitamin K: Several studies suggest Vitamin K helps prevent cognitive decline. To boost Vitamin K intake, focus on leafy greens, such as spinach or kale.

 

• Omega 3: This fatty acid has been shown to lower levels of beta amyloids, which are the building blocks of the amyloid plaques in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Look for fatty fish and plant-based sources like flax seeds or avocados.

 

• Flavonoids: These phytonutrients are found in many fruits and vegetables, particularly brightly coloured, flavourful foods like strawberries and blueberries. Flavonoids have been found to play a role in preventing memory decline.

Move to keep your brain active. Exercise is a must when it comes to brain health. Not only can cardio activities like swimming and walking ease stress, but physical activity can also increase the size of the hippocampus. That’s the part of our brain responsible for verbal memory, among other important functions.

Which exercise is best? The best activity is always the one you’re most likely to do, but experts say to strive for 75 minutes of intense activity or 150 minutes of moderate activity every week. As an added bonus, exercise earlier in the day can help you sleep!


Keep learning. You’re never too old to learn something new. In fact, acquiring new knowledge can help keep your brain young. One study found that adults who learned a “complex skill” such as quilting or basic coding had improved memory function after only three months. And knowing a second language (even if you learn it late in life) can help slow memory loss. My favorite is practicing piano.


Relax. You’ve probably noticed that when you’re stressed, your thought process isn’t as clear as it is when you’re relaxed. Scientists confirm that even short-term stress can affect the hippocampus. It’s important to note that most studies refer to a relationship between perceived stress and memory. We all have negative events in our lives and some of these can’t be avoided. But we can change how we react to them and how we deal with daily stress. It’s possible to reframe the stress of daily life and change how we perceive it. Yoga, meditation, tai chi, and cognitive therapy are all effective ways to reduce our feelings of stress.


It’s important to remember that there isn’t necessarily a “magic bullet” solution to protect your brain function. As with all elements of well-being, maximum health is the result of a holistic approach. By taking conscious steps to protect your brain health, you can minimize memory loss.


Proper brain function is also linked to hormonal balance. Having an imbalance of your cortisol levels, estrogen, melatonin, pregnenolone, testosterone or thyroid can all contribute to memory loss, confusion, and issues concentrating. Testing and treatment for imbalances can help get your brain working at peak function again. 

And if you’ve noticed any symptoms that worry you, it’s important to check them out right away.

Please schedule a complimentary Health Discovery session with our office if you have questions about your brain health! We excel at assessing the key building blocks for brain health and helping you create an individualized plan to keep you feeling sharp.

Sources:

1. The Alzheimer's Association on Mild Cognitive Impairment
2. Short-term Stress Can Affect Learning And Memory https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311182434.htm
3. Spira AP, Chen-Edinboro LP, Wu MN, Yaffe K. Impact of sleep on the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2014;27(6):478-83. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4323377/
4. Stress Increases the Risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment https://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/alzheimers-disease-and-dementia/stress-increases-risk-mild-cognitive-impairment/article/459497/​