Nutrition for improved

energy, brain & sleep

Anjanette Fraser The Natural Alternative

Health & Wellbeing Ltd

Blood sugar

Normal

Elevations caused by:

• Sweet foods

• Stress?

• Caffeine?

Improving energy

Wake

Sugar

cereal

Crave

Coffee/biscuits

Foods we absorb quickly

Simple

Carbs

Bread

Pasta

Rice

Cakes

Biscuits

Banana

Grapes

Dried fruit

Mango

Apple

Pear

Berries

(fruit with skin)

Fruit?

Foods we absorb more slowly

Meat

Fish

Dairy

Eggs

Soya/quinoa

Fibre Fruit/veg with skin

Oats

Peas/beans/lentils

Fats Fish

Nuts & seeds

avocado

Protein

Sleep cycle Stage 1

Light sleep where

drowsiness &

sleep begin

Stage 2

Stages 3 & 4

Deepest sleep

Growth hormone released

Children spend most time

here

Blood pressure drops,

muscles relaxed

REM

After 70-110 mins sleep

Revitalizes the memory

Dreaming is likely to occur

Body is paralysed except

diaphragm and rapid eye

movements

Each cycle lasts

90-120mins.

4-5 cycles per sleep

Stage 2

5-10mins after falling asleep.

Chemicals block senses

making more difficult to wake

Sleep friendly chemistry

• Milk

• Chicken

• Seeds

• Nuts

• Cheese

Tryptophan (amino acid)

Serotonin (neurotransmitter)

• Darkness

• Food

sources; oats,

bananas,

peanuts,

grape skins,

walnuts

Melatonin (hormone)

5-HTP (supplement)

Alcohol will help you sleep?

• May help you relax as

promotes release of GABA

which switches off adrenalin

• Less REM sleep

• Volume of fluid (alcohol is also

a diuretic)

• Can cause heartburn causing

you to wake up

• Increase in snoring as

muscles in throat, mouth and

nose relax

The ageing brain - dementia

• Estimated 1/3 people born in the UK in 2015 will get dementia

• Alzheimer’s (most common form of dementia):

• Mild: confusion, forgetful, lost, finding words difficult

• Moderate: decline in memory

• Severe: confused, hallucinations, violent, demanding, suspicious

• Caused by damage from disease (such as Alzheimer’s) or a series

of strokes

• Problems with short term memory usually the first sign

Effects 850,000

people in the

UK in 2015

1% over 65 have

dementia,

increasing to 6%

(late 70s) and 20%

(late 80s)

Reducing the risk of dementia • Diet

– Reduce saturated fat (cholesterol)

– Increase good fats (fish, nuts, seeds, avocado)

– high fibre (5-a-day)

– reduce salt (<6g day/1tsp) to reduce blood pressure

– Include B vitamins (6, 9, 12) to lower homocystein. High homocystein may be linked to brain shrinkage

• Weight

– Overweight increases risk of high blood pressure and dementia

• Exercise

– Regular exercise can lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Also increases oxygen flow to the brain

• Alcohol

– Excessive amounts can increase blood pressure. Daily limit is 2-3 units women and 3-4 units men)

• Smoking

– Causes arteries to narrow therefore increase blood pressure

• Use it or lose it

– Crosswords, puzzles, memory games, use the opposite hand to brush hair/teeth

Good fats • The human brain (dry) is nearly 60% fat, therefore crucial for brain

performance

• Our bodies cannot make Essential Fatty Acids, yet they are essential for brain function – we therefore need to get them from food

• Serotonin (feel good hormone) requires these good fats for transportation

• Fish (e.g. sardines, mackerel, salmon) are high in omega 3. This good source of protein also boosts serotonin

• Flaxseeds & walnuts are also a good source of omega 3

• Mild depression – a group of people with mild/moderate depression were given either 300mg fish oil capsule or placebo. Treatment with fish oil was clinically effective

• Anxiety – 68 medical students were given 2g fish oil or placebo. After 12 weeks the group on fish oil had less levels of anxiety.

• Deficiency signs – dry skin, dandruff, mild depression, high cholesterol

Healthy on the inside

• There is an increasing amount of evidence between

the gut-brain link

• Unhappy digestion can lead to an unhappy mind –

anxiety is common

• Serotonin has calming effect and is found in

intestine walls as well as the brain

• Check for food allergies – symptoms can include

‘brain fog’, depression, anger, loss of motivation

• Wheat and dairy are among the most common

triggers

• Probiotic supplements are essential after antibiotics

to rebalance digestion

B vitamins

• Crucial for energy and balanced mood (creation of

neurotransmitters)

• Possible B vitamin deficiency in dementia/Alzheimers

• Most important are B6, B9 (folic acid) & B12

• B12 more difficult to obtain with age and if vegetarian

• Choline (a B vitamin) makes acetylcholine (neurotransmitter)

which helps to restore and recall memory and for

concentration/focus

• Can boost acetylcholine levels by eating;

- egg yolk, soybeans, meats or as supplement

phosphatidyl-choline

• Sources of B vits include; meat, green leafy veg (spinach,

broccoli, cabbage)

Vitamin D

• Lower levels are linked with depression and lower brain

function

• Seasonal Affective Disorder - lack of sunlight can lead to

reduction in serotonin. If we don’t have enough serotonin we

also struggle to make melatonin (which helps us sleep)

• Sources of vitamin D include; sunshine, fish, eggs

• Body cannot absorb UVB rays (to make vitamin D) through

clothing or sun screen

• UVB rays are insufficient to assist in making vitamin D in the

South UK between October – April. Supplementation

recommended

Hydration • Water makes up 70-80% of the brain

• Concentration & energy levels improve when we are

better hydrated

• Dehydration affects concentration by as much as 13%,

and short term memory by as much as 7%

• Are you dehydrated?

- Constipation

- Dry mouth

- Headache

• Diuretics (caffeine, fizzy drinks) may make us urinate

more than we consume

• Urine should be almost clear

• Try refilling a water bottle at the start of each morning with

small amount fruit juice and top it with water for more

effective hydration

A Nutritionist’s dream …

No time Some time Lots of time

Yogurt & fruit Muesli, fruit & yogurt/milk Eggs (2-3) &

granary/seeded toast

Muesli bar Granola, fruit &

yogurt/milk

Porridge &

berries/stewed fruit

Toast with nut butter

No time Some time Lots of time

Muesli bar Yogurt (natural) Granola

Handful nuts & seeds Hummous & oat cakes

Fruit Hummous & carrots

Breakfast

Snacks

A Nutritionist’s dream …

Lunch

Dinner

No time Some time Lots of time

Purchased wrap/pitta

bread

Canteen food – avoiding

rich sauces, fried food

Homemade sandwich

with wrap/pitta bread

Protein; chicken, tuna,

salmon, pork

Soup & bread Homemade soup

Leftovers from dinner Salad with protein

No time Some time Lots of time

Eggs & toast Omelette & veg Roast dinner & veg

Sardines on toast Baked potato with tuna/

beans/cottage cheese

Stir-fry

How we can help

• Wellbeing zone – make healthier choices.

Go to our free wellbeing zone and app for

everything you need to take care of your

physical health.

– Self-assessment health tool

– Set personalised goals

– Track your wellbeing with a food and sleep diary

– Find healthy and nutritious meal ideas

Enter now at caba.org.uk/wellbeing-zone using organisation code

CABA1.