Toronto Holiday Stress? Eat Walnuts!
Stressful holidays? Eat walnuts! Walnuts are a holiday type of nut. They come in all sorts of flavors and in all types of recipes. (And if they are not in your family recipe, add them this year!) Research links the gut and the brain, so it makes sense that if the brain is stressed, the gut is, too. Researchers now watch the effects of calming the gut and the stomach to calm the brain. Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre tempts our Toronto stressed-out patients, families, and friends to try eating some walnuts (unless there is an allergy!) to find their calm! The Toronto chiropractic care plan embraces all sorts of good info like this!
THE GUT BRAIN AXIS AND STRESS
A recent study based on prior studies that linked the brain, the gut and the gut microbiota and the beneficial effect of consuming walnuts on mental health experimented with stressed out college students. Academic stress was linked with poorer mental health in college students, with their diet and food choices, their worse gut microbiota, and their moods. More females than males participated, but researchers documented that walnut consumption enhanced these metabolic and stress markers. Researchers closed their paper stating that eating walnuts may well be protective against academic stress. (1) Let’s see how well it works on holiday stress!
BENEFITS OF WALNUTS ON OTHER HEALTH ISSUES
Holiday parties and events impact normal eating patterns for many of us, making changes in our blood tests and other issues. Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre knows! A review of published research on walnut consumption since 2017 reported that eating walnuts enhanced lipid profiles and lessened cardiovascular disease risk. Additionally, more and more studies are being published on other benefits like enhanced cognitive health, reduced inflammation, glucose level regulation, body weight decrease, etc. (2) It’s a good thing walnuts appear in many holiday goodies!
WALNUTS AND COGNITION
Other research has documented the influence of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation on aging, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s another brain disorders, all issues that arise over a long period of time. Eating walnuts for a long-time may delay or slow their onset due to walnuts’ protective role against inflammation and oxidative stress. (3) There is actually a Walnuts and Health Aging study based on prior studies’ documenting that walnut consumption counteracted oxidative stress and inflammation, well-known contributors to cognitive decline. An fMRI study of participants after 2 years’ consumption found that the trial didn’t appear to affect healthy elders but suggested a delay in those who were at higher risk of cognitive decline. (4) A delay in cognitive decline is a good outcome!
ADD SOME WALNUTS TO YOUR CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH PLAN
Let the researchers keep doing their research while we do our own! Try the theory yourself. Enjoy a few walnuts this Toronto holiday season. Plain. Candied. Spicy. Cinnamon coated. Choose your favorite! Like they say: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre might suggest “A walnut a holi-day may well calm you and maintain your health and happiness this and future holiday season(s)!” Happy holidays!
CONTACT Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the benefits of gentle, safe chiropractic treatment with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management integration on the nervous system.
Make your Toronto chiropractic appointment today. Bring us your holiday stress…and your favorite tasty walnut recipe!
