Day 19 of the 21 Day Keto Challenge November 2020

Welcome to Day 19!

Today I want to fill you in on some pretty awesome stuff I’ve been learning. 

Im pretty sure it’s the key to happiness, but I’ll let you be the judge 😉

I recently learnt that your brain is different to your mind… the brain is the biological organ full of synapses and grey matter and hormones. 

Our mind, on the other hand, is thoughts, perception, emotion, memories, imagination. 

But how our brain is functioning affects what our mind does.

Example?

Our brain is flooded with dopamine when we get a hug from a loved one. This makes our mind feel relaxed, safe, calm and loved. We attach those emotions and thoughts to the brain chemistry. 

Why does this matter, especially during a Keto challenge? 🤔😆 Good question!!

Guess where most of our hormones are made?

OUR GUT. Yep. 

That big tangle of digestive organs is called our ‘second brain’ in some circles now because it has such a huge effect on our hormones.

So it make sense that the food we eat is going to control the hormones that are released into our body and brain – affecting our mind and mood! (more info here if you want to read)

So with this in mind, we can see the connection between our diet and our mind. 

If you’ve ever experienced an anxiety disorder or depression, you’ll probably agree you’ll do just about anything to avoid going back there.

I’ve written a whole article about how anxiety and Keto have played together in my life.

It’s quite amazing, if I’ve been more relaxed with what I eat, the anxiety and general lethargy that comes with it kind of creeps up on me. 

I’ll be feeling pretty good, and then slowly, day by day of eating food that doesn’t agree with me, feel a little worse. 

Then once I tighten things up again, I swear I can feel the minute when I am back in ketosis!

My brain is switched on, I feel calm and focused. I can handle stress better and achieve so much in the day. 

The other huge way our body and mind are connected is when it comes to exercise. 

If you’ve ever thought the reason to exercise is to lose weight (i.e there’s no other reason to exercise) I encourage you to reconsider this.

Exercise is a VERY inefficient way to lose weight. 

But, it is the most efficient way to get more energy!!

Our energy is not a finite resource each day, where if we use it all, there’s none left. 

We can renew it by MOVING. Going for a walk, dancing, stretching, doing some quick star jumps. Movement gives us more energy . 

The other amazing thing is the effect exercise has on our brains and therefore our minds. 

It’s not just marathon runners who get endorphin boosts from moving, but every single one of us. 

Any form of movement and exercise has huge benefits on our mental health (read more here)
Why does all this matter? 

Well, when you are happy, healthy and have a positive outlook, you manage everything better. Stress, life, relationships.

And this all starts with some absolute fundamentals of nourishing your body with both food and movement. 

So if you haven’t moved today, get out there, get some fresh air even just for 10 minutes and your body, brain AND mind will thank you for it – as will your family, partner, boss, colleagues and friends! 

Love,

Rachel xx