How to fight depression with food

Depression is a nasty beast; it’s estimated worldwide that it affects more than 120 million people. With the World Health Organisation (WHO) labelling it the leading cause of global disability. In some Western countries, the number of adults suffering from depression is 6% of the population. The real quicker is that depression isn’t just a mind game; it plays havoc with your entire body. One recent study found that 23% of depression suffers couldn’t sleep properly; 30% felt overwhelmed with everyday life, and 36% had memory loss. Others overate or lost their appetite; feeling short of breath; had severe headaches; felt chronically fatigued; were irritable and restless; lost interest in sex; and had persistent aches, pains, cramps or digestive problems.

Nowadays, there is growing evidence that the mood of people and the quality of food they eat is somehow linked. The conundrum is this: depression increases the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Conversely, these conditions also increase the risk of suffering from depression. And so the situation goes back and forth. Of course, what constitutes ‘healthy nutrition’ is up to debate, but generally speaking it has been found that a lower risk of depression is associated with a low-fat, plant-based, high-protein and fish-heavy diet. On the flip side, a higher risk of the disease is aligned with heavily sweetened and highly processed foods and drinks. What’s becoming more and more evident through recent studies is that depression is a complex mental illness and that diet might be one key to treating it.

In 2012 researchers in Australia undertook to launch the first randomised control study on depression treatment through diet in a study called SMILES (Supporting the Modification of Lifestyle In Lowered Emotional States).

The 12-weeks study included 67 adult patients who suffered from severe depression; in this instance, they had to have a value of at least 18 on the 60-point Montgomery Åsberg Depression Scale). Of those selected, 55 of these patients were already receiving various forms of treatment: 21 were receiving psychotherapy in conjunction with antidepressants; 25 were only on antidepressants, and nine were only receiving psychotherapy.

Another selection criteria was diet, with all participants rated as having a ‘poor’ one. In a best-possible nutrition assessment, they all scored 75 of lower points out of a maximum 104. And, according to their testimony, they daily consumed high amounts of sweets, salty snacks and processed meats and little or no vegetables, fruits, low-fat proteins and fibre.

The participants were randomly divided into two groups. The first, or ‘control’ group, received social support. This involved individual conversations on topics which interested the participants. However, it was on a voluntary basis, and they could choose to abstain if they wished.

The second group received seven one-on-one counselling sessions with a trained nutrition specialist.

The focus of the advice was to improve the quality of their food choices. They were encouraged to adhere to the following dietary recommendations:

Vegetables (6 servings per day)
Fruits (3 servings a day)
Whole grains (5-8 servings per day)
Fish (at least 2 times per week)
Red meat (3-4 servings per week)
Chicken (2-3 servings per week)
Legumes (3-4 servings per week)
Dairy (2-3 servings per day)
Nuts (1 serving per day)
Eggs (up to 6 per week)
Olive oil (3 tablespoons per day)
Processed and high-sugar foods (3 per week)

After the three month trial, those in the diet group recorded a significantly higher decline in depressive symptoms than those in the social group. The statistical difference between the two groups on the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Scale was 7.1 points. After the 3-month study phases had ended, those in the diet group were able to show a remission rate of 32%, compared to only 8% in the social group.

All in all, it was shown that the stricter the participants followed the diet guidelines, the greater the results. These highly positive findings now bring with them a range of new depression treatments; of immense benefit, as currently only about half of those affected by depression are successfully helped with antidepressants and/or psychotherapy. Furthermore, researchers are now also looking at how physical exercise is also a vital part of the weight-loss and depression equation.

Have you had your own experience battling depression? Did you find any link with your diet? Do you believe what you eat affects your mood in a general sense? We would love for you to share any personal insight or experience with us.

Infections: hit the virus in the sweet spot

Infections: Hit The Virus In The Sweet Spot

Article by Michael van den Heuvel, published on 27. December 2016

Many illnesses are accompanied by zero appetite. Researchers have now shown that abstaining from eating helps fight bacterial infections. Our immune system benefits, to be sure. In the case of virus the story is exactly the reverse.

An old saying must be laid out on the examination table. “Feed a cold and starve a fever” – children in the Anglo-American world learn this from their grandparents. Professor Dr. Ruslan M. Medzhitov is interpreting this with a new slant. “Cold” indicates viral infections, while “fever” suggests bacterial infections.

DEADLY FEEDING

Medzhitov conducts research as an immunologist at Yale.

School of Medicine. He based his analysis on the following question: when our body is fighting against pathogens, it reduces our appetite. Is this biological response sensible?

Together with colleagues the scientist designed an experiment. He infected mice with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes or with a murine influenza-like virus. Subsequently, the rodents were force-fed with either a standard diet or with saline. Animals with bacterial infection died if they received food. In the group given saline at least every other mouse survived.

If they had previously received a virus, the relative ratios were the other way around. Around 78 percent of the food group and ten percent in the saline group survived.

CELLS ON A SUGAR RUSH

Now the foods used have been under the microscope. Ruslan Medzhitov found out that glucose is of central importance. When he used the inhibitor 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) to prevent the uptake of sugar, animals in the bacteria group survived, whereas there was a high mortality in the virus group. The exact opposite of the first experiment occurred.

Background information: in order to minimise the deleterious effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS), cells need ketones. During fasting the breakdown of fatty acids creates ketone bodies in the liver – an alternative to providing glucose from carbohydrates. This ketogenesis has long been known, but now appears in a completely new contextual interrelationship. Things look quite different in the case of viral infections. Cells respond to the wrong proteins with an unfolded protein response (UPR response). This process requires glucose.

How is Medzhitovs study to be assessed? Since humans and mice are equivalent in their crucial metabolic steps, researchers hope to be better able to treat patients with serious infections in the future. Other studies confirm his assumption that findings can be transferred from animal studies to humans.

GOING ON THE ATTACK AGAINST THE INFLAMMASOME

Already one and a half years ago Vishwa Deep Dixit of the Yale School of Medicine uncovered a connection between fasting and inflammatory processes. When abstinence from food occurs, among other things betahydroxybutyrate (BHB) originates. After prolonged fasting this metabolite in blood plasma reaches relevant concentrations. BHB inhibits inflammatory processes brought about through the NLRP3 inflammasome acting as a target structure. This protein complex is located in cytosol of macrophages and neutrophil granulocytes. It is stimulated among other things by bacteria. Over several stages, active interleukins ultimately arise which trigger inflammatory reactions.

The scientists experimented in this case not only with mice, but also with human cells. They found that both doses of targeted betahydroxybutyrate as well as ketogenic diets decreased inflammatory responses. Thus they found proof, far in advance of Medzhitov’s work, that the metabolism influences inflammatory processes.

IMMUNE CELLS FROM THE RECYCLING CENTRE

The effect is more complex than expected. If mammals starve, their bodies begin to regenerate cells in the immune system. This finding was arrived at by Valter D. Longo from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Intermittent fasting delayed immunosenescence in laboratory animals. This refers to the declining performance of the immune system with increasing age.

Longo then took 19 healthy volunteers into a pilot study. For five days per month they consumed instead of the usual 2,000 to 3,000 kilocalories only 1,090 (one day) or 725 kilocalories (days two to five). Their fasting blood glucose decreased by eleven percent. The ketone bodies increased by a factor of 3.7; IGF-1-levels decreased by 24 percent, and the IGFBP-1-level increased by 50 percent. Through the special program their slightly elevated baseline levels of C-reactive protein normalised. What’s more a slight increase in the stem cell counts of the immune system in the blood were detected by Longo.

Many pieces of the puzzle show that our metabolism affects the immune system. The value of this knowledge for clinical practice is currently unclear. This question can only be answered by further studies.

How intermittent fasting ignites cellular autophagy and a longer, healthier life

HOW INTERMITTENT FASTING IGNITES CELLULAR AUTOPHAGY AND A LONGER, HEALTHIER LIFE

Published by Joe Garma on www.garmaonhealth.com in October 2016

Nobel prize winner dr. Ohsumi shows us that eating less gives us more robust life. Learn how cellular may add healthy years to your lifespan.

Did you hear that Dr. Yoshinori Ohsumi just won the Nobel Prize for his work involving “self-eating” cells?

“Why would cells eat themselves?” you might inquire.

“To live longer and healthier”, I might respond.

Let me explain.

The cells don’t actually eat themselves completely. What they do, if given a chance, is to break down proteins and non-essential components and reuse them for energy. Cell biologist Dr. Ohsumi won the Nobel Prize because his work on cellular autophagy provides us with greater clarity about how the body’s cells detoxify and repair themselves.

This is called “cellular autophagy”, and it’s something you want your own cells to do on a regular basis. That is, if you want to increase your chances of living a long, hale life without the nuisance of lingering disease.

THE SKINNY ON CELLULAR AUTOPHAGY

Cellular autophagy is a crucial process for cells to survive and stay healthy, says the New York Times, which translates to your survival and health. During a period of ingesting limited calories, or starvation, not only do cells break down proteins and nonessential components and reuse them for energy, but also cells use autophagy to:

destroy invading viruses and bacteria; and
rid themselves of damaged structures; a process which…
is thought to get disrupted in cancer, infectious diseases, immunological diseases and neurodegenerative disorders; including Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.

One more thing – disruptions in autophagy are also thought to play a role in aging; conversely, improved autophagy is thought to slow down the aging process.

So, this autophagy thing is getting attention (a Nobel Prize!) and is important, but little was known about how autophagy actually happens, which genes are involved, or its specific role in disease and normal development until Dr. Ohsumi began studying the autophagy process in yeast.

Yeah, those yeast again!

I don’t imagine you relate much to yeast, and some women (in particular) have good reasons to despise them. (Relax, ladies, the yeast studied are baker’s yeast.) The thing is, though, that Dr. Ohsumi’s groundbreaking work demonstrates that the autophagy genes and metabolic pathways in yeast are used by higher organisms, including humans.

The word “autophagy” originates from two Greek words meaning “self-eating”. It refers to the process in which cellular junk is captured and sealed in sack-like membranes, called autophagosomes. The sealed contents are transported to another structure called the lysosome, once considered little more than the cellular rubbish bin.

By studying the process in yeast cells, Dr. Ohsumi identified the main genes involved in autophagy and showed how the proteins they code for come together to build the autophagosome membrane. He later showed that a similar cellular recycling process occurs in human cells – and that our cells would not survive without it.

As reported in the Guardian, Juleen Zierath, a member of the Nobel committee, said:

“Every day we need to replace about 200 to 300g of protein in our bodies… We are eating proteins every day, about 70g, but that’s not enough to take care of the requirement to make new proteins. Because of this machinery, we’re able to rely on some of our own proteins, maybe the damaged proteins or the long-lived proteins, and they are recycled with this sophisticated machinery so that we can sustain and we survive.”

What she said is pretty straightforward, but I’ll repeat it:

Our bodies need more protein than we consume and autophagy recycles some of the protein already in us for our needs.

I wanted to show an illustration that depicts the process. Google images present many, and from their selection I chose one that illustrates how cellular autophagy could reverse a major cause of heart attacks.

Attribution: https://www.ottawaheart.ca/the-beat/2011/09/13/researchers-discover-cellular-process-could-reverse-major-cause-heart-attack

That picture comes from an article about a discovery made by a research team at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute led by biochemist Yves Marcel, PhD, Director of the Heart Institute’s High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Biology Laboratory.

Dr. Marcel and his team discovered that a new function for cellular autophagy – the mobilization and exportation of cholesterol from cells.

The Heart Institute research showed that autophagy could engulf and digest cholesterol accumulated in artery walls. “This process facilitates the removal of cholesterol and may provide an entirely new target to reverse atherosclerosis, the main cause of heart attack and stroke,” said Dr. Marcel.

(Read details of Dr. Marcel’s study here.)

INCREASE YOUR CELLULAR AUTOPHAGY WITH INTERMITTENT FASTING

In Three Ways To Stay Young, I explored the work of Dr. Michael Rozin, the less voluble partner of Dr. Oz. Pertinent to this article is Dr. Rozin’s exhortation to periodically fast.

Yes, unfortunately, you must restrict calories to induce robust cellular autophagy. The good news is that there are more ways to do this than starving yourself.

The typical CR (“caloric restriction”) method used by primates, including humans, to extend lifespan and health is to reduce caloric consumption by 30% across the board, as in every day.

Most of us rather chew ourselves to an early grave rather than subsist for the rest of our lives with a growling stomach.

The good news is that there may be methods to get the same life extension/health benefits of CR – much of which is thought to happen via cellular autophagy – without being hungry all the time, just some of the time.

Until you get used to it, that is.

I’m referring to intermittent fasting (“IF”). The neat thing about IF is that you can choose the methodology that best works for you:

Eat from 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM, giving you 17 hours of non-eating, autophagy-boosting house cleaning (this is what I do); or
Eat per usual for five days a week, and restrict calories to 500 two days a week; or
Eat per usual for five days a week, restrict calories (500) for one day and fast for one day.

If you’re interesting in learning more about IF, read my article, Why Intermittent Fasting Is Your Ticket To A Long and Healthy Life.

Here’s how it starts:

Intermittent Fasting (“IF”) is your ticket to a long and healthy life because it mimics the only proven way to increase lifespan — caloric restriction. CR is very hard. IF can be easy, and the health benefits astounding. Take years off your biological age by selecting the IF program that works for you.

The article also contains Dr. Michael Mosely and his Eat, Fa st & Live Longer (book link) video, and after that, some more information about choosing the best IF program for you.

Another article I wrote examined how cellular autophagy can reduce cellular senescence. Cellular senescence is the phenomenon by which normal cells cease to divide, thereby becoming “senescent”.

The article is called 11 Ways To Increase Your Lifespan, and in it I quoted an article published in Nature in 2016 that asserts:

“The regenerative functions of cells decline with age, leading to an irreversible senescence state. Autophagy can keep some of this from happening by reinstating in old cells their former capacity as young cells to maintain proper protein regulation (“proteostasis”), mitochondrial function and oxidative stress repair.”

Translation: Cells that have robust autophagy stay younger!

If you’re interested in this eating this way as part of your strategy to live a long and healthy life, check out BBC health journalist Michael Mosely’s books on the subject, and read my article on intermittent fasting, (Dr. Mosely’s work is summarized there too.)

I’ll leave you with two videos that might encourage you to try some form of IF:

More about Joe Garma

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8UHzkXC4HQ&feature=emb_title

Will losing those extra kilos make you happy? Science says probably not.

Image credit: https://traineracademy.org/

WILL LOSING THOSE EXTRA KILOS MAKE YOU HAPPY? SCIENCE SAYS PROBABLY NOT.

Maintaining a positive body image nowadays is very difficult when we are daily assaulted with a barrage of perfectly photoshopped images in magazines, on the Internet and splashed across billboards. Strong emphasis is now placed on the importance of being slender for women and for appearing athletic and/or lean for men. In such an overtly shallow environment focussed on outward appearance, is it any great surprise that a strong link between body image and happiness levels permeates modern society and has many people asking: ‘Will losing a few extra kilos make me happier?’

A recent survey* by Chapman University in the United States looked at 12,176 adult women and men aged between 18 and 65 and found that approximately 15 per cent of men and 20 per cent of women were ‘extremely dissatisfied’ with their weight. Amongst the women, body image ranked third as the strongest indicator of overall satisfaction with life; the only stronger ones were related to their financial situation and romantic partner. For men, body image was the second strongest indicator, following life and financial satisfaction respectively. Overall, people who were more satisfied with their appearance reported greater self-esteem and satisfaction with their sex and romantic life, family, friends and finances.

And thus the wheel keeps turning, with people believing that a leaner, fitter and ultimately happier them is just 10 kilos away. Sadly, new research suggests that improving the quality of your diet is actually a better recipe for success than losing that extra tire around your belly. Although maintaining a healthy diet is instrumental in treating existing depression sufferers and stopping others from developing it, a new review of food-mood studies has shown that the relationship between depression and diet is quite independent of body weight.

What comprises a healthy diet? Basically, you need to avoid all those tempting and ubiquitous ‘extras’ that flout themselves in TV commercials and in the grocery aisle. Foods that provide energy, but offer little to no nutritional value, such as chocolate, cake, chips and candy should be high on your avoidance list as they only feed your fat cells. You’re better off focussing your caloric intake on what is known as ‘brain foods’, aka those which are high in fats and nutrients, for example, fatty fish, olive oil, nuts, yoghurt and avocado. These foods, as well as greens and whole grains, are broken down into molecules that feed your gut bugs, which in turn help build neurotransmitters, fight inflammation and protect healthy brain cells.

For example, a 2013 study** followed participants on a 12-week diet treatment program to improve depression. Amongst those who participated, a large number were overweight and did not manage to significantly alter their BMI over the course of the experiment. Even though they didn’t lose any significant weight, these participants did report large improvements in their depression symptoms, with a full one-third of them going into remission.

Science aside, there is no dispute that being a healthy weight is of vital importance for overall wellbeing, both physical, mental and, for some, spiritual. What is interesting is that whilst being overweight does increase one’s likelihood of being depressed, it doesn’t appear to prevent these same people from reaping the physiological and psychological benefits of eating well.

What does that mean? Simply put, diet does exert tremendous affects on our mood, independent of a change in weight. Having said that, the science behind it is still not 100 per cent clear. For example, a diet filled with fruits, vegetables and fibre can improve the health of your gut microbiota through bacterial fermentation and the production of anti-inflammatory fatty acids. Without getting too much into the science behind it, the circulatory biomarkers that regulate our moods are heavily influenced by both microbiota and our immune system, which in turn influence our stress and nervous systems. This is why a reduction in something like chronic inflammation can have such a strong impact on depression, as it’s one of the leading causes.

Going back to the beginning of this article, the research clearly outlines the undesirable effects of a negative body image, whereby extreme dissatisfaction directly impacts a person’s health. According to the American Psychological Association, poor body image can result in both mental and physical health consequences, including anorexia and obesity. That’s why making lifestyle changes to improve how we feel and function is so essential, especially for anyone prone to depression. Losing weight is a long process, but the good news is that the benefits of eating well can be felt relatively quickly, whether you’re overweight or slim. You don’t need to go to extremes and create a huge deficit in calories; it’s better to focus on the quality, not the quantity of your caloric intake.

Take simple steps, like swapping chips or chocolate for fruit and nuts, and using a food journal to jot down how you feel after eating them. If you feel energised, proud and full, that’s good. If you feel sluggish, guilty and hungry, that’s bad. Pay attention to what your body is telling you. Unlike many other factors that contribute to your mental health, food is a domain over which you have complete control. Keep in mind the essential Japanese philosophy of kaizen – the art of making lasting changes through small, steady steps. Even if the scale doesn’t move, you’ll be shifting your mental health in a positive direction.

*Dr. David Frederick and Gaganjyot Sandhu of Chapman University, Patrick Morse, Ph.D. of University of California at Riverside; and Viren Swami, Ph.D. of the University of Westminster, London, “Correlates of appearance and weight satisfaction in a U.S. national Sample: Personality, attachment style, television viewing, self-esteem, and life satisfaction is published in the journal Body Image”, May 2016

**Adrienne O’Neil, Michael Berk, Catherine Itsiopoulos, David Castle, Rachelle Opie, Josephine Pizzinga, Laima Brazionis, Allison Hodge, Cathrine Mihalopoulos, Marya Lou Chatterton, Olivia M Dean and Felice N Jacka, BMC Psychiatry, “A randomised, controlled trial of a dietary intervention for adults with major depression (the “SMILES” trial): study protocol”, 15 April 2013

Beating diabetes & other health benefits of fasting

BEATING DIABETES & OTHER HEALTH BENEFITS OF FASTING

Today we are going to talk about the incredible benefits your body can achieve under the auspices of a properly supervised fast. When done correctly, fasting is one of the most effective therapies available to kick-start the body’s healing abilities and bring about total wellness in a safe and long-lasting way.

However, no matter how successful a short-term fasting program might be, it needs to be consistently followed-up with a healthy lifestyle, namely mindfulness, diet, environment, and physical activity. The following examples are just a few of the many beneficial uses of fasting.

Diabetes

Many chronic illnesses such as diabetes have been shown to respond remarkably well to fasting. In particular, through the use of a carefully followed diet, lifestyle program and intermittent fasting many adult-onset diabetic patients have been freed from the use of daily insulin injections and other medications. Such a program will allow most diabetics to maintain normal sugar levels without the use of medication. Similarly, insulin resistance is positively affected by fasting, enabling sufferers to better tolerate carbohydrates.

Brain Function

Fasting has been shown to dramatically enhance brain performance because it boosts a particular protein called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). How it works is that BNDF fires up brain stem cells to create new neurons, simultaneously stimulating other chemicals, which in turn promote better overall health. In this way, increased growth of new nerve cells is beneficial to brain overall brain function.

Addictions

Addictions to substances such as alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine are examples where fasting can really help. The protracted withdrawal symptoms that prevent many people from becoming drug-free can be dramatically reduced with fasting. Most people are surprised how easy it is to quit (and stay quit!) smoking or drinking with the help of a supervised fast.

Eating Habits

Fasting can help improve ingrained eating habits. It’s a sad truth that modern society’s over-consumption of food, obsession with looking good, use of food as a mood enhancer and general bad attitude (all carbs are bad!) has caused a sharp rise in the number of people suffering from eating disorders, such as binge eating and obesity. Fasting is like a reset button – the longer you fast, the more your body can regulate hormone levels, you can learn about proper nutrition and you can break the cycle of abuse.

Gastrointestinal Disorders

Disturbances of the gastrointestinal system including esophagitis, gastritis, colitis, constipation, bloating and the symptoms associated with so-called candidiasis (overgrowth of the yeast candida), usually respond well to fasting. Such patients who go on a fast typically begin seeing results in as little as a week and by the end of two weeks show remarkable change in their bowel movements.

Back & Neck Pain

Often patients with chronic pain who have received extensive treatment, including drugs, surgery and physical therapy, will experience dramatic improvement through the use of fasting. Joint pain, in particular of the lumbar spine (low back) and neck, is remarkably responsive to this kind of treatment. A combination of fasting, rest, exercise, improved posture and body use can have remarkable results.

Cardiovascular Disease

Angina and muscle pain (ache, cramp, numbness, fatigue) are examples of conditions that will often respond rapidly to fasting. It’s not uncommon for a person’s cholesterol levels drop by as much as 100 points; in conjunction with total pain relief and freedom from medications within a few week. In many cases of high blood pressure [hypertension], patients who employed fasting were able to achieve and maintain normal blood pressure without the use of medication.

Weight Loss

Losing weight has been proven time and time again to be both possible and effective whilst fasting. When there is no sugar or food around, the body will burn fat for energy after two to three days. In this way guided fasting can enhance hormone function and rapidly assist weight loss. From a scientific standpoint, lower insulin levels, increased amounts of norepinephrine and enhanced hormone levels all contribute to depletion in body fat. Lastly, let’s take a few minutes to look at the crucial steps, and likely outcome, involved when transitioning into a fasting lifestyle.

Transition

Fasting, for as little as 24 hours to as much as 30 days, will often dramatically shorten the time it takes for an individual to make the transition from a standard diet and lifestyle to a healthy and sustainable one.

People who undertake to fast in a supervised setting (e.g., a specialised retreat like the one offered by Vietnam Detox) invariably achieve better and faster health results than those that go it alone. The emotional support and intensive health education they receive during their retreat go a long way to increasing overall acceptance with dietary and lifestyle recommendations.

As with the above, when individuals try to make drastic dietary changes without the benefit of a fasting coach, they often become quickly disheartened and quit easily. Transitioning to a healthy lifestyle can bring about feelings of fatigue, nausea, headache, vomiting, skin irritation, diarrhea, bloating, irritability, joint pain, depression and so on.

Unless practitioners begin to experience some benefits quickly, it’s difficult to get them to practice these new healthy living habits for the long-term. Changes that may take months (or even years), such as a careful eating plan, may develop more quickly as part of a properly supervised fast. The importance of a safe and supportive fasting environment cannot be more greatly valued as it’s a key component in keeping people on the wellness journey; once people begin to reach their potential they are more likely to maintain a lifelong commitment to healthy living.

If you’re ready to begin your own wellness journey under the supervision of a certified and passionate fasting coach, reach out to us at Vietnam Detox today at www.vietnamdetox.com or dieter@vietnamdetox.com for more information.

Đánh tan nỗi sợ khi dịp lễ đến

ĐÁNH TAN NỖI SỢ KHI DỊP LỄ ĐẾN

Tăng cân, thiếu ngủ, uể oải, mất năng lượng… là tình trạng thường xuyên diễn ra sau các dịp nghỉ dài ngày, đặc biệt là cuối năm.

HÁO HỨC VÀ LO LẮNG

Tháng 12 đến tháng 1 hằng năm là thời điểm nhiều người trông đợi. Đây là dịp có nhiều ngày nghỉ lễ Tết nhất năm. Kết thúc năm cũ, bắt đầu năm mới nên ai cũng hân hoan với tâm trạng phấn khởi. Nhưng vòng tuần hoàn của thời gian cũng mang đến những bài học đắt giá.

Theo báo cáo của Tổng cục Thống kê, trong tháng đầu năm 2017, cả nước tiêu thụ gần 322 triệu lít bia, tăng hơn 9% so với cùng kỳ 2016. Tiêu thụ thuốc lá điếu tháng 1/2017 cũng ghi nhận đạt gần 419 triệu bao, tăng 0,6% so với cùng kỳ. Thời gian này trùng với dịp Tết. Thông tin cho thấy nhu cầu uống bia và hút thuốc lá tăng mạnh trong thời điểm này. Đây cũng hai trong số các thủ phạm dẫn đến những vấn đề gây căng thẳng cho cơ thể sau các ngày nghỉ.

Nhiều chị em bắt đầu suy sụp khi phát hiện cân nặng tăng chóng mặt, quần áo mặc chật nít, cơ thể nặng nề. Các anh phát hiện bụng ngày càng phình to, mắt thâm quầng vì các cuộc vui thâu đêm suốt sáng.

Không muốn hoặc khó khăn khi trở lại với công việc và nhịp sống bình thường là tình trạng chung sau khi hết Tết, hết lễ. Tuy nhiên, cuộc sống vẫn tiếp diễn và mọi người phải trở lại với thực tế. Vì thế, nỗi lo sau mỗi dịp nghỉ dài ngày thường ám ảnh mọi người.

Không chỉ liên quan đến vấn đề cân nặng, sức bền để trở lại với công việc, sức khỏe của bạn sẽ bị tác động rất nhiều bởi các thói quen trong những ngày này. Sức khỏe cần nhiều thời gian để chăm sóc nhưng có thể bị ảnh hưởng rất nhanh bởi các tác nhân không tốt vào dịp lễ.

Thiếu vận động, thiếu nghỉ ngơi, nạp quá nhiều đồ ăn thức uống khiến cơ thể trở nên quá tải. Điều này tất yếu dẫn đến những căn bệnh phổ biến như rối loạn tiêu hóa, tiêu chảy, gan nhiễm mỡ, cao huyết áp, các bệnh về đường hô hấp… Với những người bệnh mãn tính như tim mạch, cao huyết áp, đái tháo đường, béo phì, viêm loét dạ dày, tá tràng… nếu không đặc biệt cẩn thận và kiêng cữ có thể khiến bệnh tình trầm trọng hơn.

CHUẨN BỊ CHO MÙA NGHỈ LỄ KHỎE KHOẮN

Tất cả những nỗi lo trên hoàn toàn có thể kiểm soát. Nếu có kế hoạch chuẩn bị, bạn sẽ vừa có ngày nghỉ nhiều niềm vui nhưng vẫn khỏe khoắn và nhiều năng lượng để trở lại với công việc ngay sau đó.

Bạn không cần phải từ chối những bữa tiệc, các cuộc vui, những món ăn và thức uống ngon. Bạn chỉ cần kiểm soát và cân bằng bằng cách lắng nghe cơ thể. Khi cảm thấy no và đầy bụng, đừng cố ăn hay uống thêm bởi dấu hiệu đã cho thấy cần dừng lại. Khi thức quá khuya mà vẫn chưa thấy buồn ngủ, cũng hãy dành thời gian ngơi nghỉ bởi mỗi người đều cần giấc ngủ để tồn tại và cơ thể cần khoảng thời gian này để nạp lại năng lượng. Hãy dành một chút thời gian mỗi ngày vận động cơ thể, thiền hoặc hít thở thật sâu để thư giãn cơ thể và tâm hồn.

Bạn cũng có thể tham gia khóa detox của chúng tôi vào thời gian từ 18-21/1 tới tại Edensee Resort & Spa, Đà Lạt. Trong khóa fasting 4 ngày, Vietnam Detox sẽ mang đến cho bạn trải nghiệm mới về chăm sóc sức khỏe từ trong ra ngoài. Phương pháp fasting thải độc cơ thể với sự kết hợp giữa các loại nước ép trái cây tốt cho sức khỏe và vận động, thư giãn tâm hồn có thể giúp bạn chuẩn bị cho một mùa nghỉ lễ lành mạnh, khỏe khoắn và không sợ tăng cân.

Trong suốt thời gian tham gia chương trình, bạn sẽ hòa mình vào thiên nhiên trong lành của thành phố xinh đẹp Đà Lạt. Trải nghiệm đi bộ đường dài (hiking) qua những ngọn núi hoang sơ sẽ giúp bạn không chỉ khỏe khoắn mà còn thanh lọc tâm hồn khỏi cuộc sống thường ngày. Bên cạnh đó, các bài tập yoga, thái cực quyền kết hợp massage mang đến những liệu pháp thư giãn cho cơ thể.

Dieter Buchner – huấn luyện viên của Vietnam Detox sẽ hướng dẫn bạn những cách chọn lọc thức ăn tốt cho cơ thể, những liệu trình chăm sóc sức khỏe phù hợp cũng như hướng dẫn cách làm nước ép để bạn có thể thực hành ngay tại nhà. Ông có bằng huấn luyện viên fasting tại Học viện Fasting Đức (German Fasting Academy), chứng nhận về massage tại Thái Lan và Hawaii (Mỹ), dành rất nhiều thời gian để nghiên cứu về cơ thể con người và lối sống. Với kinh nghiệm của mình, Dieter mong muốn có thể giúp mọi ngươi sống khỏe hơn và lành mạnh hơn.

Chúng tôi mong muốn trở thành người đồng hành của bạn không chỉ riêng trong khóa detox mà cả quá trình bạn sống sau đó. Với từng thể trạng và kỳ vọng của mỗi cá nhân, Vietnam Deotx có thể giúp bạn thiết kế một kế hoạch chăm sóc cơ thể phù hợp trong dịp lễ và cả ngày bình thường để sống khỏe hơn, lành mạnh hơn nhưng vẫn không bỏ qua những cuộc vui của đời người.

Get in touch

We look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions about our retreats just give us a call or send us an email.

Tel. +84 9350 902 88 (Vietnamese, English)
Tel. +84 9326 393 27 (English, French, German)
Email. info@vietnamdetox.com

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