ADHD

HOW STRONG IS THE EGG ?

Correct biochemical balance in our children help increase their resilience, balancing the impact from environmental factors

Have you ever seen a chick emerge from within its egg? The yellow and fluffy, soft and very cute little ball popping into the world.

Recently I read a quote by Jim Kwik, an expert in memory improvement, brain optimisation, and accelerated learning (Jim Kwik has a lot of interesting knowledge to share, so check him out if you do not know him yet). The quote reads:

“If an egg is broken by an outside force, life ends. If broken by an inside force, life begins. Great things always begin from the inside.”

What a fantastic analogy for our children, and especially for kids with Autism or other neurodiversity. Wouldn’t you agree?

Every child needs the strength, energy, and a certain level of resilience in their body to respond to outside stimuli in the right, healthy way. Inside capacity should correlate with outside effort; yin and yang; push and pull! Otherwise, the stronger external force will cause an imbalance and, consequently, a blockage.

Sometimes parents provide lots of positive external factors to support their child in the best possible way, but, for some reason, the child is not fully responsive to those stimuli. For example, you want your child to have better focus, be less hyperactive, process information better and attain better results at school. Right? With this goal in mind, as a caring, and loving parent, you may take your child to different activities, therapies, and educational programmes. But the child is only partially responding to all of your efforts. They improve a little bit, but then, no further breakthrough! Why?

Because the effort from outside exceeds the effort, or rather your child’s capacity to react, from inside.

Nowadays our kids often have low energy levels. They do not have enough essential minerals and other nutrients like essential fatty acids, amino acids, antioxidants, and vitamins. Their mitochondria do not work at full capacity to produce enough energy for optimal functioning, healing and learning. Our kids are full of different toxins that their bodies spend too much energy on trying to get rid of, to detox. Our children simply do not have enough internal strength to be able to react properly to the great activities they are being exposed to. Our children are, consequently, very sensitive and instead shut themselves down to feel protected from any stimuli (positive and negative).

Since our kids are so delicate and vulnerable, too much of a good thing could be TOO MUCH for them. Have you noticed this as well? We need to be careful to not break their “egg” with our outside force.

So, how can we generate better inside force, boost the energy level, and increase the resilience level of our kids? The answer is to RESTORE THEIR BIOCHEMICAL BALANCE by addressing malnourishment, dysbiosis, detoxification, and oxidative stress. Let’s help our kids gain the internal strength to better respond to an enriched external environment. Our kids need balance in their internal environment so that they can easily step out of their “protective state”, break out from their “eggshell” into reality, into your parental loving and supportive hands, into this world. Let us remember that “great things always begin from the inside.”

How strong is the egg — The impact of external and internal factors can be balanced out

My simple, yet very effective method could help to identify exactly if your child requires additional internal strength to step out of their ‘eggshell.’ Contact me to discuss how we can restore the biochemical balance in your child.

Book a free discovery call through my website: https://dririnaschurov.com/

Picture by Irina Schurov, photo by Paige Cody on Unsplash

Embracing Real Neurodiversity: Understanding the Body-Brain Connection

What is neurodiversity and why are we talking about it?

In recent years, the discussion surrounding neurodiversity has become increasingly prominent.

It’s important to emphasize that neurodiversity includes a wide range of conditions, including but not limited to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), learning disorders, sensory processing disorders, and various others.
These days, from social media conversations to academic discussions, people are recognizing and celebrating the unique ways in which our brains function.
And this dynamic is understandable, especially given the stark statistics that illustrate the rapid growth in the number of individuals diagnosed with various neurodiversity conditions. For example, since 2000, autism prevalence has surged by a staggering 178%. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States, approximately 1 in 36 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). At the same time, we are also observing a steady increase in the number of children exhibiting learning differences. For instance, according to the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), dyslexia affects approximately 15-20% of the population. Additionally, it is estimated that between 5% to 20% of children demonstrate symptoms of dysgraphia. Such statistics highlight the significant prevalence of neurodiversity in our society today.

It is, therefore, crucial to understand all factors that influence neurodiverse children’s functioning, enabling us to provide sufficient support and resources for them to excel academically and socially, and to maintain good health.

A holistic view of neurodiversity! Bottom of Form

So, let’s take a holistic view, a bigger picture of neurodiversity!
I propose that we not only focus on the external experiences and how neurodiverse children react to outside triggers and their behaviours but let us also consider the internal factors that influence their actions from inside of their bodies.
This includes understanding the internal triggers these children may face, such as various allergies, sensitivities, infections, gastrointestinal issues like indigestion and constipation, sleep disturbances like insomnia, and many others.
Seeing the bigger picture and understanding this holistic perspective can guide us in providing more effective support to help our neurodiverse children thrive.

Body-brain connection.

First of all, in most of this conversation about neurodiversity, it’s crucial to remember one fundamental truth: our brains do not operate in isolation. Instead, they are intricately connected to the rest of our body’s physiological, biochemical, metabolic, and emotional functions. Through updated scientific findings and practical experience, it’s becoming increasingly evident that approximately 80% of neurodiversity symptoms (approximately 80%) are influenced or even rooted in chronic dysfunctions within the body.
As someone who closely interacts with neurodiverse children, I witness the reality of neurodiversity first-hand. Through this experience, I’ve come to understand neurodiversity as a complex interplay of body-brain imbalances that contribute to the diverse ways in which children think and behave.

The following observations further support my statement:

Research shows that up to 90% of neurodivergent individuals experience various digestive issues, selective eating habits, dysbiosis, and elevated levels of toxicity in the body.
The majority of neurodiverse children have compromised immunity and heightened sensitivities, including sensory issues.
Scientific findings and personal practice demonstrate that at least 50% of children diagnosed with various neurological conditions encounter additional challenges such as oral malfunction and delays in achieving physical milestones. These problems can be linked to the retention of primary reflexes, which may further exacerbate their cognitive and motor development.
Many individuals within the neurodiverse community demonstrate chronic inflammation in both the body and brain, alongside elevated levels of oxidative stress and impaired detoxification processes.

It is, therefore, evident that neurodiverse children deal with a range of health and developmental challenges, all of which impact their behaviour and performance, and consequently, contribute to the symptoms of neurodiversity.

Overlap among neurological conditions.

Seeing the bigger picture and viewing neurodiversity as a complex interplay of body-brain imbalances, is further supported by the significant overlap observed among various neurological conditions that fall under the neurodiversity umbrella. This includes different diagnoses such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and others.
As an illustration, half of individuals diagnosed with ASD also meet the criteria for ADHD. Additionally, ASD can overlap with social anxiety disorder in up to 30% of cases, and up to 10% with panic disorder.
So, instead of only concentrating on specific diagnoses and external symptoms, it’s imperative to recognize the shared biochemical and physiological imbalances that underlie many overlapping neurological conditions under the neurodiversity umbrella.

Factors that influence neurodiversity development.

We’re also aware that research suggests up to 30% of neurodiversity symptoms may be linked to genetic factors. However, the remaining 70% of neurodiversity symptoms originate from various epigenetic influences such as environmental pollutants and lifestyle choices—all of which are modifiable and can be changed. This understanding presents a significant opportunity for us to influence body-brain imbalances and foster normalized functions at the cellular, organ, and systemic levels.

So, what does it mean?

Taken together, thanks to numerous breakthroughs in science, we now have the opportunity to identify and address a multitude of factors that influence the scope of neurodiversity. By addressing the root causes of body dysfunctions, we hold the power to improve the landscape of neurodiversity!
This perspective might not sit well with everyone, especially in a society that champions acceptance and inclusivity. And that’s okay. It’s important to have open discussions and consider different viewpoints to find the best ways to support neurodiverse children. While values like acceptance are undoubtedly crucial, it’s also vital to understand that supporting neurodiverse individuals involves more than just accepting them.

Summary.

In conclusion, understanding the intricate connection between the body and brain is paramount in our approach to neurodiversity. By adopting a holistic methodology that looks into the root causes and triggers contributing to the manifestation of neurodiversity, we open up the opportunity to truly embrace REAL neurodiversity. This involves looking beyond surface-level symptoms and exploring the underlying physiological, biochemical, and environmental factors that contribute to neurodiverse experiences.
By addressing these contributing factors comprehensively, we can foster a more inclusive and supportive environment that celebrates the unique talents and perspectives of neurodiverse individuals.
I really hope that looking at neurodiversity from a different angle will get people talking more openly about it.

Photo: Photo by Hiki App on Unsplash

SET UP YOUR SUCCESSFUL DAY IN THE MORNING

“My morning is absolutely hectic!”

“I do not have any time in the morning to do any extra things. It is just impossible!”

“We run as chickens in the morning, everyone is stressed out and I just keep thinking how to don not forget something and leave home at time for school and work.”

Does it sound familiar to you? Do you experience the same challenges in the morning?

Many people I work with and coach often express this exactly opinion. However, our morning routine is VERY IMPORTANT as it is setting up our energy, metabolism and attitude for a whole day! Our morning is a gate to our success or failure during a whole day.

You probably heard many times that all successful people have a certain routine in the morning that they follow religiously as they perfectly understand that only this way, they can achieve much more during their day and therefore during their life.

So, this is true for everyone. And it is especially important for our children who are sensitive to many things, have variety learning and developmental challenges and differences. Just think about it!

Children often afraid of the unknown things. This can be new food on their plate or moving to a new class or school. So, then more predictable their morning is, then calmer kids will be. Their morning will be less stressful, more nourishing and encouraging and therefore, more productive.

What the morning routine could looks like?

Waking up to a nice energising music. During wintertime you may consider a light lamp that mimics sunrise that helps the body receives enough light to build a biochemical response to ease the waking up process.
Having a glass of water on empty stomach (lemon water is better) will help further to wake up body and importantly, the digestive system. You can prepare it from the evening. Put it on the bed side table that you and child remember it.
Washing and brushing teeth can be a challenging process for some children. You can do it together with your child. It will be more fun; you can show her how you do it and lead by example!
Stretching exercise, small jumps together around room, dry brushing for 2-5 mins will help further wake up the body, increase blood and lymph circulation, prepare digestive system to work.
Breakfast is very important! It sets up the glucose level in the blood and provides energy to our kids that they can better focus and concentrate in the school. It should contain some protein! Avoid sweet, processed food! Porridge, home-made granola, eggs, whole flour pancakes, seeds, nuts, home-made yogurt or smoothie, all these will provide a variety of essential nutrients that provide stable energy level till lunch time. But how you eat your breakfast is very important as well! Spending some time together around table, allowing your kids to make some certain choices are empowering practice. For example, your child can choose what he wants to sprinkle on top of his porridge today: fresh berries, raisons, chia seeds, crashed almonds… Choice is her! Making positive associations between food and activities helps child to accept food you propose, recognize the value in it and setting up his intention toward activities. For, example you can say that porridge helps to do math’s test faster or smoothie helps to play football better.
Eating together even for 10 mins and talking about a day ahead in a positive way, sets up the right attitude, wining mindset for a whole day. You can diffuse some peppermint or cinnamon essential oils (motivation blend) in the room during the morning. Highly sensitive children especially will positively respond to this.
Dressing up can be a challenge as well. If you discuss and prepare things child will wear from the evening, would help to avoid uncertainty and conflict in the morning.
Check all things that child needs to take to school. Together you can create the check list that can be colorful, descriptive and very visible as you child likes. You can put it on the door and before she lives the house you can together check if you have everything with you.

To implement such routine that takes 40-60 mins needs some practice and patience. But once you and your child master it, you will see enormous benefit of it. So, holiday season can be an excellent opportunity to start to practice it, implement some element

Any routine brings comfort and consistency to a child’s life, reducing number of micro-stresses l and increases a level of performance. Knowing what comes next, helps your child to reduce anxiety and boost self-confidence.

With a routine, a child will learn what she is supposed to do next and start doing it by her selves, gaining independence and get better with her time management. The visual plan of the morning routine or morning routine chart may help to some kids to move through the morning.

Here three tips how to start to implement this routine in your life:

Prepare many things from the evening:

- What to wear
- What to eat (soaking porridge, making butter for pancakes and so on)
- Prepare main things for the lunch box

Get up at least 30 min before children to set up your own positive intentions for a day, do your affirmations, to have you me-time, do your meditation.
If you feel frustrated at some point and want to yell, you rather whisper and talk very quietly. This will help you remember to use a calm voice rather than raising your voice or yelling. This will help to keep anxiety under control and it would have much bigger impact on your child.

I hope you get some ideas how to create a calmer and more productive morning routine that will lead a whole family to a successful day.

However, it still may be a challenge for parents who have kids with Autism. These families are facing another level of complexity for everything. Recognising this, I would be happy to assist anyone who needs an extra help.

Please, contact me for more details: irina@liveright.eu

CAN YOU READ YOUR SYMPTOMS?

Do you ever experience random headaches or migraines? Do you ever feel as though your tongue is swelling when you eat certain food? Or maybe you have skin rashes, eczema, diarrhea, itchy eyes, runny nose or congestions? When noticing such symptoms, many of us simply assume them to be seasonal allergies or caused by other minor reasons. However, one of the explanations behind such symptoms can be a condition called histamine intolerance.

What is Histamin Intolerance?

Histamine is a natural compound that can be found in different food containing the amino acid “histidine”. In addition to this, however, it is also an important amine produced by different cells of the immune, gastrointestinal and neurologic systems. Histamine is actually a signaling molecule that communicates information between cells and receptors in the body, stimulating many different processes.

A few other Histamine functions:

It is an element of the immune system and the body’s inflammatory reaction, making it a part of our protective mechanism against infection, insect bites etc.
It also works as a neurotransmitterin the brain and controls the sleep-wake cycle.
It regulates physiological functions in the gut and the production of gastric acid.

In a healthy person, once histamine has done its job, it is broken down by certain enzymes. In some cases, however, the body may be unable to deal with the histamine that it has generated or consumed. The enzymes may not be able to break down the molecule for a number of reasons, such as genetic mutation, reduced amount of enzyme activity, nutrient deficiency or simply an imbalance between the consumption of histamine-rich food or food that naturally blocks enzymes.

Interestingly, one of these important enzymes called DAO is produced in the gut. So, if intestinal function is compromised there may not be enough DAO to degrade the histamine normally. This is why, very often, people who have an issue with their gastrointestinal systems are also prone to other symptoms representing histamine intolerance.

Nowadays, it is also becoming evident that children with autism have a tendency towards histamine intolerance. Because the brain has cells that trigger the release of histamine as a response to neurotensin, this can cause autoinflammation leading to headaches, ‘brain fog’, and other neurological symptoms so often associated with ASD.

Note that histamine intolerance is not a true food allergy since it comes from the body’s inability to clear the cumulative buildup of histamine. Because of this, the symptoms may not be immediate and it may, therefore, be difficult to identify a particular food as the trigger. As the mechanism of histamine intolerance is different from any food allergy and is not mediated by antibody IgE, a standard allergy test will not able to recognise it.

If you think you may have histamine intolerance, a food diary is the essential tool necessary for exploring this possibility further.

You need to monitor the following:

Food rich in histamine
Food releasing histamine
DAO enzyme inhibitors such as alcohol, tea (black, green, mate), and various energy drinks

Food rich in histamine:

Fermented food: sauerkraut, kombucha, fermented dairy including yogurt, kefir, sour cream, soy sauce, fish sauce
Vinegar and Vinegar-containing food: pickles, olives, mustard
Cured meats: bacon, salami, hot dogs, sausage
Aged, dried, jerky, smoked and less fresh meat and fish, as well as anchovies and mackerel
Aged cheese
Nuts: Peanuts, walnuts, and cashews
Vegetables: avocados, mushrooms, aubergine, spinach, and dried tomatoes and tomato sauce
Dried fruit and citrus fruit
Long/slow simmered and roasted food: such as bone broths and pot roasts
Fermented alcohol: wine, beer, brandy, port, sherry, rum, champagne
Probiotic supplements

Food releasing histamine:

Bananas
Chocolate
Alcohol
Milk
Nuts and peanuts
Fruit: Papaya, Pineapple, Strawberries
Tomatoes
Shellfish
Artificial preservatives and dyes

If you notice a correlation between the consumption of the above products and your symptoms, I would suggest:

Trying a temporary low histamine diet.
Working on supporting and strengthening your immune system.
Working on your gut health.
Look into supplement support with your practitioner.
Adjusting your cooking methods to lower the levels of histamine in your food (cook your broth for a shorter period of time, avoid slow cooked food, eat fresh meat instead of frozen and avoid leftovers).

Should you have any questions or feedback, please email me your comments!

Irina

Photo by Alex Guillaume

“UNDIET” YOURSELF THIS YEAR AND GO WILD!

At the beginning of each new year, many people set themselves a variety of objectives, such as aiming to follow a specific diet as a part of their healthy eating plan. This is a wonderful initiative! Have you tried it before? Which particular diet did you try adopting? Vegan, Keto, Raw Food diet, Intermediate Fasting? Let me know how it went! The trouble is that many people give up on these resolutions very quickly, determining the specific diet attempted to be ineffective and seeing no point in continuing with it or trying it again. However, the truth is that the diet in question may not work for you simply because it is not the right eating pattern for your body at this current moment in time.

Each diet addresses specific health issues or eating needs. It is, therefore impossible to decide which specific diet you may need and how long you should follow it, without first understanding your own symptoms. Once your body’s needs have been addressed, the eating plan should be adjusted accord to your personal response. However, if you were to explore all the different diets, you would notice one factor common to them all – each diet suggests replacing eating rubbish with eating real food! This fundamental principle of eating healthy is encoded deep in our human genetics.

Therefore, today, I would like to share with you a very simple 7-step solution that will help you improve your health without needing to adopt any particular diet. So, here is your Healthy UNDIET Guide to fundamental and essential changes for the better!

“Eat real” as much as you can!

Simply do not buy any processed food, including sauces, biscuits and tinned products. You can start gently, reducing little by little, and eventually aim to eat 100% whole food that you know was made in your kitchen! This will help eliminate any unwanted components, that happen to be toxic, from your body and raise awareness about food and its nutritional value.

“Eat wild” and organic as much as possible!

Nowadays we mostly eat modified food that looks good and tastes better, but that, unfortunately, has lost many of its healing properties and contains fewer nutrients. For example, wild blueberries are much smaller and less sweet than big, commercially produced berries. However, despite their lesser size, they actually contain more useful micronutrients!

Drink more water!

This sounds very easy, yet, how many of us drink at least 2 litres of water a day, especially during the winter? Water is essential for the digestion, detoxification, energy level maintenance, healthy skin, blood pressure control and so much more.

Eat slowly and chew better!

Digestion starts in your mouth. Make sure you swallow properly liquified food. Even when you eat soup, do not rush and take your time ensuring that the enzymes from your saliva have had the chance to do their job in the oral cavity. This way you will also experience more flavours, textures and smells from the meal you eat, allowing you to enjoy it more!

Eat diverse food!

Any single food doesn’t contain all the essential nutrients that we require for health and well-being. Therefore, by eating a diverse, balanced, multicoloured range of ingredients, you can consume the necessary amount of micro-elements for normal body function.

Take a deep breath before you eat!

When you do diaphragmatic breathing 5-10 times before your meal, you reduce your level of stress, improve your digestion and increase your metabolism. Simple, but so powerful.

Stop counting calories!

A calorie is not a measure of health. The quality of the food consumed sets up your metabolism and is much more important than calories. It has been shown that counting calories can actually increase your appetite and cause weight gain.

Therefore, follow these 7 practical steps and let me know how they go! They may take some time to take effect, and that is OK. Work on them one step at the time and be patient! The aim is to live a rich and fulfilling life without any restrictions and to enjoy your food every day.

Please, do not hesitate to contact me for more information, advice or consultation.

Photo by Peter Wendt

Irina

SET YOUR INTERNAL CLOCK FOR GREAT WINTER SEASON

I am sure you have noticed that our days have been getting shorter and that we now experience far less sun light exposure. At this time of year lots of people start to undergo a form of seasonal blues, lack of energy and emotional slumps. People who are especially sensitive to such changes of environment can sometimes be diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Of course, children who experience troubles with learning, concentration, sensory issues and emotional challenges will be even more susceptible to lack of day light. For example, it was shown that deficiency of sun light can potentially lead Asperger’s children to have low self-esteem, feel disappointment, isolation, mood swings and a lack of motivation. Consequently, while everyone feels the shortage of light exposure, we all tolerate and adapt to it in different ways.

From a biological perspective, as the seasons shift, our bodies experience certain biochemical changes, which are absolutely normal! Although humans aren’t as seasonal as animals and we do not hibernate in the winter, environmental changes have a clear impact on our biology!

Our master clock, located in the hypothalamus, responds to light by secreting certain hormones such as serotonin, which helps the body to feel awake, alert and satisfied. When it is dark, serotonin is converted to melatonin, making the body feel sleepy. It is for this reason that lack of day light causes hormonal imbalance, leading to many troublesome consequences, including sleep disorders, behavioral problems, hormonal imbalances and stress. To summarise; HUMANS’ ARE VERY DEPENDENT ON LIGHT!

Have you noticed that during the winter we try to compensate for our low levels of serotonin by reaching for comfort food and eating lots of carbohydrates and sweets? This gives us instant but fleeting satisfaction, which passes quickly and leaves us with long-term consequences such as elevated levels of blood glucose, extra weight, irritability and insulin imbalance.

Here is a quick check list of typical signs of SAD:

Depressed mood, low energy during the day
Anxiety or irritation, not handling stress well
Feeling lethargic and sleeping more than usual
Difficulty to concentrate and focus
Preferring to stay alone, less socializing
Craving for easy carbohydrates and sweets
Feeling a need for a sunlight

So, how can we prepare for this year’s winter? Here is a short list of changes you can implement into your routine, to ensure you experience a pleasant and energetic few months!

1) BALANCED DIET

Research has shown that the Mediterranean variety of diet lowers our chances of depression. Therefore, make sure you focus on oily organic fish like salmon, sardines, trout, mackerel, anchovies and seafood. Small amounts of good quality meat, together with organic dairy products (if you tolerate them) and eggs also reduce the odds of developing depression. This way you can get your fat-soluble, and absolutely health essential, vitamins A, D and K as well as vitamin B12, which is individually associated with combating depression and anxiety.

Consume plenty of nutrient-dense food like leafy greens and multicolored vegetables, including a few starchy products such as sweet potatoes and beetroot. Nuts, seeds, beans and lentils provide many necessary microelements as well.

A healthy gut helps our body to adapt to any stress, including seasonal changes. So, do not forget to eat fermented food like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, kombucha, and many others containing active live cultures.

By eating easily digestible food, such as fermented food, gluten-free food, cooked vegetables, bone broth, you save your body lots of energy, which you may need for other activities.

Additionally, turmeric is a fantastic product! I always say this because it is always true, and, in this case, my comment is especially relevant as turmeric has been proven to help with depression symptoms. Other spices like chili powder, saffron, vanilla, cloves, sage, nutmeg and black pepper also help fight depression and get your mood and activities back on track.

Do not forget to indulge yourself with a small bit of dark chocolate. Not a candy bar or milk chocolate; I’m talking about high-quality, 85% dark of higher, pure cocoa packed with potent and brilliant antioxidant polyphenol.

Notice that if you eat all of the above and minimize the amount of sugar and easy carbohydrates, such as bread, cookies, etc. you traditionally consume, you will not gain extra weight!

Please, remember that any dietary recommendation you apply must be based on your own individual response and food sensitivity profile!

2) CONSIDER SUPPLEMENTATION

Fish oil supplementation is a good way to ensure you consume a sufficient amount of both vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids. The positive effects of EPA and DHA fatty acids and Vitamin D on brain health and general mood have been extensively demonstrated. I would, however, recommend checking your vitamin D levels with a blood test before increasing the amount of vitamin D you consume, as overdosing on vitamin D is not very healthy! Vitamin D is complementary with other fat-soluble vitamins (A and K) that work together for heart, bone, and immune health. You may consider supplementing them as well! Vitamin B12 may be another option to consider to keep your energy level and anxiety under control.

3) OTHER CHANGES TO IMPLEMENT

Go outside every day even if it is chilly and raining and try to expose your arms and chest to the sun (if it is not too cold) for a few minutes to top up your level of vitamin D. Spending time outdoors helps fight our internal inclination to hibernate, restoring our mood and energy levels.
Respect the natural day pattern as much as you can and make sure you go to bed earlier, as during the winter we need longer rest periods. No need to feel guilty for going to bed when you are tired! At the same time, make sure you maintain a steady sleep routine. Do not ingest any caffeine six hours before bed and avoid bright lights and screens in the late evening. Remember that even 5 minutes of white light can stop your melatonin production for 4 hours and can spoil the quality of your sleep.
Consider Light therapy. Simply choose a lamp that illuminates at 10,000 lux and filters all UV light and set it up in your bedroom. You can configure the light for the morning, at least 30 min before your alarm goes off, so that your body receives enough light to build a biochemical response to ease your waking up process. Keep the lamp around you for another 30-60 min in the morning. You can do another 30 – 60 min in the afternoon if you feel your body needs it but avoid such light exposure in the evening. SAD lamps emit strong light, so be careful not to look directly into the bulbs!
Look for other ways to improve your mood.
Enjoy sitting by the fire if you have a fire place or lighting candles during long evenings, to provide yourself with additional emotional balance and stability
Read an interesting book
Do your favourite sport or activity and don’t forget to find time to meet your friends.
Meditation if a very powerful tool for bringing depressive thoughts under control.
Saunas help many people feel better by warming up their body temperature.
Essential oils can provide good support for focusing, concentration and energy levels. Enjoy aromas of basil, lavender, bergamot, frankincense and geranium to lift your mood and energy.

Note that THE BEST RESULTS ARE ACHIEVED WHEN YOU IMPLEMENT COMBINATIONS OF THE ABOVE STEPS AS OPPOSED TO JUST ONE.

I hope this post helps you and your loved ones prepare for this traditionally melancholy season! By implementing these steps try instead to enjoy this time of year, and all the warmth, comfort, and pleasure it brings, instead of experiencing a lack of energy and concentration, depression and anxiety and a stagnation in all your activities.

Please, share your thoughts and feedback, send me your comments: irina@liveright.eu

Photo by Oliver Hihn on Unsplash

Best Ways to Improve Your Child’s Concentration And Learning!

Naturally, as parents, we all want our children to be smart, do well in school and achieve their best in life. It is also obvious that to accomplish any task children need to be able to focus their attention for a certain period of time, process the information given in the most efficient way, listen and be able to follow instructions. We have all been through this process and know that sometimes it is not as straight forward as it sounds. Nowadays especially, more and more kids find this learning process challenging, a fact which depends on many different factors! If children are over-tired, over-stimulated, over-loaded with information; if they are not sufficiently motivated or interested, they are not going to focus well on the task of learning. As adults we also experience this very often! However, some children due to their physiology, psychology and life style habits have more pronounced difficulties with concentration and the ability to follow a certain task. And this is the reality of our modern life. On average, there are 3 children who have an attention deficit disorder in every classroom of 30 students (10-11%). And this number is getting bigger every year. There are even many children who do not have an official diagnosis, but nevertheless find it difficult to cope with the learning process. Luckily, there are many things that can be done at home to improve your children’s concentration and to support their learning process, so that they can enjoy it rather than suffer through it. In fact, adults also benefit hugely from these adjustments.

Obviously, sleep is a huge factor. If we do not sleep enough, do not restore our energy during the night and our body doesn’t have enough time to rest, detox and regenerate itself, we will not be able to focus and perform well the next day! This is even more true for children! They need at least 9 hours of quality sleep to restore themselves. Certainly, exercise is super important. It helps to normalise children’s emotional state, allows them to relax, oxygenates their body and brain and improve the metabolism and the absorption of good nutrients from food. Of course, you need to understand which activities help your child to focus and process information better. It can be a visual or a listening activity, hands-on activity or a combination of all of them.

However, I want to focus on nutritional support for your child, which is the FUNDAMENTAL CAUSE OF BEHAVIOR including the whole learning process. From birth and until three years old, a child’s brain undergoes phenomenal changes, producing 700 new neuronal connections every second! By the age of six the brain is 95% of its adult weight and is at the peak of its energy consumption. During the teenage period, the brain is shaping itself, neuronal connections are being established, the fatty tissue surrounding neurons is increasing and determines a certain speed for electrical impulses and communications in the brain. All of these development processes, which are so vital for brain, require huge energy and nutritional recourses! If any of these fundamental biochemical activities in the developing brain are compromised due to lack of “building material” which comes from food, the child’s concentration, memory and mental capacity in general will be negatively affected. Therefore, NOURISHING FOOD FOR THE BRAIN IS EESENTIAL. Our brain is the hungriest organ, using 20% of the body’s total energy, and the fattiest organ, consisting of 60% fat, in our body! That is why smart fats are absolutely essential for healthy brain development and function. I can still remember from my childhood the brown bottle with a yellow cartoon character on it, containing a fish oil which we had to take every day. I simply hated it, but now I really appreciate this habit we had, and thank you to my parents who insisted on my taking it every day. Fish oil is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which play a key role in cognitive functions such as memory, concentration and behavior in both children and adults. Low levels of DHA have been linked to brain developmental disorders in children. Therefore, unless your children eat a good portion of organic, wild, fatty fish 2-3 times a week, it would be wise to supplement them with fish oil. Other fats are also crucial for keeping the brain working. A diverse healthy diet should contain good quality olive oil, coconut oil, organic butter or ghee, seeds and nuts and avocado.

The brain and the body of your children require a sufficient amount of proteins to build and repair cells and chemical messengers in the brain. Protein-rich food such as meat, poultry, fish, legume and dairy products supply amino acids, the building blocks for enzymes, neurotransmitters, other chemical messengers and many other molecules and tissues. The brain development can be severely effected in malnourished children with a protein deficiency.

Fruits and vegetables are an absolute MUST food for brain health and overall well-being. They fill the body of our children with vital vitamins, micronutrients and antioxidants for healthy brain function. Make sure that your children consume a variety of different vegetables, fruits and berries every day. Each colour represents the presence of a unique set of phytonutrients in the food that are required by the brain to develop and work properly. So, the more colours, then more different essential phytonutrients your children will receive and benefit from. My favorites for brain function are avocado, beetroot, broccoli, kale, blueberries, apples and plums.

Seeds and nuts need to be a part of your children’s daily eating plan. Many parents are actually afraid of giving nuts to their kids as they belong to a group of food which often causes allergies. However, before excluding anything from a diet, I really would advise you to be certain of any specific allergies and then eliminating allergens from your children’s diet.

YOU SHOULD ONLY ELIMINATE PRODUCTS THAT CAUSE ALLERGIC REACTIONS IN YOUR CHILD! Do not leave out other nuts, a very important source of protein, essential fatty acids vitamins and microelements that boost healthy development and function of the nervous system.

Whole grains regulate your children’s glucose level and keep it steady so that kids can focus and concentrate better. So, brown and wild rice, oats, barley, millet, buckwheat, quinoa will provide a good meal that will keep your child in good learning shape.

Vitamin B12 plays an especially important role in healthy brain and nerve development in infants. Research shows that a deficiency of this nutrient can lead to behavior and development problems in children and depression in adults. Vitamin B12 is present in animal food sources and that is why a vegetarian diet is not recommended for young children.

I also want to separately mention iron. An iron deficiency is very common nowadays, yet, iron is an absolutely vital nutrient that helps your children to focus and perform well. Iron is found in food like red meat, liver, beans, spinach, egg yolk, prunes and artichokes.

And of course, eating breakfast and drinking enough water are MUST steps for your children.

But what we simply do not realise, is that even when we follow a good, healthy diet, our body may not benefit from it in full. Our children may simply not digest and absorb the vital nutrients from the healthy food we provide them well enough. So, it is crucial to make sure that your children’s digestive system works well! Notice if your kids have any discomfort or even pain after a meal or certain food, if they refuse to eat specific products or develop a habit of picky eating! Closely monitor the state and consistency of your children’s stool. Observe if there is any bloating or particularly smelly gases; any particular dry skin conditions or eczema. All those symptoms may suggest dysbiosis, a lack of gut microflora diversity which is necessary for the health and integrity of the digestive system, the support of the immune system and normal brain function. In this case, you need to consider introducing a probiotic to your children and master the art of making delicious fermented foods like, homemade yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables or fish.

All of these tips will work for sure, especially if at the same time you eliminate inflammation provoking, glucose level unbalancing and immune system downregulating food like sugary, processed foods containing additives and colourants. All of the products that can be found in the front rows of our supermarkets, that cry for our attention, that come in bright colourful packaging and shout about how healthy they are, are,in fact, triggering brain blockage in your children, causing a lack of concentration and are simply leading to many health issues and learning difficulties in your children! The more colourful the processed food is, the more sugar, artificial colourants and additives it normally contains.

So, the golden rules to follow are:

NEVER BUY AND GIVE TO YOUR CHILDREN COLOURFUL PROCESSED FOOD! It always contains dangerous additives, preservatives and other unhealthy ingredients. Here is the list of dangerous additives to KEEP AWAY FROM:

COLOURANTS with E Codes: 102, 104, 110, 122, 124, 129

PRESERVATIVES with E Codes: 200-203, 210-213, 220-228, 249-252, 280-283

ANTIOXIDANTS with E Codes: 310-312, 319-321

FLAVOUR ENHANCERS WITH E Codes: 620-625, 627, 631, 635 and also

Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein (HVT) and Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)

AVOID TO BUY AND EAT WHITE FOOD! Forget about buying products like white bread, white pasta, white rice, white sugar, white salt and products containing these ingredients! This is EMPTY food! White means highly processed! These products do not contain any nutrients rather empty calories and lots of hidden harmful ingredients. That being said, products such as natural yogurts, coconut, cashews are exceptions. By implementing this simple rule, you will already be helping your children to stay healthier and focused!

And of course, it is not easy to change eating habits and to find time to spend more time in the kitchen especially if you work and face many other challenges in your life. However, luckily, as parents, we have such great motivation – to give our children great health, help them to learn well and achieve their full potential in life! The best vehicle for achieving this fantastic goal is DIVERSE, FRESH FOOD! It is time to go into the kitchen and to make something wonderful!

As usual, I look forward to receiving your ever valuable questions, comments and feedback: irina@liveright.eu

Is GLUTEN Really Everybody’s Bad Guy?

Today I want to talk about Gluten as recently it has become a popular topic for discussion and debate everywhere. Nowadays in every shop and supermarket we can see some variety of gluten-free products. It has become very “trendy” to try a gluten-free diet and, as a result, gluten-free products are a huge business at the moment. It seems to me that the food industry has found a successful replacement for fat-free and low-fat products which are slowly coming out of fashion after creating many health issues and problems. The gluten free food industry is benefiting from $3.4 billion annually and planning to expand up to $24 billion by 2020. Therefore, it is so important to understand properly gluten and to know if you really need to go on a gluten-free diet and what this diet actually means! Otherwise, in a few years’ time, we will face another health crisis such as the one we are facing years of eating fat-free food.

But talking to many people I have realised that the majority of them do not really understand what a gluten-free diet is about and why they may need to follow it. Let’s have a look.

Gluten is a family of proteins that are found mainly in wheat, rye, barley and oats. And, of course, it is present in all baked foods, bread, pasta, many cereals, sauces, salad dressings, soups, beers, food colouring and many others. Due to its ability to glue, gluten has been used in many personal care products as well. But why has gluten become such an issue? And why have people in the past been eating bread and pasta for generations and yet never faced this issue? The reason is that wheat is not the same today as it used to be. Modern wheat is completely different from the wheat people ate back in the past.

First of all, due to mass production, in the 60s wheat with a much greater yield was developed through cross-breeding and genetic manipulations. This changed the nutrient composition and physical properties of the plant.

Additionally, it is processed very differently nowadays as well. After the separation of the nutritious components of the grain (the bran and germ) away from the endosperm (the starchy part), the wheat received by consumers is depleted in nutrients.

Furthermore, the method of food preparation has also been modified dramatically. New technologies allow a huge amount of refined wheat to be created but at a low cost. The process that was used before, which included steps like soaking, sprouting, fermenting and baking with low rise yeasts, are not in use any longer. Now we eat bread that has been bleached and baked with quick rise yeasts.

At the end of the day we are dealing with a completely different protein that is not well recognised by our body and is very difficult to digest. For example, it has been shown that modern wheat contains 19-28% less Zinc, Copper, Iron and Magnesium than the wheat before 1967(Fan MS et al, Evidence of decreasing mineral density in wheat grain over the last 160 years; J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2008).

So, the bottom line is THE WHEAT WE EAT TODAY IS GENETICALLY AND BIOLOGICALLY DIFFERENT AND IS POORLY TOLERATED BY THE HUMAN BODY.

Gluten intolerance used to only be associated with Celiac disease. This autoimmune condition occurs when an immune system doesn’t recognise certain gluten proteins and attack them as viruses or with pathogenic bacteria. At the same time the immune system attacks the gut lining, which causes huge inflammation, leaky gut and many other serious health conditions. About 1% of the population suffers from Celiac disease, but the real number is bigger as many people are misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. However, another condition called Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity is very much on the rise at the moment with an estimated number of around 8%-10% of the population, and it keeps growing. Interestingly, many people may have certain symptoms of gluten sensitivity and simply do not realise it. So, what are the symptoms of gluten sensitivity that everyone should be aware off. Let’s have a look!

Many different studies have established a profound link between gluten and neurological dysfunctions such as:

Depression and Anxiety
ADHD/ADD
Migraines and headaches
Vertigo
Mood swings

Gluten has also been shown to effect intestinal absorption and also damage other organs that connected to the digestive process. This is causing mineral and vitamin deficiency and causing conditions like:

Leaky gut
Chronic fatigue
Irritable bowel syndrome linked to gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea
Lactose intolerance and other food intolerances
Acid reflux disease (GERD)

However, there are some symptoms that are less associated with gluten and can easily be missed or misinterpreted. For example:

Fatigue due to malabsorption of essential nutrients.
Joint and muscle pain caused by the inflammation process initiated by gluten.
Hormonal imbalance (irregular menstrual cycles, infertility, weight gain or loss) as gluten effects a neuro-hormonal system.
Frequent colds and viral infections as a result of a low immune system.
Skin rashes and even painful blisters that can appear on the arms, elbows, face and body caused by inflammation under the top layer of skin.
Dental issues due to a low level of Calcium because of a malabsorption issue.

As you can clearly see, GLUTEN SENSITIVITY CAUSES MANY DIFFERENT HEALTH PROBLEMS. The best way to test it is to try a REAL gluten-free diet for at least two weeks. But you need to do it RIGHT! This means stay away from any form or shape of gluten, even in the smallest quantities. Prepare for this experiment, list all the products and foods that may contain gluten including hidden forms like in some sauces and soups. Do your research and have a list of alternative products you can include in your diet like buckwheat and quinoa. Please, be careful when you buy gluten-free products in shops. Gluten-free processed food is not the answer, it is still processed food with many harmful additives and preservatives. Many gluten-free products are made from refined products and do not have many micronutrients that are essential for our body. So, the best solution will be to cook at home from raw gluten-free ingredients. The menu planner can be a very helpful tool during this period of time. If you feel better after two weeks on this diet and perhaps some of your symptoms start to go away, you may want to continue the diet a bit longer to make sure it is a gluten dependent effect.

Many people see some differences in their conditions and try to avoid eating wheat after the experiment or at least reduce the amount of gluten in their diet. But the decision is yours! In any case this experiment will be a very positive experience for you as you will start to listen to your body more carefully, notice some changes and reactions to certain foods or its absence, learn new recipes and upgrade your cooking skills! So, ARE YOU READY FOR AN EXPERIMENT?

I will be very happy to hear the results of your experiment with a gluten-free diet and I would be happy to assist you in any way.

As usual, I look forward to receiving your ever valuable questions, comments and feedback: irina@liveright.eu