Last updated on November 22nd, 2024 at 09:25 am
This is my first post since the birth of my beautiful baby daughter. Beauty of course is in the eyes of the beholder. And yet, even after observing the somewhat creepy expression she makes just before soiling her nappy (“soiling” being polite for military grade onslaughts) – as if to warn me of the unpleasant scent to encroach, for all the periodical diaper changing, she remains the Apple of my eye. And with that, I have a confession to make… I am on the cusp of fashioning the infamous “dad-bod”. Coincidental timing perhaps, but as much as I tell myself I still look marginally acceptable in a Polo top, I just don’t. No snapchat filter conceals the effects of an occasional binge. Amusingly the brain power fuelling this post is a can of Red Bull – 11g sugar content might I add. The tagline at the front reading “vitalizes body and mind” goes against the common notion of excess sugar intake being bad for you. But as a Marketing graduate, I would not expect that to be the promotional premise.
After all, health is wealth. Investing in the former will ripen the low hanging fruits of the latter. According to research undertaken by Core; the only UK charity to fund research into gut health, people think about their weight, teeth, sleep and heart ahead of their digestion. In that breath I feel I have a moral obligation to share that I just over-indulged in some iced buns (two to be exact). Therefore, to be blogging about health seems a tad frivolous. Though what are smileyapes if not authentic? And by now this smileyape would like to think there’s an established “safe-place” within the confines of this blog to nurture a dialogue of transparency. Each sentence is a window into my thoughts and behaviours. As I battle against the temptations of excess calorie intake, I remind myself (like a mantra on repeat), “will this help me feel good?”. Unlike the saying, “you can lose the battles but not the war”, I have to reverse engineer – to win the war I must win the battles. Fighting the urge to opt for unhealthy options such as a crisp packet with lunch, or a takeaway to substitute a nutritional meal, is a constant struggle. A struggle you smileyapes have encountered too perhaps. It’s not enough to know you are what you eat, if it doesn’t help to improve health. So maybe it’s time to engage our “second brain” to think about health outside of the box and instead, inside our gut?
Just go with your gut. Commonly known as our second brain, correctly known as the Enteric Nervous System (ENS). Contained within the gut, this “second brain” is the primary cause of emotional onsets including nervousness and excitement. Ever felt butterflies inside your stomach? That feeling stems from the gut and is communicated to your brain along the vagus nerve. But this post isn’t about microbiology, no no. It’s about positivity, and as I consider myself a “Funghi” 😉 I’ll stop myself digressing. So, back to belly talk. 90% of our bodily cells are made up of bacteria. Think of these cells as bacterial colonies vying for control. You have the Firmicutes clan, the Actinobacteria family and the Bacteroidetes gang, to name a few. A who’s who in the zoo. Amazingly, if the vagus nerve gut-brain connection is severed, the gut continues to fully function. Suggesting it has a mind of it’s own. Gut health dovetails into mental health. If your gut health is in good shape, you should find your mental health is on an even keel. Both are inextricably linked. So much so that often dreams can be influenced by how the gut is feeling. As with the brain, the gut too processes emotions. This intimate relationship can be key to a happier outlook on life, due to it’s prevalence within mental clarity, emotional wellbeing and overall health. Certain foods can encourage productive behaviours. Eggs can increase serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin modulates mood and has a positive correlation to happiness. Melatonin aids with better sleep. Almonds contribute to the production of Dopamine (the happy drug – remember). Food for thought indeed!
The gut is a tapestry of micro-organisms and the symbiotic relationship between these organisms impacts our daily health. I often allow the days of the week to dictate my diet. Mondays through to Thursdays tend to see better eating habits. But becometh Friday and a burger and chips find themself tantalising my tastebuds. I consider it a treat after a long week’s work. Unfortunately, that “treat-yourself” mentality slips into the weekend, where I “need” to satisfy my sugary cravings that have been festering in the mind. A cheat meal becomes a cheat day, and the cycle refreshes at the 4.30am Monday alarm.
As I write this, I can’t help to think I’m an imposter. My own diet is not the best. It was predominately made up of buns, soup, microwave meals and sugar. This blogpost would’ve been better suited to be written by my Wife. Certainly, the more health conscious of the two. Her oft-times obsessed discipline to calorie counting to avoid unhealthy eating driving her to adopt diets including the notorious broccoli-diet of 2018 (think nothing but broccoli 3 times a week for 3 months). And you begin to see the stark contrast. But through conscious thought, I decided to take a leaf out of her book and adjust my diet to. I’ve replaced my lunch meal-deal with a bowl of fruit mixed with yogurt – full fat.. baby steps hey. I keep some almonds and carrots on my desk as snacks, to starve-off the urge of paying the vending machine a visit (Twirl or Bounty my weapons of choice for those interested). I’ve upped my water intake to about 1 to 1.5 litres a day which helps regulate a steady release of energy (and pee). In context these are not huge changes for me to begin my own health Vlog, but enough to realise actual benefits. My thoughts are much clearer than before. I feel motivated. It helps with persisting towards a goal-oriented mindset, and overall it helps to stay upbeat.
Your health is that dividend earning share if well managed, will always return on your investment. It allows you to enrich your life experiences and puts you firmly in the driver seat of your journey, as opposed to a passenger.
I leave you with a question I recently asked my Father who soon turns 60.
“Dad, what one regret do you have?”
“I wish I paid attention to my health – it’s everything”…