Chemicals. Food. Brains. Should be a Book.

There are whole books written about this topic. 

This one is going to be a challenge.  I'm a little afraid to write it because I'm not sure I'll be able to communicate it correctly.  But let me start by linking to this article that I saw this morning.   Let me say as well, I only read this article.  I didn't go digging to far into Alina Rayne's lifestyle now.  But apparently she's got quite a little bit of a following on social media for ketogenic living.   I reached out to her to ask her a few questions and will update this when she responds.

I hope in some sick twisted way she can thank her ex.  Because ultimately, she may not have found this incredibly new lifestyle.  At least in the way she did.  I also should note, nothing he said was true.  His comments about being ugly and that no one would want her were awful.   Sounds like he was a total asshole. But she actually had two unhealthy relationships.  That chump and the one she had with food.  She turned to food for emotional reasons.  Many, if not all of us, do the same things.  Hell, I still do.  I've just chosen different types of foods to do it with.  Is it better, yeah.  But the behavior of going to food to help you feel better isn't necessarily healthy.   EDIT*  I spoke with Alina and she said her ex was abusive during the whole relationship and was the reason for the weight gain to begin with.  His treatment of her caused her a great amount of stress and trauma and she turned to food.  She was thin before she met him.  So no....she doesn't need to thank him at all.  

Haitian coffee.  When I visit Haiti and have a fresh pot brewed and a cup poured it is a joyous occasion.  Sipping that coffee on the porch of wherever I am staying listening to the sounds of the town.  The brooms sweeping the floors, the dogs barking, the roosters crowing, horns honking and people talking.  It all plays into how that coffee tastes.  I'm even imagining that in my head right now.  I can vividly remember almost location of each cup of coffee I've had in haiti.  Even know as I sit, the emotions are flooding back to me.  But when I make that cup of coffee at home, it tastes like shit.  Same coffee, same brew method.  So do I like the coffee that much, or do I like the experience and how it makes me feel? 

Food produces chemical reactions on our brain that do so much more than just telling us if we are full or not.  And some food doesn't even tell us that.  Our gut health effects our brain health in so many ways.  The neural transmitters that send info to our brain go right through it.  So if our gut health isn't well, neither will those messages. 

Back to Alina.  She was overweight.  She knew it was starting to effect her health.  So she made some changes.  This is from the article.  

"When I was severely overweight I had very high blood pressure, 

the beginnings of type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, 

left ventricular hypertrophy, severe anxiety & panic attacks.

Now they are all gone after nearly 7 years of keto which makes me feel great."

I've heard of people reversing these symptoms much sooner than 7 years.  Some as quickly as 7 weeks.   

I'm super stoked for Alina's lifestyle change.  It has nothing to do with her size.  

What I'm trying to get at is that it's not about how you look.  It's about eating habits.  I'm not even going to get into today how shitty the food industry is.  They are out to make money and don't give a damn about your health.  

Here's what it's about.  If the current trend of obesity continues it could add 344 Billion dollars to the nations annual health care costs and account for more than 21% of health care spending.  We already spend $1.5 trillion in medical costs associated with chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.  TRILLION.   I've read enough about the ketogenic diet, paleo diet and otherwise "clean" eating to know that cleaning up your diet helps treat and prevent many, if not all of these things.  There are so many more studies just like those as well.  You want a health care reform?  It starts in the grocery store.

Please, please, please don't misunderstand me.  All this has nothing to do with appearance.  It has to do with all the effects of the chemicals and nutrients we put in our bodies.  A person should not be defined by what size pants they wear.  Healthy is not a "size".  Especially when it comes to brain health.