Stressful holidays? Eat walnuts! They
are a holiday kind of nut. They come in all sorts
of flavors and in all varieties of recipes.
(And if they’re not in your family recipe, put them in
them this year!) Research links the gut and the brain, so it
seems logical that if the brain is stressed, the gut is, too.
Researchers now study the effects of calming the gut and
the stomach to calm the brain. Satterwhite Chiropractic tempts our
Oxford stressed-out patients, families, and friends to try eating
some walnuts (unless you’re allergic to them!) to find
their calm! The Oxford chiropractic care plan embraces all sorts of good tips like this!
THE GUT BRAIN AXIS AND STRESS
A new study based on prior
studies that connected the brain, the gut and the gut microbiota
and the beneficial effect of consuming walnuts on mental health experimented
with stressed out college students. Academic stress was linked
with poorer mental health in college students, with their choices of foods, their poorer gut microbiota, and their moods.
More females than males joined, but researchers documented
that walnut consumption improved these metabolic and stress
markers. Researchers closed their paper stating that eating
walnuts may well be protective against academic stress. (1) Satterwhite Chiropractic
and our chiropractic family can find out how well it translates to holiday stress!
BENEFITS OF WALNUTS ON OTHER HEALTH ISSUES
Holiday parties and events impact normal
eating patterns for many of us, making changes in our blood
tests and other issues. Satterwhite Chiropractic knows! An analysis of
published research on walnut consumption since 2017 documented
that eating walnuts improved lipid profiles and lessened
cardiovascular disease risk. Further, more and more studies
are being published on other benefits like improved
cognitive health, inflammation reduction,
glucose level regulation, body weight reduction, etc. (2) Fortunately, walnuts appear in many holiday goodies!
WALNUTS AND COGNITION
Other research has reported on the
influence of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation on aging, mild cognitive
impairment, Alzheimer’s another brain disorders, all issues that develop
over a long period of time. Consuming walnuts for a long-time may postpone
or slow their appearance owing to walnuts’ protective
role against inflammation and oxidative stress. (3) There is actually a Walnuts and Health Aging study based on previous
research documenting that walnut consumption counteracted
oxidative stress and inflammation, recognized contributors to
cognitive decline. An fMRI study of participants after 2 years’ consumption found
that the trial didn’t appear to affect
healthy elders but suggested a delay in those who were at
higher risk of cognitive decline. (4) A delay in cognitive decline is a
good outcome!
ADD SOME WALNUTS TO YOUR CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH PLAN
Let the researchers continue their research
while we do our own! Try the theory yourself. Enjoy a few walnuts this Oxford
holiday season. Plain. Candied. Spicy. Cinnamon coated. Take your pick! Like they say: “An apple a day keeps the doctor
away.” Satterwhite Chiropractic might suggest “A walnut a holi-day may well calm you and
keep you a bit healthier
and a bit jollier!” Happy holidays!
CONTACT Satterwhite Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. James Cox on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he
illustrates the benefits of gentle, safe chiropractic treatment
with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management integration
on the nervous system.
Make your Oxford chiropractic
appointment soon. Share with us your holiday stress…and
your favorite tasty walnut treat!