Groton Holiday Stress? Eat Walnuts!
Stressed out over the holidays? Eat walnuts! They are a holiday kind of nut. They come in all sorts of flavors and in all types of holiday treats. (And if they are 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. Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office tempts our Groton stressed-out patients, families, and friends to try eating some walnuts (unless there is an allergy!) to find their calm! The Groton chiropractic care plan embraces all sorts of good info like this!
THE GUT BRAIN AXIS AND STRESS
A new study based on previous studies that connected the brain, the gut and the gut microbiota and the beneficial effect of eating walnuts on mental health experimented with stressed out college students. Academic stress was associated with poorer mental health in college students, with their choices of foods, their poorer gut microbiota, and their moods. More females than males participated, but researchers documented that walnut consumption improved these metabolic and stress markers. Researchers closed their paper stating that eating walnuts may well protect against academic stress. (1) Let’s see how well it translates to holiday stress!
BENEFITS OF WALNUTS ON OTHER HEALTH ISSUES
Holiday parties and events change normal eating patterns for many of us, influencing our blood tests and other issues. Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office knows! An analysis of published research on walnut consumption since 2017 reported that eating walnuts improved lipid profiles and decreased cardiovascular disease risk. Additionally, more and more studies are being published about other benefits like enhanced cognitive health, reduced inflammation, glucose level regulation, body weight reduction, etc. (2) Fortunately, walnuts appear in many holiday foods!
WALNUTS AND COGNITION
Other research has documented the influence of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation on aging, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s another brain disorders, all issues that arise over a long period of time. Eating walnuts for a long-time may postpone or slow their appearance due to walnuts’ protective role against inflammation and oxidative stress. (3) There is an actual study called the Walnuts and Health Aging study based on previous studies’ documenting that walnut consumption thwarted oxidative stress and inflammation, well-known contributors to cognitive decline. An fMRI study of participants after 2 years’ consumption found that the trial did not seem 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 good!
ADD SOME WALNUTS TO YOUR CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH PLAN
Let the researchers keep doing their research while we do our own! Try the theory yourself. Enjoy a few walnuts this Groton holiday season. Plain. Candied. Spicy. Cinnamon coated. Choose your favorite! Like they say: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office might suggest “A walnut a holi-day may well calm you and maintain your health and happiness this and future holiday season(s)!” Happy holidays!
CONTACT Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the benefits of gentle, safe chiropractic treatment with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management integration on the nervous system.
Schedule your Groton chiropractic appointment today. Bring us your holiday stress…and your favorite tasty walnut recipe!
