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The foods you eat can have a major impact on your moods, anxiety, stress levels, thinking, behaviors, and cognitive function. Subtle but important food allergies may result in brain inflammation that contributes to many issues that people view as “mental health” problems. And it’s more common than you may think with over 20% of the population suffering from a food intolerance issue or food allergy, according to research in The Differential Diagnosis of Food Intolerance. These food allergies can be delayed, in the sense that bodily reactions to the food items may occur up to several days after consuming the item. Because of this, many people don’t make the connection between something they ate a few hours or days ago and mental or cognitive issues. Conventional medicine has tended to ignore these reactions to foods. However, a growing body of evidence, as well as over three decades of clinical practice at Amen Clinics, shows that food allergies/sensitivities create a metabolic disorder that can lead to many “mental” symptoms, including: Over 3 decades of clinical practice at Amen Clinics show that food allergies/sensitivities create a metabolic disorder that can lead to many “mental” symptoms.
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To find out if food allergies may be involved in your issues, it’s a good idea to follow an elimination diet.

WHAT IS AN ELIMINATION DIET?

An elimination diet temporarily removes potentially allergenic foods and beverages from your diet. After a specific period of time, the foods are re-introduced one at a time to see if they trigger reactions. Foods that cause unpleasant physical, mental, cognitive, or behavioral issues can be eliminated permanently to avoid those problems. The concept of elimination diets isn’t new. Dr. Doris Rapp, a pediatric allergist and environmental medicine specialist, began describing the benefits over 25 years ago when her pediatric patients with ADHD, aggression, and even autism saw remarkable improvements when they eliminated these foods. Since then, elimination diets have emerged as one of the most important weapons against brain health and mental health issues. It’s part of what has led to the development of an entirely new field of nutritional psychiatry that uses food and supplements as interventions for mental illness. At Amen Clinics, when patients try an elimination diet for just one month, it often makes a dramatic difference. At this time, food allergy lab tests remain unreliable. The best way to see if you (or your child) are sensitive to certain foods is to eliminate all the potential culprits and add them back one at a time. (See instructions below detailing how to follow an elimination diet.)

THE SCIENCE BEHIND ELIMINATION DIETS

An increasing number of studies are emerging that show elimination diets can be helpful. An example of how effective an elimination diet can be comes from researchers from the Netherlands, who showed a highly restricted diet brought about rapid, lasting improvement in ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) in children. The children ate only rice, turkey, lamb, vegetables, fruits, tea, pear juice, and water. No milk products, wheat, or sugar products. No food additives or artificial colors. In the study, 85% of children who followed the diet showed an improvement of 50% or more and no longer met the criteria for ADHD, and 67% who had ODD no longer met the criteria for that condition. They repeated this study and found similar results. In another study in the European Journal of Pediatrics using the same diet, physical symptoms (headaches and bellyaches) and sleep also improved. Food additives and colorings can cause hyperactivity in children with no history of the problem, according to a study in the prestigious journal The Lancet (and the neuropsychiatrists at Amen Clinics have found that adults may be affected, too). The study, involving nearly 300 children, found that additives caused symptoms of hyperactivity in both young and older children. These effects occurred not just in children diagnosed with ADHD but also in those with no overt behavior problems.

HOW TO FOLLOW AN ELIMINATION DIET

Here are the steps to follow an elimination diet.
  1. Cut out the following potential food allergens for one month: sugar, gluten, soy, corn, and dairy, as well as artificial sweeteners, dyes, and additives.
  2. After a month, slowly reintroduce food items one at a time every 3-4 days. Eat the reintroduced food at least 2-3 times a day for 3 days to see if you notice a reaction.
  3. Look for symptoms, which can occur within a few minutes or up to 72 hours later. (If you notice a problem right away, stop consuming that food immediately.) Reactions to foods to which you have allergies can include:
  1. If you have a reaction, note the food and eliminate it for 90 days, or in some cases, permanently.
If you or your child are struggling with issues that aren’t responding to traditional treatment, it’s important to investigate further. The neuropsychiatrists, functional medicine physicians, and nutritionists at Amen Clinics can help. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Cholesterol has been demonized. For decades, we’ve been hearing about “bad cholesterol” and how it’s related to heart disease. The medical community’s directive to lower cholesterol has been so strong that more than 1 in 4 American adults over the age of 40 take cholesterol-lowering statins. One of the most commonly prescribed drugs in America, statins are a $31 billion business. It’s as if our nation has become obsessed with pushing levels down in an effort to protect heart health. But they’ve got it all wrong. “Cholesterol is a poor predictor for heart disease,” says Dr. Jonny Bowden, a board-certified nutritionist known as the Nutrition Myth Buster and author of The Great Cholesterol Myth (with Steve Sinatra, MD), which has a new revised and expanded edition. Dr. Bowden recently appeared on the Brain Warrior’s Way podcast to bust some cholesterol myths. What traditional doctors don’t tell you is that low levels of cholesterol can have negative effects on the brain. “Your brain without cholesterol? You’re dead,” says Dr. Bowden. “It’s one of the most important compounds in the body, and it’s involved in memory and thinking and much more.” Mythbuster: What traditional doctors don’t tell you is low levels of cholesterol can have negative effects on the brain.
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WHY YOUR BRAIN NEEDS CHOLESTEROL

Do you know which part of the body has the highest concentration of cholesterol? Your brain! Cholesterol is a waxy type of fat found in every cell in the body, but it is most abundant in the brain. Your brain accounts for only 2% of your body’s weight, but it contains 20% of your cholesterol. Why is cholesterol so important? Cholesterol in the brain is involved in the communication process for neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin. It makes up the majority of myelin, the white fatty sheath that provides a protective coating on neurons to increase the brain’s processing speed. And they play a role in the development of “lipid rafts,” membranes that are involved in brain cell signaling. Bottom line? Approximately 60% of the solid weight of the brain is fat, so you need healthy levels of cholesterol for optimal function.

THE CHOLESTEROL-HORMONE-MENTAL HEALTH CONNECTION

In addition, cholesterol is a critical building block for the production of hormones. From cholesterol, your body makes a chemical called pregnenolone, a mother hormone, from which all the other hormones are derived. Hormones play a vital role in the health of your brain and how you think, feel, and act. If your cholesterol is too low, you won’t have the precursors to produce adequate levels of hormones. Hormonal deficiencies are linked to a number of psychiatric and cognitive health symptoms, including:

HOW LOW IS TOO LOW?

Cholesterol that is too low is bad for the brain. What’s considered normal? Normal total cholesterol levels are 135-200 mg/dL. However, be aware that several studies show that lowering total cholesterol levels below 160 mg/dL can increase the risk of depression, suicide, and homicide, so 160-200 mg/dL is optimal. Don’t go too low. Surprisingly, if you have cholesterol on the higher side of the healthy range later in life it could improve your cognitive performance, according to research in Psychosomatic Medicine. In fact, findings in the journal Neurology show that having higher levels of total cholesterol later in life decreases your risk of dementia. According to Dr. Bowden, the typical cholesterol tests that simply measure total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides are obsolete, and they’re missing the most important numbers that matter for heart health. “What’s important to understand is that cholesterol doesn’t travel in the blood. Cholesterol has to be in a container,” he says. “Those containers are the lipoprotein. Lipoprotein is the ship; cholesterol is the cargo. It’s the number of boats in the water that’s important, not the cargo.” When having your cholesterol levels tested, ask your healthcare professional to also test your lipoproteins and the particle size of your LDL cholesterol because larger particles are less toxic than smaller ones. If you want to find out more about cholesterol, read the revised and expanded editions of The Great Cholesterol Myth.

WHAT TO FEED YOUR BRAIN

Low-fat diets are not good for your brain. Focus on healthy fats, such as avocados, nuts, seeds, and sustainable, clean fish. Fat is not the enemy. Good dietary fats are essential to your brain health. For example, omega-3 fatty acids have been found to reduce symptoms of depression. In a study from the Mayo Clinic, people who ate a fat-based diet had a 42% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease; those who ate a protein-based diet had a 21% percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s; but those who ate a simple carbohydrate-based diet (think bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, and sugar) had a 400% percent increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s. It’s the sugar, and foods that turn to sugar, not the fat, that’s the problem. However, not all fats are equal. Avoid trans fats (found in foods like processed crackers, baked goods, and frozen pizza), which are associated with an increase in depression. Also skip fats that are higher in omega-6 fatty acids, such as many refined vegetable oils, which are associated with an increase in inflammation, which also has negative effects on brain health. Memory problems, brain fog, depression, and other mental and cognitive health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk. It’s 3 o’clock in the afternoon and all of a sudden, you get hit hard with a craving. You want—no, you need—a sugar fix (chocolate, cookies, cake, you name it, you’ve got to have it! You don’t want to give in to the craving, but the memories of the sweet taste try to hijack your brain, and dopamine, the pleasure and motivation brain chemical, pushes on an area of your brain that drives you to the kitchen cabinet where your sugar stash is stored. The cravings win again. If you have a sweet tooth and haven’t been able to conquer your cravings, you’re not alone. One patient at Amen Clinics, the global leader in brain health, said she would rather get Alzheimer’s disease than give up sugar! Why are sugar cravings so powerful? The neuropsychiatrists at Amen Clinics say the answer lies in the brain. Why are sugar cravings so powerful? The neuropsychiatrists at Amen Clinics say the answer lies in the brain.
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THE NEURAL CRAVINGS CIRCUIT

A wealth of research, including a 2018 review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, shows that sugar is addictive. Researchers now say that sugar 8 times more addictive than cocaine and inside the brain, it works in the same areas that react to morphine. Sugar cravings involve multiple brain regions and neurotransmitters, including: When cravings hit, there’s a sort of tug of war that happens inside your brain. The pleasure centers, emotional centers, and the neurotransmitter dopamine compel you to head to the freezer for the ice cream. Meanwhile, the PFC tries to put on the brakes. Which part of your brain do you listen to? It depends. In a healthy brain, a strong PFC provides good judgment and emotional control so you can say no to the ice cream. When the PFC is underactive, however, the pleasure and emotional centers can hijack the brain and take control. When this happens, you cave to the sugar cravings again… and again… and again. Even if your brain’s pleasure centers and emotional centers have wrestled control from your prefrontal cortex, you can learn to strengthen your PFC and train your brain so you can overcome sugar cravings. Here’s how. Even if your brain’s pleasure centers and emotional centers have wrestled control from your prefrontal cortex, you can learn to strengthen your PFC and train your brain so you can overcome sugar cravings.
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11 STEPS TO CONQUER YOUR SUGAR CRAVINGS

1. Keep your blood sugar balanced.

Low blood sugar levels are associated with overall lower brain activity, including lower activity in the PFC, the brain’s brake. Low brain activity here means more cravings and more bad decisions. Research in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology shows that self-control failures are more likely to occur when blood sugar levels are low. What causes blood sugar levels to drop? Drinking alcohol, sugary snacks, sweetened beverages, and other high-glycemic foods (think rice, pasta, and cereal). Stabilizing blood sugar levels throughout the day improves self-control. Here are simple tips to help you do it.

2. Eliminate artificial sweeteners.

If you really want to decrease your cravings, you need to get rid of artificial sweeteners. You may think of these sweeteners as “free” because they have no calories, but they are up to 600 times sweeter than sugar, which may activate the appetite centers of the brain making you crave even more sugar. If you can learn to go without any sweeteners, your brain will stop craving the sweetness. If you must, replace the artificial stuff with natural sweeteners like stevia or erythritol.

3. Manage your stress.

Anything stressful can trigger certain hormones that activate your cravings, making you believe that you need the ice cream, cake, or licorice. Meditation and hypnosis are powerful stress-management practices that can boost blood flow to the PFC to help rebalance your brain circuitry.

4. Outsmart sneaky cravings triggers.

Nearly everywhere you go, someone is trying to entice you to eat something sweet. Think of the candy displays near the checkout counter at the grocery store, which is intentionally designed to tempt you to make an impulse buy. To control your cravings, you have to control your triggers. Know the people, places, and things that fuel your cravings and plan ahead for your vulnerable times. For example, choose the grocery store aisle that has the display of razors and batteries instead of the candy.

5. Find out about hidden food allergies.

Hidden food allergies and food sensitivities can trigger cravings and make you fall back into old habits. For example, did you know that gluten and milk allergies can decrease blood flow to the brain and decrease your judgment? In addition, food allergies can cause concentration problems and anxiety, which can increase cravings. To find out if you have any food sensitivities, try an elimination diet. Stop eating corn, soy, dairy, gluten, artificial sweeteners, and food colorings for 3 weeks then introduce them back into your diet one at a time and see if you have any reactions.

6. Practice willpower.

Willpower is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. Practice saying no to the things that do not serve you and over time, you will find it easier to do.

7. Get moving.

Physical exercise can cut cravings. A 2012 study in the journal Appetite showed that taking a brisk 15-minute walk decreased cravings for chocolate. Not only that, it also fended off the cravings for an additional 10 minutes following the walk. Because cravings typically only last about 10 minutes, a brief bout of exercise may be all it takes to distract you from the sweets you crave.

8. Make sleep a priority.

Multiple studies, including a 2013 study in Nature Communications, show that lack of sleep increases cravings. “It’s important to get at least 7 hours of sleep each night to help battle cravings. Creating a healthy bedtime routine that promotes relaxation can help,” says Shane Creado, MD, a psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist at Amen Clinics Chicago and the host of the Overcoming Insomnia online course.

9. Try nutritional supplements to curb cravings.

N-acetylcysteine, alpha-lipoic acid, chromium, dl-phenylalanine, and l-glutamine are 5 natural supplements with scientific evidence showing that they can help take the edge off cravings.

10. Avoid hidden sugars.

Even if you’re no longer adding sugar to the foods you eat and have kicked your cookie habit, you may still be consuming sugars without realizing it. Many so-called health foods contain hidden sugars. For example, many salad dressings, milk alternatives, and pre-made smoothies are loaded with sweeteners. You need to become a pro at reading food labels to root out sneaky sugars.

11. Treat underlying mental health conditions.

Craving sugar, sweets, and refined carbs have been associated with anxiety, depression, ADD/ADHD, schizophrenia, and other psychiatric issues. A number of studies, including a 2019 review in the journal Antioxidants, have found a link between high-sugar consumption and depression. And according to 2016 research in the journal Appetite, a diet containing more high-glycemic foods was associated with a higher incidence of depression and fatigue. In addition, when you’re feeling anxious or stressed, you’re more likely to crave sugar. ADD/ADHD has been associated with dopamine deficiency, which can cause people with this condition to seek out activities and foods—such as sugar—that stimulate dopamine. Addressing these conditions can help you conquer sugar cravings for good.   Anxiety, depression, ADD/ADHD, and other mental health—issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

Are you addicted to sugar but don’t realize it? Millions of Americans who are trying to limit sugar intake are inadvertently consuming more of the sweet stuff than they realize. And it’s contributing to heightened anxiety, depression, and stress—none of which you need right now.

On a recent episode of The Brain Warrior’s Way podcast with hosts Daniel G. Amen, MD, and Tana Amen, BSN/RN, the pair tackled sugar addiction among other topics with Dr. Uma Naidoo. A board-certified psychiatrist and professional chef, Dr. Naidoo is the Director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital and the author of This Is Your Brain on Food: An Indispensable Guide to the Surprising Foods, that we’re going to talk about, That Fight Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and More.

In the episode, Dr. Naidoo shares the story of one of her patients who was a highly successful executive who developed severe anxiety and panic attacks about 18 months after starting a new high-level position. In trying to root out why this man had started developing these issues so late in life, she asked him about his diet.

It turned out that after starting his new job, he began eating a lot of processed food and a lot of fast foods. “People don’t know that fast foods—even French fries—have sugar in them,” Dr. Naidoo says. “A lot of research has gone into making them delectable and delicious and wanting you to eat more. So we are actually consuming sugar when we don’t even know it.”

WHY SUGAR IS SO ADDICTIVE IN THE BRAIN

Sugar acts like a drug in the brain. When you consume it, it boosts the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain and causes your blood sugar to spike, which makes you feel good…temporarily. But then your blood sugar levels crash, impacting your moods and sense of wellbeing. Over time, high-sugar diets increase inflammation, cause insomnia and fatigue, trigger cravings, lead to erratic brain cell firing that has been implicated in aggression, and alter memory and learning. Ouch!

The evils of sugar may come as no surprise to you. And you may be making a conscious effort to eat a brain healthy low-sugar diet. Unfortunately, many “healthy” foods are actually filled with hidden sugars that fuel your addiction and keep you feeling stressed, depressed, and anxious. Here are 10 common culprits to avoid.

10 “HEALTHY” FOODS WITH HIDDEN SUGARS

Flavored Greek yogurt:

Filled with protein and live culture probiotics, Greek yogurt sounds like a winner. But some flavored varieties also come with a heaping serving of sugar—12 grams for some flavors.

Pre-made protein smoothies:

A protein smoothie can be a great way to start the day, unless you’re consuming some store-bought varieties. One brand touted that it had 120% the protein in other varieties, but it neglected to promote that it was also packed with 44 grams of sugar—32 grams of added sugars—in a single serving.

Nut butter:

Almond butter, cashew butter, and other nut butter can be a good source of protein and fat. But be sure to read the nutrition labels. Some brands sneak sugar into their product to amp up the bliss point.

Instant oatmeal:

Packed with fiber and loaded with vitamins and minerals, slow-cooking oatmeal is associated with numerous health benefits. Instant oats, however, are highly processed and rank much higher on the glycemic index, indicating that they spike blood sugar. Popular instant oatmeal flavors like maple and brown sugar can have about 12 grams of added sugars.

Milk alternatives:

Milk is converted to galactose and glucose, which raises blood sugar levels and can lead to inflammation, diabetes, and obesity. And a milk protein called casein is an excitotoxin that can lead to brain inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. Going dairy-free can be beneficial for brain health and overall well-being, but some milk alternatives are flavored—think vanilla, chocolate, or pumpkin spice—and have about 13 grams of sugar per serving.

Flavored bottled water:

Water is essential for good brain health. Your brain is comprised of 80% water and being even mildly dehydrated can make you feel more anxious, tense, depressed, or angry and can also sap your energy levels and reduce concentration. One popular flavored water brand contains 27 grams of sugar in a single serving.

Gummy vitamins:

It’s a good idea to take nutritional supplements to make sure you’re getting all the vitamins and minerals your brain and body need. Be aware that when you gobble up gummy vitamins, you’re likely also getting a dose of sugar with those nutrients.

Bottled green tea:

Green tea is loaded with antioxidants, as well as a compound called l-theanine, which has been found to inhibit excessive overfiring in the brain to produce a feeling of calmness. That’s great, just skip the brands that infuse good-for-you green tea with over 20 grams of sugar.

Salad dressing:

Eating more greens and veggies provides your brain with a variety of nutrients and antioxidants. Dousing salads with sugar-laden store-bought dressings, however, can turn your healthy meal into one that has more sugar than you realized.

Protein powder:

You may think that making a protein smoothie at home is the best way to control what you put into it. Be sure to check the ingredients of your protein powder since many of them sneak sugar into the mix to enhance the flavor. Adding fruit—think blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries—should be all the natural sugar your smoothie requires.

Anxiety, depression, ADD/ADHD, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.

At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you, and we offer nutritional psychiatry as part of our comprehensive evaluations and treatment plans. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

Do you love a good, juicy burger? Are you wondering if you should give up beef for one of those plant-based burgers that look and taste like the real thing but without the meat? Meatless burgers like the Impossible Burger (the one that “bleeds” like the real thing) and Beyond Burger are everywhere these days, from high-end restaurants to Walmart. Even the nation’s ubiquitous fast food joints are adding them to the menu—McDonald’s, Burger King, White Castle, Carl’s Jr., and Hardee’s are all serving up meatless varieties of their most popular sellers.

And people are gulping them down by the millions. It isn’t just vegetarians and vegans who are indulging in the meatless burgers. Even tried and true beef lovers are giving these latest plant-based options a try. But what’s actually in these faux-meats and are they really good for you, or are they hiding ingredients that don’t serve you?

Be aware that the foods you eat either enhance your brain health, moods, and focus, or they can sabotage your mental well-being and contribute to anxiousness, low moods, and brain fog. According to a 2015 paper by a group of 18 scientists in The Lancet, “Diet is as important to psychiatry as it is to cardiology, endocrinology, and gastroenterology.” Increased awareness about the impact of food on mental health has led to a whole new field of nutritional psychiatry.

What you put in your mouth matters!

Beyond Burgers and Impossible Burgers vs. Beef Burgers

For optimal brain health, you need to learn to scrutinize the nutritional profiles of everything you eat. First, what’s in a typical beef burger patty?

Ground beef, 97% lean meat, 3% fat, cooked (4 oz):

Calories: 200

Fat: 11 g (including 4.5 grams of saturated fat)

Carbs: 0 g

Protein: 23 g

(Source: CalorieKing)

Here’s what’s on the labels for the Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger to see how they compare to the real thing.

Beyond Burger nutritional profile (4 oz):

Calories: 260

Fat: 18 g (including 5 g of saturated fat)

Carbs: 5 g (including 2 g of dietary fiber and 0 g of sugar)

Protein: 20 g

Impossible Burger nutritional profile (4 oz):

Calories: 240

Fat: 14 g (including 8 g of saturated fat)

Carbs: 9 g (including 3 g of dietary fiber and 1 g of sugar)

Protein: 19 g

As you can see, the amount of protein is close to what you’d find in a lean beef patty, but the plant-based versions are higher in calories, fats, and carbs.

What’s Really in Beyond Burgers and Impossible Burgers?

When reading nutrition labels, be sure to scour the entire list of ingredients. That’s where you are likely to find hidden sugars, potential allergens, artificial dyes, food additives, and other food-like substances that can mess with your brain health and mental well-being.

Here’s a look at the ingredients in these two popular plant-based burgers.

Beyond Burger ingredients:

Water, pea protein, expeller-pressed canola oil, refined coconut oil, rice protein, natural flavors, cocoa butter, mung bean protein, methylcellulose, potato starch, apple extract, pomegranate extract, salt, potassium chloride, vinegar, lemon juice concentrate, sunflower lecithin, beet juice extract (for color)

Impossible Burger ingredients:

Water, soy protein concentrate, coconut oil, sunflower oil, natural flavors, 2% or less of: potato protein, methylcellulose, yeast extract, cultured dextrose, food starch modified, soy leghemoglobin, salt, soy protein isolate, mixed tocopherols (vitamin E), zinc gluconate, thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin B1), sodium ascorbate (vitamin C), niacin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin (vitamin B2), and vitamin B12.

First, notice that neither of these plant-based burgers contains any real vegetables—and no, pea protein and beet juice extract don’t really count.

The Downside of Meatless Burgers

In the Beyond Burger, there is canola oil, which is high in omega-6 fatty acids that are associated with increased inflammation. Chronic inflammation has been linked to depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, and Alzheimer’s disease.

In addition, the mung beans are a legume, which means they have high concentrations of lectins. These are carbohydrate-binding proteins, and in some people, they can be toxic, allergenic, and pro-inflammatory.

In the Impossible Burger, there are trace minerals and vitamins—such as B12, folate, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, zinc, iron, and selenium—which is a good thing. However, there are several ingredients that are concerning, including the sunflower oil (high in omega-6 fatty acids that are pro-inflammatory), soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate, and soy leghemoglobin.

Soy is a protein derived from soybeans, and it contains components that can be troublesome, including lectins; large amounts of pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids; and phytoestrogens that may contribute to the development of cancer, early puberty in girls, and impotence in men. Soy protein isolate can also be an issue because it may contain monosodium glutamate (MSG), which has been linked to anger and irritability.

However, it’s the genetically engineered soy leghemoglobin, the stuff that gives this burger its signature “bleeding” effect, which is the most controversial. Safety testing of soy leghemoglobin has only been performed on animals, including a 2018 study on rats in the International Journal of Toxicology. In a 2019 statement, the Center for Science for Public Interest said that FDA testing on soy leghemoglobin remains inadequate.

Make Smart Food Choices

If you want to enhance your brain health and your mental well-being, always be informed about what you’re eating. If you’re considering an alternative to meat because you think it’s “healthier” be aware of the potentially concerning ingredients meatless burgers may contain. If you’re committed to an animal-free diet, then having one of these plant-based burgers once in a while is an option, but it’s probably best not to make them a part of your everyday diet. And if you decide to go for the real thing, opt for antibiotic-free, hormone-free, grass-fed, and free-range beef whenever possible.

At Amen Clinics, we take a brain-body approach to helping people overcome debilitating symptoms and achieve peak performance. We perform comprehensive evaluations that include brain SPECT imaging, as well as looking at the many lifestyle factors, such as diet, that can contribute to mental health symptoms or hold you back from reaching your potential. Our wrap-around services focus on the least toxic, most effective solutions, including brain health nutrition coaching.

At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

 

Everybody knows that maintaining a healthy weight can be beneficial for physical health, but what does the weight of your body have to do with your brain function and mental health? At Amen Clinics, we analyzed the brain SPECT scans (SPECT measures the brain’s blood flow and activity) of 20,000 of our patients to see how body mass index (BMI) impacts brain activity.

The results were mind-blowing.

Weight Gain = Brain Drain

In our analysis, it was clear that as a person’s weight went up, all the regions of the brain went down in activity and blood flow, in a linear correlation.

Here is just one graph showing how blood flow and activity went down in the prefrontal cortex.  1 = underweight; 2 = normal weight; 3 = overweight; 4 = obese; 5 = morbidly obese

Take note that although this chart shows that activity was highest in people who are underweight, this doesn’t mean that being underweight is healthy. Being underweight is associated with a number of health risks, including nutritional deficiencies, reduced immune function, fertility issues, and a lack of protein reserves in case you get into an accident. It just doesn’t seem to shrink your brain.

What’s Wrong with Low Brain Activity?

Having low blood flow and activity across the entire brain is terrible for psychological wellbeing, mental clarity, and cognitive function. A “sleepy” brain is associated with

Low blood flow on SPECT has been seen with depression, suicide, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADD/ADHD, traumatic brain injury, hoarding, murder, substance abuse, seizure activity, and more. Low blood flow is the #1 brain imaging predictor that a person will develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Your Brain Is What You Eat

What this analysis shows is that a junk-food diet leads to a junk-food body and a junk-food brain. Eating pizza and Doritos, drinking Coke or Budweiser, stopping at fast-food joints—it’s the American way! But the Standard American Diet (SAD) is making us fat. The latest statistics show that 70% of Americans are considered overweight and 40% fall into the obese category.

A wealth of research shows that excess fat on your body is not your friend. Studies in the Archives of General Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine show that obesity is detrimental to mental health and is associated with a greater risk of depression, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia (fear of going out), and addictions. Untreated ADHD, lower self-esteem, and poor body image are also associated with being overweight. And research in the American Journal of Public Health shows that among women, increased BMI is also linked to a rise in suicidal thoughts.

The Good News from Analyzing Over 160,000 Brain Scans

Although the results of our analysis on 20,000 of our patients is distressing, there is hope. The most important lesson we’ve learned from treating tens of thousands of patients and reviewing over 160,000 brain scans is that even if you’ve been bad to your brain and have been consuming a SAD diet, you can change your brain and heal your mind.

The scientific community is finally beginning to see how food is so strongly linked to brain health and mental wellbeing. In 2015, a group of 18 scientists concluded that “the emerging and compelling evidence for nutrition as a crucial factor in the high prevalence and incidence of mental disorders suggests that diet is as important to psychiatry as it is to cardiology, endocrinology, and gastroenterology.”

Adopting brain healthy eating habits can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight and boost your brain function. Count your calories, eat colorful fruits and vegetables, and help your body, brain, and mind get healthy.

At Amen Clinics, we take a unique brain-body approach to diagnosis and treatment that includes brain SPECT imaging, as well as laboratory testing to check physical health, weight and diet assessments, and other important factors that could be contributing to symptoms. By getting to the root cause of your symptoms, we can create a more effective, personalized treatment plan for you.

If you want to join the tens of thousands of people who have already enhanced their brain health, overcome their symptoms, and improved their quality of life at Amen Clinics, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

 

Do you (or your child) have ADD (attention-deficit disorder) or ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder)? Do you think prescription stimulants such as Ritalin or Adderall are the only treatment options available? They’re not.

Although stimulants may be helpful for some people with ADD, they aren’t effective for everyone and they can make some people worse. It all depends on which type of condition you have. Brain imaging studies show there are 7 types of ADD, and knowing your type is critical for finding the right solutions.

In general, medication should never be the first or only thing you do for any mental health condition. There are many alternatives to medication that can improve ADD symptoms, such as lack of focus, impulsiveness, being easily distracted, having difficulty staying organized, and a tendency to put things off until the last minute.

Here are 7 alternatives to ADD medication that can be effective.

1. Get moving.

A wealth of research shows that physical exercise works like a drug in children and adults with ADD. Classic ADD (one of the 7 types of the condition) is associated with low levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is a chemical heavily involved with attention span, focus, follow-through, and motivation. Medications, such as Adderall and Ritalin, are believed to work by boosting dopamine availability in the brain. Similarly, physical activity increases the production of dopamine. A 2019 review in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that exercise minimizes ADD symptoms and enhances cognitive performance in children with the condition.

2. Reduce screen time.

Endlessly scrolling through your social media feed or playing video games for hours on end can be harmful and addictive for people who have vulnerable brains. More screen time has been linked to a greater risk of problems with inattention. A 2019 study in Plos One found that children with more than 2 hours of screen time per day had a 7.7-fold increased risk of meeting the criteria for ADD.

3. Try an elimination diet.

Some foods may trigger a worsening of symptoms in people with ADD. To find out if you or your child has a food sensitivity, try a 3-week elimination diet by getting rid of the most common food allergens—artificial dyes (including red dye #40, which has been connected to symptoms of ADD), preservatives, sugar and artificial sweeteners, gluten, corn, soy, and dairy. In 2011, researchers put children with ADD on a restricted diet that allowed them to eat only turkey, lamb, vegetables, fruit, rice, and pear juice. Their findings in The Lancet showed that the elimination diet decreased symptoms associated with the condition in 70% of children.

4. Protect your head.

Common accidents, like falling off a ladder, getting into a car crash, or taking a tumble down the stairs can cause a concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), which increases the risk of problems with attention and concentration. According to research in The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, people with ADD are more likely to have head injuries.

5. Investigate sleep problems.

Did you know that kids with ADD have higher rates of daytime sleepiness compared with kids who don’t have the condition? Or that according to a study in the journal Sleep, half of ADD kids have sleep-disordered breathing compared with only 22% of kids without the condition? Having large tonsils or adenoids can lead to sleep-disordered breathing in children which can lead to attentional issues and hyperactivity. A study in the Eurasian Journal of Medicine found a reduction in these symptoms when the tonsils and adenoids were removed. Sleep problems are also common in adults with ADD, so be sure to investigate any sleep issues.

6. Check important health numbers.

Your physical health can impact symptoms of ADD. Some of the most common biological issues that are associated with symptoms include:

Having a functional medicine physician check these levels and help balance them can be helpful.

7. Try neurofeedback.

Neurofeedback is a non-invasive, interactive therapy that helps you retrain your brain to achieve the desired state.  A 2014 review of existing research on children with ADD who did neurofeedback found that teachers noticed a significant improvement in their attention and parents noted improvements in hyperactivity and impulsivity. According to findings in a 2019 study in Current Psychiatry Reports, researchers stated that neurofeedback “should be considered as a viable treatment alternative” for ADD.

ADD, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever, and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.

At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

 

By Daniel G. Amen, MD

When I was dating my wife, she promised me she would never say, “I told you so.” She lied. Now, it’s my turn to say it. For over 30 years, I have been telling my patients that alcohol is not a health food. Many of them respond by asking, “But what about all the studies saying moderate drinking is good for your heart?”

It’s true that some studies point to benefits for heart health with moderate drinking, but others show differently. It can seem very confusing. In June, however, the American Cancer Society took a major step in the debate by revising its cancer prevention guidelines to clearly state, “It is best not to drink alcohol.”

I told you so!

For years, the ACS had simply recommended limiting alcohol consumption. The new stance makes more sense for the organization considering its website also says, “Alcohol use is one of the most important preventable risk factors for cancer, along with tobacco use and excess body weight.”

The idea of eliminating alcohol during the pandemic, however, may seem impossible. You may think you need your wine, beer, or Quarantinis to cope with the skyrocketing stress and anxiety of the lockdown, the job losses, and the added social unrest due to the killing of African-American George Floyd by police officers. You’re not alone. Weekly retail sales of alcoholic beverages soared by up to 55% during the pandemic, according to a report in The Guardian.

But drinking isn’t the solution. In fact, our brain imaging work at Amen Clinics makes it crystal clear that alcohol is not good for the brain, mental well-being, or quality of life.

ALCOHOL, THE BRAIN, AND MENTAL HEALTH

Thousands of brain SPECT scans of “moderate” drinkers reveal abnormal activity patterns in the brain. Alcohol is a toxin that is harmful to the brain, and it increases the risk of cognitive dysfunction and mental illness.

For example, did you know…

ALCOHOL ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH

Alcohol addiction is strongly associated with mental health issues, and about 8.5 million American adults with a substance use disorder also have a co-occurring mental health condition. Common conditions seen in people with addictions include:

Many people who struggle with mental health use alcohol as a way to self-medicate. Although this may provide short-term relief from symptoms, it usually leads to long-term problems and almost always makes things worse.

To overcome addictions and mental health issues, it starts with the brain. Brain dysfunction is the #1 reason why people get addicted to alcohol and other substances. And enhancing brain health is the first step to lasting recovery.

When you see all of the negative effects of alcohol, it becomes painfully apparent that it is not a health food. If you want a better brain, a better mind, better physical health, and a better life, it’s best to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages.

Addiction, depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever, and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.

At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

 

Feeling more anxious due to the coronavirus pandemic? Join the club. A report published mid-April of 2020 shows that the number of prescriptions filled for anti-anxiety medications spiked by over 34% during the pandemic. And the number of new prescriptions filled for drugs like Xanax, Valium, and Ativan while people were under COVID-19 quarantine orders was even higher at nearly 38%. This is very troublesome.

The Dangers of Anti-Anxiety Medications

What’s wrong with popping prescription drugs to feel better fast? All psychiatric medications—like all prescription drugs—come with side effects, but those associated with the anti-anxiety medications called benzodiazepines are some of the most concerning. Although they may be helpful in the short-term, anti-anxiety drugs can cause long-term problems, including:

When you’re feeling overwhelmed by anxiety—even during high-stress periods like the pandemic—asking your primary care physician for Xanax or other anti-anxiety medications is literally the last thing you should do. Here are 12 alternatives you should try before considering medication.

Note: If you’ve taken Xanax or another type of benzodiazepine for a long time, don’t stop taking it abruptly as this can heighten anxiety. Work with a physician to gradually taper off the drug as you try these other techniques.

Smarter Ways to Calm Anxiety

1. Attack your BRIGHT MINDS risk factors.

In Dr. Daniel Amen’s book The End of Mental Illness, he details the 11 BRIGHT MINDS risk factors that steal your mind and can increase mental illness, including anxiety. BRIGHT MINDS stands for:

B is for Blood flow

R is for Retirement/Aging

I is for Inflammation

G is for Genetics

H is for Head Trauma

T is for Toxins

Mi is for Mind-Storms

I is for Immunity and Infections

N is for Neurohormones

D is for Diabesity

S is for Sleep

In The End of Mental Illness, you can learn how to prevent, treat, or minimize your risk factors to help calm anxiety and other mental health issues. You can also watch below for more information on how the BRIGHT MINDS risk factors impact anxiety and what you can do about them.

2. Check for hypoglycemia, anemia, and hyperthyroidism.

Low blood sugar, anemia, and an overactive thyroid can cause symptoms of anxiety. If you have anxiety that doesn’t respond to other solutions, it’s a good idea to have your healthcare provider perform the following 3 tests:

3. Eliminate artificial dyes, preservatives, and sweeteners from the diet.

Aspartame can cause anxiousness, red dye #40 is associated with irritability, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) has been linked to anger and irritability. Be sure to check nutrition labels for these ingredients. Be aware that MSG is sometimes listed only as “natural flavors,” so you may not know you’re ingesting it.

4. Try an elimination diet for 3 weeks.

Food can trigger allergies, which often impact the brain. Anything that impacts the brain can affect your mind because your brain creates your mind. To see if foods are contributing to your anxiety, eliminate sugar, gluten, dairy, corn, soy, and other categories of potentially allergenic foods from your diet for 3 weeks. Then add these back one at a time (except for sugar, which you should eliminate for good) and be alert for reactions to them, which would indicate that you should permanently avoid that food.

5. Practice prayer, meditation, and hypnosis.

Research shows that these techniques can calm stress and anxiety. You can use helpful audio programs for guided meditation and self-hypnosis on BrainFitLife. If you respond to prayer, Dr. Daniel Amen’s book Stones of Remembrance offers Bible verses for anxiety, such as:

Worry weighs a person down;
an encouraging word cheers a person up.

Proverbs 12:25

I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

Psalm 16:8

You can find many more soothing verses on anxiety, depression, fear, loneliness, and more in the book.

6. Do heart rate variability (HRV) training.

Research in Frontiers in Psychiatryshows that anxiety is linked to low levels of HRV, but you can hack your way to a healthier HRV with biofeedback apps, such as HeartMath.

7. Practice diaphragmatic breathing and hand-warming biofeedback.

Deep breathing can help calm anxiety, and it’s so easy. Just take a deep breath in for 3 seconds, hold it for 1 second, then exhale for 6 seconds, and hold it again for 1 second. Do this 10 times, and it will trigger a relaxation response. Watch Dr. Amen’s Facebook Live on the 2-Minute Anxiety Solution where he describes in detail how to do this exercise. As you practice diaphragmatic breathing, do a hand-warming exercise at the same time in which you imagine that you’re holding a hot cup of tea or you’re holding your hands up to a fireplace.

8. Eliminate the ANTs (automatic negative thoughts)

The automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) that invade your thinking drive anxiety. Some of the most anxiety-inducing thoughts are called Fortune-Telling ANTs, such as:

“This pandemic is never going to end.”

“I’m never going to get a job again.”

“I’m never going to have a successful business again.”

Fortunately, you do not have to believe every stupid thought you have. You need to develop an internal ANTeater to get control of your thoughts. Whenever you feel sad, mad, nervous, or out of control, write down what you’re thinking. That helps get the thought out of your head. Then, use a powerful exercise developed by Byron Katie and ask yourself, “Is it true?” Then write down the opposite of your negative thought, such as:

“This pandemic will end.”

“I will get another job.”

“I can have a successful business again.”

Ask yourself which statement is more true. You can find an ANT-killing exercise on BrainFitLife.

9. Engage in calming exercises.

Yoga, qigong, and tai chi are wonderful exercises that can reduce stress and fight anxiety. They help you learn how to direct your energy in a positive way. A 2017 study using EEG in Frontiers in Psychiatry found that qigong affects brainwaves in a positive way that induces relaxation.

10. Take nutraceuticals.

Several natural supplements have A-level or B-level scientific evidence for anxiousness and stress. What does that mean? A-level means there is robust research conducted with more than 2 placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trials. B-level means there are multiple studies where at least 2 are placebo-controlled, double-blind studies. Among these well-studied supplements are l-theanine, GABA, and magnesium—all found in BrainMD’s GABA Calming Support. To help you feel calm under stress—like during a pandemic—you can also try Magnesium Chewables.

11. Check your omega-3 level.

Did you know that 93% of the population is low in omega-3 fatty acids? The Omega-3 Index is a blood test that measures your omega-3 level. Try to get it above 8% by using 1,400mg (or more) of omega-3 fish oil with a ratio of approximately 60/40 EPA to DHA. Make sure to choose a high-quality fish oil like Omega-3 Power.

12. Try neurofeedback.

Neurofeedback is a type of biofeedback that measures brainwave activity in real-time and gain control of your brainwaves to achieve the desired brain state, whether the goal is to experience greater relaxation or to maintain better concentration. 

Anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever, and waiting to get treatment until the pandemic is over is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.

At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples, as well as in-clinic brain scanning to help our patients. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

Did you know that consuming a Standard American Diet (SAD) for just one week deteriorates brain function and increases your desire to munch on junk food? That’s what researchers discovered in a 2020 study published in Royal Society Open Science. For this trial, volunteers spent one week splurging on high-fat foods and sweet treats with high amounts of added sugar. The SAD diet led to worse performance on memory tests and an increased desire to overeat junk food after they had finished consuming a meal.

The researchers suggest that the typical western diet—think high-glycemic foods like waffles and high-fat fare like milkshakes—rapidly impairs function in the region of the brain called the hippocampus. One of the brain’s major memory centers, the hippocampus is also involved in appetite regulation. Dysfunction in this area is associated with memory issues and troubles with appetite control.

For this study, the scientists enlisted 110 healthy, lean young adults ages 20-23 and divided them into 2 groups. One group indulged in a high-calorie western-style breakfast while a control group ate a healthy breakfast. At the beginning and end of the trial, both groups also performed tests that assessed word learning, visual memory, and episodic memory. They also rated their cravings and enjoyment of high-sugar fare, such as Fruit Loops and Coco Pops. The people who found the junk food the tastiest performed the worst on the memory tests.

This study is just one of many that are pointing to the strong relationship between what you put in your mouth and the moment-by-moment functioning of your brain. It all leads to a vicious cycle—eat junk food, impair hippocampus function and appetite control, crave more junk food, further impair brain function, and so on. It helps explain why the SAD diet is contributing to the overweight and obesity epidemic in America where approximately 70% of the population is overweight and 40% fall into the obese category.

Fat on the Brain

Excess fat on the body further impairs brain function. An analysis of brain SPECT scans of 20,000 psychiatric patients at Amen Clinics found that as their weight went up, the physical functioning of their brain went down. Research shows that obesity is also associated with a greater risk of depression, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia (fear of going out), and addictions. These issues typically increase the likelihood of poor eating habits, which creates a downward spiral.

High blood sugar levels, associated with diabetes and pre-diabetes which affect over 100 million Americans, are often a result of eating a western diet over time and are associated with a smaller hippocampus and memory problems. Scientists have identified evidence linking abnormal insulin levels, a hallmark of diabetes, to Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline. The correlation is so strong that some researchers have labeled Alzheimer’s “type 3 diabetes.”

Enhancing the Food-Brain Connection

Even if you’ve been eating a western diet your whole life, there is hope. Although the vast majority of the research on food and the brain centers on how eating junk food leads to a junk food brain, other evidence shows that it’s never too late to start fueling your brain with healthy foods that boost brain function.

An Amen Clinics brain imaging study on 30 retired NFL football players found that after 6 weeks of following an overall brain health program that included eating a healthy diet, 80% of the players’ brain scans showed improvement in blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, as well as significant improvements in overall cognitive functioning, processing speed, attention, reasoning, and memory.

One of the easiest things you can do to enhance brain function is to identify 25 brain healthy foods you love that love you back and make them the mainstay of your meals.

At Amen Clinics, we take a unique brain-body approach to diagnosis and treatment that includes brain SPECT imaging, as well as laboratory testing to check physical health, weight and diet assessments, and other important factors that could be contributing to symptoms. By getting to the root cause of your symptoms, we can create a more effective, personalized treatment plan for you.

If you want to join the tens of thousands of people who have already enhanced their brain health, overcome their symptoms, and improved their quality of life at Amen Clinics, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.