Richmond Holiday Stress? Eat Walnuts!
Stressed out over the holidays? Eat walnuts! Walnuts are a holiday type of nut. They come in all sorts of flavors and in all varieties of recipes. (And if they’re not in your family recipe, add 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. Johnson Chiropractic invites our Richmond stressed-out patients, families, and friends to try eating some walnuts (unless there is an allergy!) to find their calm! The Richmond 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 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 concluded that eating walnuts may well be protective against academic stress. (1) Johnson Chiropractic and our chiropractic family can find out how well it works on holiday stress!
BENEFITS OF WALNUTS ON OTHER HEALTH ISSUES
Holiday parties and events impact normal eating patterns for many of us, influencing our blood tests and other issues. Johnson Chiropractic knows! An analysis of published research on walnut consumption since 2017 reported that eating walnuts improved lipid profiles and decreased cardiovascular disease risk. Further, more and more studies are being published on other benefits like enhanced cognitive health, inflammation decrease, glucose level regulation, body weight reduction, etc. (2) It’s a good thing walnuts are in many holiday foods!
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 arise over a long period of time. Consuming walnuts for a long-time may delay or slow their onset owing to walnuts’ protective role against inflammation and oxidative stress. (3) There is actually a 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 didn’t appear to impact healthy elders but suggested a delay in subgroups 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 Richmond holiday season. Plain. Candied. Spicy. Cinnamon coated. Take your pick! Like they say: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Johnson Chiropractic 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 Johnson Chiropractic
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 Richmond chiropractic appointment soon. Bring us your holiday stress…and your favorite tasty walnut treat!
