Are you anxious about using meds with your child?
Is your child on meds but isn't totally working?
Want to try an natural boost for their brain? EGGS!
Some of you might remember that I have been working on a certification in Integrative Medicine and my latest A-Ha moment came when I was learning about eggs this month! They are fantastic for our brains!
Choosing to have even 1 egg per day has been known to improve not just physical health, but emotional & behavioral health as well! So if you are looking for something in your kitchen that can help yourself or your kiddos, grab an egg! Here is a list of just a few of the nutrients you can find in eggs...
Phosphatidylserine - is a fatty substance produced in the body that covers and protects every cell in the body. It's particularly vital for the proper functioning of the Acetylcholine neurotransmitter in the brain which is involved in memory, cognitive function and muscle contractions. As a supplement, Phosphatidylserine has shown improvement in ADHD, depression, anxiety and traumatic stress as well as improving memory, and healthy sleep.
Tyrosine - is an amino acid that supports several key brain chemicals including the dopamine and norepinephrine neurotransmitters. Dopamine regulates our pleasure/reward center, it also helps manage our memory and motor control. Norepinephrine is responsible for our Flight, Fight & Freeze response that can be disrupted after going through singular or chronic traumatic stress. Tyrosine also plays an important role in the function of the adrenal, thyroid, and pituitary glands, which are involved in producing and regulating your hormones. It is helpful in managing conditions like ADHD (alertness & memory), depression and stress.
Tryptophan - is an essential amino acid that serves several important purposes but for our concerns it is responsible for creating the neurotransmitter serotonin. If you are not aware, serotonin is responsible for the regulation of mood, sleep, appetite, anxiety, memory and perceptions! Although it is found in your brain 90% of your serotonin is created in your gut, so maintaining a healthy digestive system and eating a diet rich in nutrients like Tryptophan can help you manage your mood.
Vitamin D - About 1 billion people in the world are Vitamin D deficient. If you are unable to get 2hrs / week of sun exposure (without sunscreen) you are most likely one of those people. We know that Vitamin D is essential for bone health and there is more evidence that it is good for heart health, lowering cancer risk, prevention of colds & flu, and depression (especially seasonal affective disorder).
Choline - is an essential nutrient that plays an important role in a number of biological processes, energy metabolism and the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which as I mentioned above is a brain chemical involved in memory and muscle control. Choline is important for cognitive function, heart & liver health.
Glutamic Acid - is essential to support the neurotransmitter Glutamate which is responsible to kick start memory and learning.
So much good stuff! But now you have to figure out which eggs to pick and unless you have some chickens in the backyard, the store shelves can be a bit overwhelming. Here are a few tips to get the best nutrients in your family's food...
Vegetarian-fed chickens: This doesn't really matter, in fact it might make the eggs worse. Chickens are omnivores so when you take away animal protein from them they can become stressed so, I don't usually pick these eggs.
Hormone / Antibiotic free chickens: Farmers are not allowed to use hormones in their chickens and they rarely use antibiotics for their chickens (they use it in the feed) so this isn't really important.
Cage-free chickens: This only means that chickens aren’t kept in cages. They might still live on top of one another in cramped facilities and never see daylight. So depending on the farmer, it might be better, but it might not and no guarantees for the quality of eggs.
Free-range chickens: This means they have access to the outdoors. We don't know for how long they are allowed outdoors but it is a good label to let you know they are not cramped inside.
Pastured is going to give you the best quality of nutrients. Usually pasture-raised hens live outdoors and eat their natural diet of seeds & insects and this relaxed life and quality of food will lead to improved eggs.
Humanely Raised - This one is a subjective term so it doesn't mean much, but if it is followed with a certification (like Certified Humane or Animal Welfare Approved) that is a big deal and you know those farmers did a lot of work to take care of their animals in order to receive this certification. You are going to see that work reflected in the price, but the eggs should be great quality.
Organic - The USDA regulates “organic” and these must come from free-range chickens fed with 100% organic feed (meaning no toxic chemicals, just good food chickens enjoy). This is a good label to look for!
Egg Grades - These are those letter labels like AA, A or B... this only has to do with how they look (do they all look the same or do some of them look defective?) and nothing to do with their nutrients. In my mind, it really doesn't matter.
I am growing more and more passionate about taking what we know from science and nature and combining them together through Integrative Medicine to improve our Mental Health
so look for more fun blogs on this topic in the future!
Cannot wait? I have openings right now for
tele-health or in-person therapy / parent coaching sessions.
For more information you can reach me at connect@trishjonker.com
Now do you need some egg recipes? I've got you covered...
Medical Disclaimer: The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.