I absolutely love this book (Re-Connected). I’m almost finished listening to it and plan to buy it to re-read and take notes.
I’ve been thinking through this a lot the past few days.
I tend to find some “experts” and latch onto what they say about everything. I hyper-focus on what they share in podcasts or on social media (sometimes this is on one extreme or the other). I constantly seek out “data” to support the new information. I’m very much a numbers girl when it comes to improvement or trusting science or whatever. I sometimes struggle to just trust myself.
Yesterday I did my own research on something after trusting and believing a couple of “experts” that I have been following, and I’ve realized that maybe they were wrong. Or at least maybe it’s not as simple or black-and-white as it seemed. Which kind of shakes things up for me. But, it’s also a good thing.
The thing is… you can find “data and research” to support whatever you want. There’s conflicting information about everything. It’s almost impossible to decipher. Most people who are “influencers” or podcasters have an agenda even if they seem to know their stuff and have great credentials. I’m trying to learn to ignore what’s out there and trust what I know is best for me.
This is somewhat overwhelming but also somewhat freeing. I have a lot to figure out for myself.
Sometimes I hate that my brain hyper-focuses and latches onto things. But it is what it is. I won’t say “I hate my brain” anymore. Well, I’m trying.
I’m also learning that what’s right for one person isn’t always right for another. Whatever that may be.
The “noise” of social media makes this so much harder. The urge to process and share “out loud” doesn’t help either.
What is the “noise” that I need to ignore to find my own way?
Well… it involves nutrition (as usual) and mental health (also as usual).
The big thing that I realized yesterday by doing even a little bit of research is that artificial sweeteners CAN affect the brain and mental health struggles despite all of the things that I’ve heard/read/been told by the “experts” that I have been following for a long time. Most articles say that more research needs to be done, but I just assumed it was all wrong when I had heard that artificial sweeteners could affect the brain.
This is from the abstract on a study on Pub Med: “Aspartame (α-aspartyl-l-phenylalanine-o-methyl ester), an artificial sweetener, has been linked to behavioral and cognitive problems. Possible neurophysiological symptoms include learning problems, headache, seizure, migraines, irritable moods, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. The consumption of aspartame, unlike dietary protein, can elevate the levels of phenylalanine and aspartic acid in the brain. These compounds can inhibit the synthesis and release of neurotransmitters, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, which are known regulators of neurophysiological activity. Aspartame acts as a chemical stressor by elevating plasma cortisol levels and causing the production of excess free radicals. High cortisol levels and excess free radicals may increase the brains vulnerability to oxidative stress which may have adverse effects on neurobehavioral health. We reviewed studies linking neurophysiological symptoms to aspartame usage and conclude that aspartame may be responsible for adverse neurobehavioral health outcomes. Aspartame consumption needs to be approached with caution due to the possible effects on neurobehavioral health.”
This is just from one article. There are MANY more.
This started when I started thinking about the fact that I have been having more anxiety the past several days after doing amazing for a while. I had stopped buying diet sodas to have at home, and I hadn’t been getting soda as much in general. Then Wednesday and Thursday, I had a lot of diet soda. I made that connection of maybe it’s the soda that made me more anxious, so I just started reading up on it a bit, and with-in a couple of minutes, I found many articles about how aspartame can cause a lot of issues… anxiety, depression, migraines, and more. It wasn’t just some basic articles. It was scientific studies from reputable websites. I have done this research before, but it just felt so much more clear today.
I know I am talking about data after saying that I’m trying to let go of it, but let me get to the point…
I realized in that moment that what I have been believing and arguing with other people may not be right.
Even more than that, I’ve realized that… like I said above… you can find data to prove anything right or wrong which makes decision making hard.
The thing that I’m really trying to start doing is listen to myself… listen to my body… notice… and ignore the “noise.”
Literally every single body is different, every single brain is different, every single person’s needs are different. What might affect one person can be very different for another.
What does this look like for me?
I have already been stepping back from logging my every bite, so I’ve been working on listening to my body better. I log some days because I’m trying to wean myself off of it slowly, and I’m trying to be flexible and balanced.
My plan for now with WHAT I’m planning on eating (I’m always open to change as needed) is to just focus on whole foods… protein, fruits and veggies, legumes, whole grains, etc. I’m going to try to avoid artificial sweeteners for now. Drink more water (+ sparkling water). Hot tea and coffee. Homemade foods as much as possible. In addition to the diet soda, I’ve also been eating a lot of Greek yogurt with artificial sweeteners, Fairlife drinks which have artificial sweeteners, and more. I’m sure that another thing that affects me is the amount of caffeine that I have when I drink soda, so I’m going to try to keep my coffee half caff or decaf (which I have already been doing).
I still don’t care so much about things like grass-fed/organic, etc, but just focusing on whole foods in general.
The Fall Season
Things are so different this year. For one, we are in a new state. Things are much more settled. Each kid is in the right place for them school-wise. We are a little more settled financially (still working on this, but things are improving).
Overall, I would say my mental health is so much better this year than years past. I’m still adjusting to my new ADHD medication, but I feel like I’m getting that figured out.
I’m hopeful for the season and even for the winter to come.
simplycourtney.org 