Stronger Minds

Called ‘the sunshine vitamin’ vitamin D is the only vitamin that the UK Department of Health and Social Care recommends that adults and children over the age of four should supplement daily because insufficiency is widespread. While there is some controversy about the threshold for deficiency in the general population, what is consistently observed is that Black and Brown communities have lower serum levels compared to white individuals in the same countries, and that this difference may contribute to some of the observed health disparities.

In this week’s episode I’m explaining why vitamin D levels can be so low in these groups, the potential implications, particularly in relation to brain health, and what you can do about it.  

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Diabetes Risk Tool

The company I used for ny vitamin D testing (OmegaQuant) no longer offers this specific test.

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How to Build a Healthy Brain*

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Is there a link between childhood trauma and stress eating? And what’s the deal with emotional hunger? I’m answering your questions on the psychological side of hunger in this week’s episode.

https://www.intuitiveeating.org/about-us/10-principles-of-intuitive-eating/

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Original music by Juan Iglesias

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Going for a walk. Having a mindful cup of coffee. Keeping a gratitude journal. These common self-care practices can be helpful and have their place. But some of us have to go back a step. To the basics. In this week’s episode, I’m bringing you an absolute beginners guide to self-care.

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How to keep your teeth clean - NHS

Tooth brushing video

Flossing video

Register with a doctor - NHS

Feelings wheel

How to cope with financial worries - NHS

Sleep Hygiene

My Body Back Project - Sensitive and trauma informed cervical screening, contraceptive care, STI testing and maternity care for people who’ve experienced sexual violence.

Instagram link to this post

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I talk a lot about the importance of building a brain healthy lifestyle, but what does it look like in practice? In this episode, I share how I translate the research into simple daily habits for brain health.

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Getting your five servings of fruit and vegetables a day good for you. But why exactly? And more specifically, what are some of the nutrients in fruits and veggies doing for your brain? In this episode, I’m bringing you some fresh data on Antioxidants & Alzheimer’s disease. 

Refs

Low Xanthophylls, Retinol, Lycopene, and Tocopherols in Grey and White Matter of Brains with Alzheimer’s Disease

Biomagnification

Supplements and dry AMD

Lutein zeaxanthin AD diagnosis

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How to Build a Healthy Brain*

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

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Original music my Juan Iglesias

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why am I hungrier before my period? Am I addicted to cheese? And is it true that we confuse hunger and thirst? I’m answering your questions on hungry in today’s episode.

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Your stomach’s rumbling. You can’t concentrate. And if one more person annoys you… We experience hunger every day but what is it all about and how does it affect us psychologically? The intricate, complex and exceedingly clever science of hunger – including how it affects our mood - is the topic of this week’s episode.

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How do you choose what you are going to eat? Do you think about it for a long time? Do you plan it in advance? Or do you wait for inspiration in the moment? The science and psychology of what we choose to eat is as fascinating as it is complex. The unconscious, internal and external drivers of food choice are the topic of this week’s episode.

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Manifesting, the idea that you can bring the things you want into being through controlling your thoughts, is hugely popular around the world, with people claiming that the practice has changed their lives. But can attaining success and riches really be that simple and are there truly no downsides? 

In this episode I outline the psychology of manifesting and discuss its links to Margaret Thatcher.

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Do you knock on wood for good luck? Throw a pinch of salt over your shoulder? Maybe you’re someone who avoids opening an umbrella indoors just in case?

Superstitions sit on a spectrum from common habits and rituals to symptoms of mental illness. In the world of psychology we call these beliefs magical thinking.

The nature, pros and cons of magical thinking is the topic of this week’s podcast.

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Pareidolia (coming soon!)

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How to Build a Healthy Brain*

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