Nutrition Archives - THIRA Health

How to become healthier by enjoying your food

03.10.2018

In American culture, we are used to hearing advice about healthy lifestyles in specific numbers and terminology: “eat fewer carbs”, “watch your sugar intake”, and “avoid sodium altogether”. In other cultures, healthy lifestyles often involve food, too, but in a more positive and enjoyable way. The overall idea behind enjoying your food can be connected to the practice of mindfulness - being highly aware of your surroundings and paying attention to your actions. For most of us, it’s not uncommon to rush through lunch or skip breakfast altogether. There is clinical evidence that these actions can bring about some negative after effects not only to our physical state (blood pressure and weight gain), but also our mental health and stress levels. At THIRA Health, we support...

Healthy Reminders For New Moms (on Mother’s Day!)

12.5.2018

Health, Nutrition, Tips & Resources, women

An estimated one in six women suffer from postpartum depression, and many more develop compulsive behaviors (such as washing their hands or obsessively checking whether their baby is breathing.) As a cocktail of hormones surge and sleep arrives less regularly, anxiety and depression can weigh heavily on new parents—and particularly on moms who must nurse around the clock. It’s important to remember that taking good care of a baby is impossible without taking good care of yourself. Below are some reminders for staying healthy after becoming a mother: 1. Indulge in healthy food Indulging in healthy food throughout the day will maximize the energy you have as a new mom. The quality of your breast milk will be consistent, regardless of what you choose to eat, but poor...

Understanding Hunger: Decoding Important Messages from your Body

29.3.2018

Education, Food & Mood, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Nutrition

By Emily Fitch, Resident Dietician Food is among the greatest, simplest pleasures of being human. Every piece of food we digest offers our bodies something different, and personally understanding our relationship to food is the first step in building health and mental well-being. For example, upon tasting something naturally delicious—like an apple—the human tongue sends immediate sensory reward signals to the brain, and within 15 minutes the apple’s carbohydrates are converted to blood glucose that gives our body a burst of energy and endorphins. Apples are rich in a variety of phytonutrients (plant chemicals), and studies have linked the consumption of apples with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, asthma, diabetes, and some forms of cancers. Food is a fundamental fuel for our personal and collective mind,...

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Healthy Brain Checklist: Different Ways to Feed Your Mind

07.3.2018

community, Education, Food & Mood, Health, Mental Health, Nutrition, Tips & Resources

Despite the fact that the hardest working part of the body is the brain, one is far more likely to hear commentary about nourishing only the visible parts of the body. Informed with new research, it’s clear that what we put into our guts—personally and collectively—has more influence on our brainpower and social wellness than previously thought possible. And while it’s admittedly harder to observe the gains of a well-fed brain than it is to appreciate the physical earmarks of time spent in the gym, nutrition is the key to getting the most from our work, our work-outs, and our brains in general. Here are four simple habits for building your brain up each day, and a friendly reminder that you’re a mental and physical by-product...

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Meet Emily, THIRA’s Resident Dietician

06.3.2018

community, Food & Mood, Health, Nutrition, Tips & Resources

At THIRA, we’re fortunate to have the guidance of a resident dietician. Emily Fitch brings her expertise in all things nutrition to each THIRA program and helps our patients to create positive relationships between food and mental health. Check out our interview with Emily below to learn more about her work and a few great tips for approaching your own relationship to food. Tell us about what you do at THIRA Health. My time is mostly spent seeing individual patients for nutrition counseling and education, facilitating a weekly group called Food and Mood, and ordering all the food and snacks for patients. I also help to supervise breaks and meals and support our fabulous team as needed! When did you first decide to create a career around...

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The Many Benefits of a Well-Balanced Dietary Regimen

20.9.2017

Health, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Nutrition, Partial Hospitalization Program

By Dr. Mehri Moore, M.D. At THIRA Health, much of what we do is guided by our commitment to holistic healing. When it comes to treating serious conditions like anxiety and depression, the best, most sustainable recoveries are achieved by fostering the wellbeing of the entire self, not just the mind. This is why many of our programs include components like yoga, art therapy, and, perhaps most importantly, communal meals. Though the clinical research community has yet to establish an undeniable direct link between eating certain foods and disorders like anxiety and depression, there is ample scientific evidence drawing connections between diet and what the average person might call “mood” The Importance of Eating Well Considering that the human body – including the brain, of course – is little...

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