Wellness Program ViaZen Agitation

Dietary Recommendations
Lifestyle hygiene
ViaZen Health Tips

Dietary Recommendations

GREEN LIGHT

Choose whole, unrefined or processed foods, which are rich in essential nutrients that promote the proper health and function of the nervous system.

Whole grain breads and flours instead of white bread
Brown instead of white rice
Home-made muffins, granola bars and cookies instead of commercially prepared
Fruits and purees instead of sweetened juices/drinks
Water instead of water sweetened with artificial flavors and colors or soft drinks
Goat or sheep milk or plant-based beverages without added sugar instead of chocolate milk, or flavored/sweetened plant-based beverages
Yogurt or homemade smoothies instead of commercially made puddings (chocolate, vanilla, caramel, etc.)

Make sure you are consuming an optimal quantity of carbohydrates. Glucose is the primary energy source of nerve cells. Carbohydrate intake should be regular and in appropriate quantity to maintain stable glycemia.

Some of the best sources of carbohydrates include:

Whole grain breads and pastas
Unsweetened whole grain cereal
Whole grain crackers without « trans » fats
(brown rice, spelt, kamut, rye, quinoa, etc.)
Home-made cookies and muffins sweetened with date puree, maple syrup or honey
Fresh fruit
Sulfite-free dried fruit
Unsweetened fruit puree

Consume foods rich in essential fatty acids every day. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are integral components of neuron cell membranes. Studies have, in fact, shown that people with attention deficit disorder have lower blood levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Make sure to include these essential fatty acid-rich foods in your diet:

Flax, chia, hemp, pumpkin and walnut (ground and in oil form)
Nuts and seeds, whole
Fatty fish (anchovy, halibut, herring, mackerel, cod, sardine, salmon, trout, tuna).

Note: Tuna should be consumed no more than a few times a month. Since it is a fish that is at the top of the food chain, tuna can accumulate heavy metals, which are highly neurotoxic.

Make sure you are consuming adequate protein, or roughly the equivalent of 1gram of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. Protein provides amino acids, many of which serve as precursors to neurotransmitters. For example, L-tryptophan is the precursor of serotonin and L-tyrosine is the precursor of dopamine. When combined with carbohydrates, protein slows the release of glucose into the bloodstream, which helps to prevent dips in glycemia and therefore prolongs satiety and well-being throughout the nervous system.

Make sure to include these protein sources in your diet:

Meat and poultry
Fish and seafood
Yogurt and kefir
Natural cheeses (without colors)
Goat, sheep and buffalo milk
Unsweetened soy beverages
-Tofu
Eggs
Nuts and seeds (nut and seed butters)
Legumes
Hummus

Include lots of vitamin C-rich foods in your diet.

Vitamin C helps the body better manager stress / stress hormones. Some of the best food sources include:

Fruits: pineapple, papaya, mango, cantaloupe, carambola, raspberries, kiwi, tomatoes.
Vegetables: asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, watercress, alfalfa, parsley, pepper, green peas.

All meals and snacks should be consumed at set times every day and breakfast should be had within one hour of waking to avoid a dip in glycemia. Make sure to include a snack in the morning and in the afternoon to maintain satiety.

RED LIGHT

Avoid all stimulants: chocolate, strawberries, refined sugar, coffee, tea, soft drinks and energy drinks, food additives (MSG, nitrites, sulphites, BHT, BTA), sweeteners, artificial colors and flavors. All of these substances are likely to increase hyperactivity.

Avoid alcoholic beverages (wine, beer, cider, liqueurs) which all have a modulatory effect on nerve cell activity.

Lifestyle hygiene

Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink! Optimal water intake allows for better transport of water-soluble nutrients, as well as helps eliminate metabolic toxins. Make sure to drink between 0,75 to 2 liters of water a day, depending on your age. You should start drinking water first thing in the morning to compensate for water loss during the night via breathing, sweating and urine formation. Water consumption should be continued throughout the morning and afternoon. Finally, before going to bed, make a habit of having another 250 ml of water. Never leave the house without your water bottle. This way, it will be easier to meet your daily hydration needs. You can also choose to liven things up by adding a slice of orange or a lemon wedge to your water, or even some fresh mint leaves!

Make sure to move every day! Exercise enhances circulation, so nutrient delivery and use are optimized. Regular physical activity allows a better oxygenation of the brain and heightens focus and attention during and after exercise.

Aim for a minimum of 15 minutes per session.
Choose an activity that makes you feel happy and satisfied.

Restful sleep helps calm the nervous system. Ideally, you should aim for 10 to 12 hours for a child – 9 to 10 hours for a teenager, and usually 7 to 8 hours is sufficient for adults. Adopting a regular sleep routine is especially helpful: go to bed at fixed times every day of the week. Avoid radio waves in your bedroom as much as possible by eliminating television and screens (tablet, cell, computer and the like). The blue light that emanates from these devices disrupts the body’s production of sleep hormones. However, light reading can be calming for some people. A relaxing atmosphere (subdued lighting, soft music and soothing essential oils) can also be very helpful to help induce sleep.

Allowing yourself a daily 15 to 30-minute relaxation period can greatly enhance your body’s ability to manage stress. Whether it is yoga, meditation, relaxation, visualization, deep breathing, relaxation music or massage, the benefits of daily relaxation are guaranteed to help calm both body and mind.

Avoid exposure to environmental pollutants. People with hyperactivity are usually hypersensitive to surrounding stimuli. Be it noise, synthetic odors, airborne particles, volatile chemicals, cigarette smoke, these aggressors can all aggravate nervous agitation. These increase stress and have both a neurotoxic and modulatory effect on the biochemical activity of the brain.

Making changes to one’s overall lifestyle hygiene and diet can take time and a little getting used to. An adjustment period is thus to be expected, so don’t put additional stress on yourself. Take the time you need to gradually get used to your new wellness program.

ViaZen Health Tips

10 ViaZen Agitation Health Tips
To integrate daily!

Choose fresh, whole, unrefined foods.
Make sure to include carbohydrates, essential fatty acids and protein in your daily menu.
Include lots of vitamin C-rich foods in your diet.
Have your meals and snacks at set times every day and have breakfast within one hour of waking.
Avoid all stimulants.
Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water daily.
Incorporate at least 15 minutes of physical activity into your routine
Set up a routine that ensures you will be getting restful sleep.
Allow yourself a 15-minute daily relaxation period.
Take ViaZen Agitation according to the suggested dose appropriate for your age.