SDN

Art as a Neurochemical Symphony:
When we create or experience art, our brain becomes a biochemical orchestra, harmonizing pleasure, empathy, connection, and peace. Art is more than expression—it’s chemistry in motion.

🧠 Dopamine ignites joy and curiosity, rewarding us for engaging deeply.
💫 Serotonin balances mood, bringing calm and clarity.
❤️ Oxytocin nurtures empathy and human connection.
🎭 Endorphins soothe pain and release emotional tension.
🧘‍♂️ GABA slows the noise, inviting stillness and focus.

Together, they don’t just make the mind work better—they make it feel deeper, love stronger, and connect more authentically. So…
How are you conducting today?
Drop an emoji or a word that captures your mental melody. ⬇️

Saturated fats are found in many foods, both sweet and savoury. Most of them come from animal sources, including meat (beef, lamb, pork) beef 🥩 🍖 , chicken skin chicken 🍗 , butter 🧈 , ghee and lard, cheese 🧀 , whole milk 🥛 and cream, soured cream and ice cream 🍦 . Also tropical oils such as coconut 🥥 and palm 🌴 oil are saturated fats too.
Hence you can find saturated fats in chocolate confectionery, biscuits, cakes and pastries 🍨 🍫 .
While not as harmful as trans fat, saturated fat can raise bad LDL cholesterol and negatively impact heart health 🫀and increase the risks of stroke 🧠 . Thus it is best consumed in moderation.

While there is no need to cut out all saturated fat from your diet, most nutrition experts recommend limiting it to 10% of your daily calories.

Don’t go no fat, go good fat. Swap saturated fats for unsaturated fats from 🐟 🥑 🥜 🌰 🫒 🌻

Frida Kahlo (1907 – 1954), Mexican painter
Coconuts (“Cocos”, 25.4 x 34.6 cm; 1951) www.FridaKahlo.org
Antoine Vollon (1833- 1900) French realist painter
Mound of butter (oil on canvas, 50.2 x 61 cm; 1875-1885) National gallery of Art, Washington D.C.

Since fat is a vital part of a healthy diet, it is important to focus on eating more beneficial ”good” fats and limiting harmful ”bad” fats.

Small amounts of naturally occurring trans fats can be found in meat and dairy products but it is artificial trans fats that are considered dangerous ⚠️ These trans fats are created when vegetable oils are hydrogenated to remain solid at room temperature. Food manufacturers must list trans fats on food labels, as no amount is considered safe ⛔️

Trans fats can raise bad LDL cholesterol, create inflammation, and increase the risks of heart disease. Artificial trans fats contribute to insulin resistance, which is also a risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.

Trans fats are found not only in stick margarines, fast foods and commercially fried foods (French fries, fried chicken, chicken nuggets, breaded fish) but also in packaged snack foods (crackers, microwave popcorn, chips) and commercially baked pastries, cookies, doughnuts, muffins, cakes and pizza dough ⚠️

🌱 So aim to eliminate all artificial trans fats from your diet to stay healthy 🌱
Banksy (b. 1974?), England-based street artist.
Donuts, Strawberry (Screenprint in colours, 2009, signed in pink crayon).
The Banksy’s Donut Police was never originally a public street art piece.

When you hear about carbohydrates, or carbs, you probably think about bread, pasta and sweets. In fact carbs are also found in dairy products, fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, legumes, and seeds. We need to eat carbs, as a part of balanced diet, to fuel our body’s cells, tissues and organs, and to support immune and digestive health.

There are three main types of carbohydrates: sugars, starches and fibre. On the basis of their chemical makeup they can also be classified as simple or complex.

Sugars are simple carbs, easy–to-digest. They are quickly absorbed through the gut and can cause a spike in blood sugar and insulin levels.

Starch and fibre are the two types of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates contain longer chains of sugar molecules that the body takes longer to break down. That means the glucose will be released at a more consistent rate – instead of peaks and troughs – to keep you going throughout the day. This makes foods high in complex carbohydrates more filling and a good option for weight control.

There is no one-size-fits-all amount of carbs that people should eat. This amount can vary, depending on factors such as your age, s*x, health, and whether or not you are trying to lose or gain weight. On average, people should get 45 to 65% of their calories from carbohydrates every day.
Edouard Manet (1832- 1883) French painter
The Brioche (oil on canvas, 65.1 x 81 cm; 1870) The Metropolitan Museum of Art , New York, USA

When it comes to weight loss people often think about a deficit in calories, which means they need to burn more calories than they get from food.
However the quality (aka sources) of these calories matters too. Calories come from protein, fats and carbohydrate, the nutrients we need in large amounts for normal growth and development.
Along with energy, all of these macronutrients also have specific roles allowing our bodies to function properly. To remain healthy people typically require a balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates in their diets.

In upcoming posts we will talk about food sources for each group of macronutrients. We’ll cover how to make healthy choices, how much to consume in order to reach your fitness goals and maintain your wellness.

In meanwhile enjoy this lovely “Luncheon on the Grass” by Claude Monet.
Le Dejeuner sur l’herbe (oil on canvas, 248.9cm x 218.0 cm ; 1865-1866) Musee d’Orsay, Paris, France.