KJM nutrition

Meal planning can be so hard post brain injury. Many of my clients tell me they just can't decide what to eat and what to buy. TBI survivors also tell me that since their injury, their partner has to plan & cook all the meals. But this is sometimes a burden and they wish they could give their partners a break! Or maybe meal planning and following recipes is just too cognitively demanding.... Do you get confused in the kitchen? Leave things on the stove or in the oven until they burn? Are you throwing away a lot of your groceries because you just couldn't use them in time? Your brain needs good nutrition to heal. And to get that you need strategies to meal plan. With my own long history of post concussion syndrome, I get how hard meal planning, shopping, and cooking can be. That's why on Monday February 1st 2021, I'm giving you a meal planning guide for choosing meals that are not only good for your brain, but easy on your brain too! YOU HAVE TO SIGN UP! (FREE!) *** This will only be happening LIVE with a private link *** GO TO: https://kjmnutrition.com/free-webinar/ Hope to see you there!

3 WAYS TO FALL IN LOVE WITH FOOD AGAIN . You’re at a point where you just don’t know what to eat. Daily food decisions are so hard. Plus you’re worried you’re not feeding your brain what it needs. . Maybe you tried cutting out some foods that lead to cutting out a lot of foods, which has now has left you afraid to try new things... . Talking with another brain injury survivor, they said this beautiful thing about food that it’s not just to feed your body, but it’s an act of LOVE. . Maybe you’re just trying to survive this recovery and that being able to love food is not reachable until you’re better. But what if seeing food in this way is the key to feeding your brain what it needs? And what’s if it’s more closely within reach than you thought? . Here are 3 tips to help: . # 1 WHAT WOULD 8-YEAR OLD YOU EAT? . When you were young you likely didn’t worry as much about how others saw you. You maybe didn’t yet feel pressure to meet a standard. Whatever 8-year-old you would be happy eating, will likely still put a smile on your face today. So take a taste down memory lane . # 2 EXPERIENCE YOUR FOOD LIKE IT’S A TREASURE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN . How stoked would you be to find a long lost treasure? You would pick up each piece in wonder, excitedly taking in all the details of the and What if you treated some foods the same way? Seeing, smelling and tasting them like it was the first time? Delight your senses with a little experiment in childlike wonder . # 3 SHARE YOUR FOOD WITH A FRIEND . There is something special about sharing food. It’s like a that can still be give and received virtually. It’s also learning about foods that neither of you may routinely have. And, your friends might not even have to be human! Have you ever given peanut butter to your dog? Hilarious. . There is more to nutrition than just the nutrients you get from food. And you deserve this act of love. . If you have any doubts, DM me. . Krystal See more

MEAL PLANNING FREE WEBINAR IS BACK! If you missed it, no worries. For the first time I'm re-running this webinar! Be sure not to miss it this time :) Friday Feb 26 @ 11am ET... Go to the link to save your spot now! https://kjmnutrition.com/free-webinar/

HAVE YOU & I BEEN INTRODUCED?? . Thank you for being here When I became a dietitian 10 years ago, I never knew I would be here. But since then, having lived more of my adult life with concussions than without, this is maybe where I am meant to be. . I HELP PEOPLE WITH CONCUSSION & BRAIN INJURY FEEL BETTER WITH FOOD ... . Being a part of the TBI community I hear your struggles: Should I take supplements or try a diet? I’m too nauseous to eat I have no energy to cook Recipes hurt my brain Stores are overstimulating My IBS is worse and no one takes me seriously I eat my emotions I don’t feel good in my body I just don’t want to be like this anymore . I’ve personally had ~6 concussions. I’ve been lost in the healthcare system & disregarded by others who don’t get it. And when it comes to nutrition I’ve been frustrated, disheartened and at times angry to see biased & inconsiderate nutrition advice. . To help my fellow survivors I aim to: Use my personal TBI experience to inform how I work while knowing that no two brain injuries are the same. I have to help you find what specifically works for YOU Think outside the box: nutrition is not just about nutrients. It’s looking at you as a whole person so that everything about food, the planning, preparing, the actual eating, the connection with others & culture can all be therapeutic in some way Accessibility of info: My website & articles are offered in written & AUDIO Be creative: recovery can feel like a chore but food & nutrition can absolutely be fun Advocate for social justice: better understand & take down the systemic biases I’ve come up with as well as the inequities that exist in my field of work & TBI . This Insta page is for you to get facts on TBI nutrition issues like appetite problems, emotional eating, IBS & more. . I also offer a TBI NUTRITION MASTERCLASS. I help you make sense of and fix your food issues when others have just shrugged it off saying it’s just the tbi . So welcome! Feel free to introduce yourself as well in the comments I am happy to virtually meet you See more

FOOD LISTS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW . Can you tell me what foods to eat and avoidis probably the most common question I get from TBI survivors, concussion warriors, and other health providers. . You can find a lot of different food lists that name good foods and bad foods for brain health. You’ve already been exposed to a lot of these. Yet you’re still here looking for the answer.... . Why? . Because food lists never actually solved your problems. They didn’t give you cooking skills, bring back your appetite, fix your gut, or help with emotional eating. In fact, those food lists may have complicated things . So then what to do? . MY #1 TIP FOR FOOD LISTS . Look at food lists like you would hair styles, clothing, or interior decorating they are examples or inspiration that need to be adapted to your own unique style & needs. . THE PROBLEM WITH MOST FOOD LISTS . It’s CRUCIAL we don’t look at food lists as set in stone.Because these food lists have come from research that might only chose to look at ONE way of eating. . Research is biased in this way. Who’s to say the Mediterranean diet is better than a Caribbean diet? A northern Chinese diet? Or Indigenous ways of eating? . There are many different ways of eating around the world that are good for the brain, body, and soul. It’s just not all of them have been studied or made popular. . WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU SEE A FOOD LIST . When a list says to eat specific foods, understand that there are other foods not listed that could give you the same benefit. . If a list says to eat kale and you prefer bok choy, eat the bok choy! . If a list says to eat sardines, but your local fish is pickerel or cod, eat that! . If a list says to eat sweet potatoes, but you’d rather plantains, don’t let the list stop you! . Are you ready to stop following someones else’s limited idea of what healthy eating looks like? Do you want to know what to eat, the skills to do it, and to actually solve your problems? My DMs are always open . Krystal See more

3 KITCHEN TIPS TO SAVE YOUR ENERGY & YOUR FOOD . Be honest with me. Since your brain injury, are you burning more food in the kitchen than you did before? . Hey, no judgement here. I once had a small fire on my stove! I was able to put it out right away nothing & nobody was harmed ... . Keeping organized when cooking can be so hard post TBI. It can also be a serious safety issue. . In terms of setting up your daily safety measures, an occupational therapist is your best bet. But as my mission is to improve your nutrition, it’s impossible to talk about food without helping you with some practical details. . So I’ve got 3 cooking tips to consider: . 1) DON’T LEAVE THE KITCHEN . Perhaps before your brain injury you were able to start a pot of boiling water, then while waiting step out to the do some other chore at the same time. Post TBI not so much. I don’t know how many times I’ve thought it should be fine. I’ll be back right away, to later find my food burnt & wasted. So stay in the kitchen! Maybe use that waiting time to practice some mindfulness or relaxation?? . 2) BRING A CHAIR . If you do have standing mobility, consider taking a seat to take a break. It always amazes me just how exhausting it is to stand over the stove or counter. My kitchen stool is such a simple tool, yet what a difference it can make! . 3) LIMIT DISHES . So, my partner is the type of person who will chop and place each ingredient in its own little bowl That is silly to me Saving energy in the kitchen also means creating fewer dirty dishes. Example: if the recipe says 1 tsp of baking powder & 1/2 a tsp of baking soda, this doesn’t require 2 separate measuring spoons! Cooking doesn’t have to be an exact science. It’s OK to guesstimate. It’s OK to reuse that 1 tsp and fill it up about halfway with the baking soda And unless it helps you organize, instead of putting every ingredient into separate bowls, I just chop and leave everything on the cutting board/counter until ready to use . How do you make things easier for yourself in the kitchen? Share so everyone can benefit! . Krystal See more

YOU DESERVE TO EAT . I respect your desire to lose weight. I respect your choice if you choose weight loss. It just saddens & frustrates me how much you are forced to focus on this . People in the TBI community often approach me wanting nutrition for weight loss. The TBI limits our ability to enjoy or even just participate in physical activity. We move less and stress more.... . Weight loss is something everyone thinks I do as a dietitian. But in fact, weight loss programs are NOT something I promote. Rarely do I weigh or measure my clients. And NEVER do I tell someone they HAVE TO lose weight. . Why? Because I’ve never seen weight loss work . And when I say work, I mean I’ve never seen forced food restriction in the name of ‘health’ lead to long lasting weight loss, a healthy relationship with food, and a happy person. Nope. Haven’t seen it. . Instead I’ve seen people shamed for being in a body that’s not coveted by society. I’ve seen restriction inevitably lead to emotional eating, binging, and disordered eating. I’ve seen diets lead to fear of food, sadness, stress & self-hatred. Shrinking bodies in the name of 'health' is oftenharmful. . Want an alternative? . When we shift away from weight loss and towards having positive experiences with food & movement, no matter what your size, you become happier & healthier. And your body finds its own unique shape & size that reflects that . At the end of the day, I respect whatever decision you make. It’s your body. I may not promote weight loss, but whatever you choose, I will support you in the most compassionate & safest way possible. My role is to help guide you down the path that is most in line with what’s important to you in life. . Because you deserve to be seen, accepted, and heard as a whole person. Not just a number on the scale. . And you deserve to eat . Full article (also in audio) with 5 myths about weight & health plus references & resources in bio . Krystal See more