In our bustling lives, it’s quite easy to forget and understand the deep connection between our dietary choices and our emotional and mental well-being. I am keen to bring to light the vital link between nutrition and learning, emphasising the remarkable benefits of whole foods, natural sugars, and diets that steer clear of dairy, gluten, and refined sugars.
Through my own experience, my personal health journey began during my university years when I was blissfully unaware of the highly processed foods that had shaped my upbringing. It wasn’t until a health check-up revealed alarming results—excess weight, high cholesterol, and fatty liver—that I received the wake-up call I desperately needed. At that time, I lacked awareness of my eating habits, indulging in the convenience of processed foods that surrounded me without understanding their impact on my body and mind.
Initially, my goal was to shed pounds, but my limited knowledge of nutrition led to a quick plateau, even with a more active lifestyle. It wasn’t until I consulted a personal trainer who inquired about my eating habits that I realised the hidden culprits in my diet. While I thought I was making healthy choices by boiling my food and avoiding fried options, I was still consuming processed items like sausages and dumplings, along with snacks that I believed were healthy—only to discover they were laden with hidden sugars and preservatives.
Gradually, I began to embrace whole foods—minimally processed foods devoid of artificial ingredients. This category includes fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes. By incorporating these nutrient-dense foods into my meals, I empowered my brain with the essential vitamins and minerals crucial for optimal performance.
I also cut back on refined sugars, commonly found in processed items, which often result in energy spikes followed by crashes, significantly impairing our ability to focus and learn. These sugars not only contribute to weight gain and health problems but also detract from cognitive function.
For some, including myself, dairy and gluten can trigger inflammation and digestive issues that cloud mental clarity and focus. Many have also reported feeling more energetic and mentally sharp after eliminating these foods from their diets.
As the weight began to drop, I noticed an incredible transformation in my mental clarity and energy levels. I felt rejuvenated, completing tasks faster, waking up earlier with enthusiasm, even arriving to classes on time, and submitting assignments ahead of schedule. I was quite surprised I had that in me. Research has increasingly shown that nutrition plays a key role in cognitive development and function; our brains require specific nutrients to thrive, and the foods we choose directly influence our mental acuity.
Whole foods are abundant in antioxidants that protect the brain from oxidative stress, essential for maintaining cognitive health as we age. They also provide complex carbohydrates that release glucose gradually, ensuring sustained energy throughout the day.
I encourage everyone to read food labels diligently and opt for snacks free from refined sugars. Instead, consider crafting homemade treats using natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup, alongside gluten-free and dairy-free ingredients. My own experiences have profoundly impacted my life, motivating me to share this knowledge with others. This journey ultimately led me to create my own line of plant-based whole food snacks, free from gluten, dairy, and refined sugars. This was how the start-up Cocoparadise first came about, and it has become our mission is to help raise more awareness and inspiring better eating and living habits, we hope to prove that healthy doesn’t have to be boring.
As educators and parents, we hold the incredible power to instill healthy eating habits in our children as well as the people we love around us. Kids often follow adult behaviour; by prioritising nutritious meals and snacks in our households, we can inspire them to make similar choices. Engaging ourselves and our children in the cooking process can also ignite a passion for healthy foods. We must remember that healthy eating can be enjoyable and should never feel restrictive.
Presenting fruits and vegetables in imaginative and playful ways, it can entice children to explore new foods—think of colourful fruit kabobs or whimsical vegetable faces on their plates. And educating ourselves and those around us about nutrition can be transformative, equipping us to make informed choices.
My journey into understanding the vital connection between nutrition and learning has revealed that what we nourish our bodies with greatly affects our cognitive abilities and overall wellness. By prioritising whole foods, embracing natural sugars, and choosing diets devoid of dairy, gluten, and refined sugars, we can elevate our mental clarity and support optimal learning.
As parents, educators, and students, it is crucial to cultivate an environment that fosters healthy eating habits and encourages nutritional awareness. By making informed choices and nurturing our bodies with the right foods, we empower ourselves and the next generation to flourish both academically and emotionally.
Health and Wellness products and services that may be of interest:
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Allied Health School Services Program – Parents workshop (90 mins)
In 2023, ISS and OST Therapy launched the Allied Health School Services Program. The AHSS team offers personalized workshops for parents, focusing on speech/language skills, cognitive play, behaviour management, and building resilience. These workshops provide practical strategies to help parents support their child’s development and create a positive home environment.
Caritas – Counselling Services
Caritas Human Empowerment & Achievement Training (HEAT) offers counseling for marital issues, extra-marital affairs, divorce, and marriage enrichment. Services include family mediation, sex therapy, support for family conflicts, and therapy for emotional, behavioural, and learning issues in children, as well as mood, stress, anxiety, and trauma.
Cocoparadise
Cocoparadise is a company devoted to making natural, clean, superfood snacks that are good for you and the planet. We’re on a mission to inspire, encourage and make healthy living fun and easy. We think you shouldn’t compromise on taste when it comes to eating healthier. And we prove it with our delicious line of plant-based snacks. Whether you’re on a health kick or simply seeking tasty vegan, vegetarian, keto, gluten-free and paleo snacks… Cocoparadise is your destination.
Health & Wellbeing – Deck of cards
Dr. Christopher Willard’s mindfulness decks offer exercises for emotional well-being, including *Mindful Parenting*, *Self-Love*, and tools for teens to manage depression, anxiety, and build resilience. Each deck provides practical mindfulness strategies for emotional growth and mental health at every life stage.
Health & Wellbeing Videos
Unlock mindfulness and communication skills with expert-led courses. Topics include fostering positive family dialogue, boosting academic performance through mindfulness, and age-specific practices for preschoolers, primary students, and teens, promoting focus, emotional balance, and resilience.
iLiving: Initial 90-minute Consultation with Supported Healing for Children
iLiving is a holistic wellness centre that offers integrated services for personal transformation. They provide a comprehensive approach to address both physical and mental health, focusing on modalities like bioresonance, life coaching, family constellations, and more to help clients achieve optimal well-being. This consultation includes health scan of a child who is suffering from chronic physical or mental health challenge and coaching to their caretaker/parent(s).
KFBG Transformative and Mindfulness Forest Immersion Walk
Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) delivers inspiring, awareness-shifting and transformative programmes with potential life-changing experiences. We offer an opportunity and a peaceful space in the natural environment of KFBG for participants to experience, to rethink, to identify and to be able to deeply connect and appreciate Gaia, our mother Earth, and the interconnection and interrelationship that we share with her. By being close to, and having a respect for nature, through our transformative workshops, people can experience a sense of deep happiness and spiritual contentment in which could facilitate a more holistic way of living.
Llegend – Diploma in Professional Aromatherapy
This aromatherapy course covers essential oils, anatomy, and therapeutic applications, combining theory and practice. Accredited by the IFA, it offers exemptions for the UK TQUK Level 4 Certificate. As Hong Kong’s leading college for aromatherapy, it boasts 7 international accreditations.
Therapy Services – 1 on 1 Offline Therapy Service
In 2023, ISS and OST Therapy launched the Allied Health School Services Program. Our certified speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists offer personalized therapy for speech, language, motor skills, emotional regulation, and self-care. We use evidence-based practices to support students’ academic and social growth, boosting confidence and promoting inclusive learning environments.
Wellbeing Books Series
Dr. Willard’s books blend mindfulness with practical approaches for families. Alphabreaths teaches kids mindfulness through ABC-themed breathing exercises, while Growing Up Mindful offers parents and educators tools to help children build resilience, self-awareness, and empathy through mindfulness.
Author: Valerie Chiu
Founder of Cocoparadise
