Food enthusiasts can likely relate to the term “I love food.” Who doesn’t? But living a healthy lifestyle requires people to love food that “loves them back,” a term that Dr. Daniel G. Amen, a longtime psychiatrist and brain health specialist, uses to help patients understand their relationship with food.
Koibito Poke knows all about cultivating a healthy relationship with food — the core mission of the restaurant is based around the concept of loving food that is good for the body. Koibito Poke serves healthy food that has positive health advantages including building the body’s immune system. The term “koibito” itself means “love” in Japanese and through the food they serve, Koibito Poke encourages guests to love their bodies and show their bodies some love by enjoying fresh, clean whole foods that are good for the body — and the tastebuds!
Dr. Amen encourages his patients and anyone seeking brain clarity and increased happiness to start with food. And while it’s easy to “love” French fries, ice cream and a few cocktails after a long day, he suggests moving away from those foods (likening them to toxic relationships that have negative outcomes) and to instead embrace the foods that “love you back.”
In his book “You, Happier,” Amen introduces readers to the concept of loving food that loves them back — and explains how certain foods are actually better for certain brain types in terms of health benefits. He states, “What you eat and drink has a direct effect on your brain and its ability to balance chemicals, promote health, and operate optimally—all factors in your happiness.”
The book also references a 2017 study in “BMC Medicine” that published research findings that states, “… when people with moderate to severe depression received nutritional counseling and ate a more healthful diet for 12 weeks, their symptoms improved significantly.”
It’s all about selecting the right foods to fuel mind and body wellness. Dr. Amen suggests foods like fish, seafood, chicken, beans, avocados, almonds, carrots, and dark chocolate. In particular, as it relates to seafood (which is found fresh daily at Koibito Poke!), Amen says, “Not only does seafood provide ample tryptophan, but its long-chain omega-3s increase serotonin production in the brain.”
With the holidays approaching and many “sad foods” making an appearance at parties and celebrations, now is the time to refocus on those loving foods that will help fuel the body’s health and happiness in the long run. Koibito Poke’s custom poke bowls are chock full of those “foods that love you back” and with a wide variety of choices, each bowl can be completely different with every visit. Want to feel the love? Stop in and enjoy a custom bowl today.
