Feed your Brain
The foods we eat can have a big impact on the structure and health of our brains. Eating a brain-boosting diet can support both short- and long-term brain function
FEED YOUR BRAIN
Your brain requires a constant supply of fuel. That "fuel" comes from the foods you eat - and what's in that fuel makes all the difference. what you eat directly affects the structure and function of your brain and your mood.
Like an expensive car, your brain functions best when it gets only premium fuel. Eating high-quality foods that contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants nourishes the brain and protects it from oxidative stress - the "waste" (free radicals) produced when the body uses oxygen, which can damage cells.
And just like an expensive car, your brain can be damaged if you feed it lesser quality fuel. If substances from "low-quality" fuel (such as what you get from processed or refined foods) get to the brain, it has very little ability to get rid of them. Diets high in refined sugars, for example, are harmful to the brain. In addition to worsening your body's regulation of insulin, they also promote inflammation and oxidative stress. Multiple studies have found a correlation between a diet high in refined sugars and impaired brain function - and even a worsening of symptoms of mood disorders, such as depression.
It makes sense. If your brain is deprived of good-quality nutrition, or if free radicals or damaging inflammatory cells are circulating within the brain's enclosed space, further contributing to brain tissue injury, consequences are to be expected. There are good and bad fats.Healthy fatty acids like Omega 3 and 6 are essential to your brain, as they are needed to create new cell membranes."Bad" fats on the other hand are saturated and trans fats. They decrease brain health. Proteins and amino acids, have a great impact on our behaviour and well-being.Amino acids carry the precursors to Neurotransmitters - the signals that transfer information between the neurons.These are very important and affect our sleep, mood and attentiveness.Food has a direct link to how we feel - that's why you might experience alertness after a nutrient rich clean fresh meal and feel fatigue or sluggish after eating a large fried ,processed or high refined carb meal.
A combination of different foods can stimulate your brain to release different neurotransmitters that change your mood - for example Serotonin, Dopamine, or Norepinephrine. But since there is limited access to your brain cells, different amino acids actually have to compete for it.A balanced diet that contains different foods with different nutrients is the healthiest option for keeping your brain messengers intact.Our Brains are in need of a continuous supply of Micronutrients. For example Anti-Oxidants, that help prevent brain damage from free radicals.Other important Micronutrients are Vitamins B6 and B12 and folic acid - without them, our brains would be much more prone to diseases and mental decline over time.Mineral intake like copper, iron sodium or zinc is also an important part of brain health and the early development of cognitive skills. Our Brain manages to transform all of these nutrients - a difficult task that takes up a lot of energy.Our Brains use up to 20% of our Body's energy resources, while they only take up about 2% of our body weight!