Shocking Ways The Food You Eat Affects Your Brain
“Make every bite, for your Brain to think Right!”
Imagine there’s a huge spread of desserts on a table before you, cookies, pastries, chocolates, crunchy candies, and velvety cakes. Wait, is your mouth watering? Mmm yes! But remember once you eat them you are going to crave for more. Why?
It’s all because of Dopamine, a Neurotransmitter that is responsible for sending signals to your brain and giving you a rewarding feeling. But too much of those rewards can sometimes override and trigger series of unfortunate events.
Eating a rich balanced diet is as important for the brain as it is for the body. The brain is the most important part of the human body that keeps working even during your sleep.
Lack of necessary nutrients needed for the brain can turn really fatal in long run. Out of every disease that could happen to you the very last thing you could ever think of happening to you is suffering from mental illness.
A well-nourished body and mind are more likely to resist mental illness compared to a malnourished or poorly nourished body.
Poor nutrition is a significant yet modifiable factor for the development of mental illness.
In 2013 the researchers of New Zealand found 44 percent of the increase in psychiatric illness including children from 1991 to 2010. And the Graph doesn’t stop here itself.
So how are we meant to cope with this problem?
Relying on medications seems the obvious form of treatment as the increasing rate of prescriptions per year. But in long term, they aren’t going to make lives any better.
Studies done on ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) children treated with stimulants or antidepressants seem to respond pretty positively but in long term, their responses slow down and in severe cases give rise to other forms of disorders.
Is there any way to prevent mental illness through food?
Nutrition and diet can play a significant and trivial role in brain health.
In 2014 a study published in the ‘British Journal of psychiatry,’ showed that people with ADHD symptoms when treated with Micronutrients responded twice much positively than those treated with placebos.
Reports showed that the Micronutrients group were experiencing less impairment while those in the placebo group displayed increased hyperactivity or no change in their behavioral pattern. After a year people who stayed with the micronutrients went on to have further improvements in their work and social relationships.
Giving micronutrients can be our frontline measure of preventing such illnesses. It’s inexpensive and much more effective than psychiatric medications.
Here are some of the foods that are proven to boost your brain health.
1. Nuts
When it comes to taking care of our brain nuts are the most effective and essential food. In fact, they are one of the best memory-boosting food on our planet.
Nuts are rich source of vitamin B6, Omega 3 fatty acids, and Vitamin E which are known to prevent several forms of Dementia and increase brain power. Nuts are best when they are soaked overnight. Why?
Well, Nuts have their own way of survival in this planet which they do so by producing certain enzymes like Folic acid. These inhibitors might restrict the absorption of other vital nutrients in our body and could destroy them too if not soaked.
Almonds and walnuts are among the most preferred nuts by many people but Peanuts and other local nuts in your region are no less of importance. Nuts are a good source of healthy fats that is necessary for hormonal balance.
Vitamin E
Nature has stored eight different forms of Vitamin E for us; many of which come from nuts.
So how often should we have them? It’s the size of your palm just before it reaches your fingers.
2. Green Leafy Vegetables
This is where we all gotta start. We live in a spectacular world of vegetables. What’s so special about them? They are loaded with compounds that improve blood flow, are rich in folate, and are a good source of anti-oxidants. Bok Choy, Broccoli, Spinach, Kale, etc. are very rich sources of anti-oxidants.
How Dietary Anti-oxidants Help Brain?
We all know that iron and copper are some of those metals that are highly required by our bodies. But do you know that excess of these two can be harmful to the body as well as the brain?
Iron and Copper both oxidize inside the body and while they do so they produce free radicals, molecules that are constantly swimming throughout the bloodstream and even inside the brain. These free radicals can cause tiny explosions between two brain cells. This is where Antioxidants come to the rescue just like any fire extinguisher. They help to put out the fire.
3. Colored Vegetables
If you walk into a grocery store; from a hundred feet away your eyes can recognize the Orange color of carrots or the red color of tomatoes.
The human eyes can detect Beta-carotene, Lycopene, and Anthocyanin. The brain subconsciously detects what’s good for it and is drawn towards them. This is something that we can’t fully understand.
Why do we need Colored Foods?
The Antioxidants found in green vegetables are only a few of them. There are hundreds of other kinds of antioxidants as well, which are found in these colored ones. The variety has engulfed several Vitamins and naturally occurring Enzymes that are beneficial for the brain cells.
The dramatic colors of Blueberries and Grapes aren’t just to make them look pretty. Those colors are Anthocyanin, the pigments found mostly in blueberries. Brains love Anthocyanin as it provides necessary antioxidants and helps to fight inflammation. They also improve blood circulation which subsequently helps the brain to work efficiently.
4. Berries
Anthocyanin as already discussed above is a necessary nutrient for the brain to perform a healthy function.
What makes Anthocyanin so important for the brain?
The researchers at the ‘University Of Cincinnati,’ conducted an experiment where they brought in a group of individuals with an average age of around 78. They were already dealing with memory problems. Everyone was advised to have grape juice twice a day for three consecutive months. After three months they found that their memory was better than before. Well, that sounds too easy.
A few months later another group of individuals was brought and this time they were given Blueberry juice. Three months later their memory got better.
5. Legumes
Beans and Seeds, also known as Legumes are meant to be consumed daily. They are rich source of Omega fatty acids, B Vitamin, and a variety of proteins. Besides, they are known to contain ‘Tryptophan,’ a nutrient that brain converts into ‘Serotonin’ to boost mood and fight depression.
A handful of seeds every day can help you with cognitive skills and improving memory as well.
6. Seafood
Our 60 % of the brain is made of fat; half of which happens to be Omega. The brain uses Omega 3 fatty acids or we say Fish Oils to repair itself. In other words, Seafood is the building block of the brain.
Omega 3 and Omega 6 have been linked with ‘Neurogenesis’ ie. regeneration of brain cells and neurons in adults. It was previously believed that the brain stops creating new neurons as we become adults. Today science has proved this theory wrong. The brain is flexible and has the ability to mold and alter its development. That ability is provided through seafood in our diet.
When we say Seafood it’s not just limited to Salmon, Sushi, or Sashimi. Seafood includes everything from fish, shrimp, prawn, lobster, crab to algae, seaweed, and edible planktons as well.
That’s right! DHA and EPA are few forms of vegetarian fatty acids that are found in seaweed. But the big benefits of seaweed are ‘Trace minerals’ like Iodine, Selenium, and Zink.
How Omega 3 fatty acids can boost your mood?
‘The University of Pittsburgh’ once conducted a study based on the amounts of Omega 3 each individual varies, and how does it affect their mental health and outlook. What they found was that; patients with very low levels of Omega 3 exhibited depressed mood compared to those with normal or higher levels.
DHA is one of the fatty acids that are significantly important for the growth and development of the brain after which, pills containing these fats were introduced.
7. Poultry
Poultry is a lean source of Protein and Vitamin 12 and should be consumed at least twice a week.
How Eggs are good for the brain?
One of the important nutrients for the brain is called ‘Phosphatidyl Choline,’ a healthy fat that makes a major part of cell membrane. It’s a pretty important nutrient to support optimum brain function, improving memory and cognitive thinking.
This nutrient can be found in egg yolks.
But here comes the tricky part. Consuming egg yolks might not sound that convincing, considering the amount of cholesterol it can build. But having twice or three times a week won’t hurt you much.
Vitamin B 12
Both Poultry and fish are rich in Vitamin B 12.
This vitamin helps in the synthesis of ‘Myelin,’ a fatty substance that covers our nerves and is responsible for conducting motor movements of the body like walking, running, or the sensory movements like hearing and smelling. Moreover, its key function is to aid in learning, thinking, and recalling already acquired knowledge.
Studies have linked B12 deficiency with Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and even Schizophrenia. People with low levels of B12 have a high risk of these illnesses.
Dietary Approach for treating mental health
The message is pretty clear that-
a well-nourished body and mind can withstand ongoing stress.
To improve public mental health or to avoid it, micronutrients should be the foremost intervention rather than anti-depressants and placebos. In fact, supplementing these nutrients on daily basis can prevent emerging of such illnesses in the first place.
A study involving 81 adolescents with psychosis was randomized with fish oils and placebos for 12 weeks. One year later 5% of those who received fish oil turned to Psychosis while comparing to 28% who were on placebo. This makes 80% reduction in the chances of people developing psychosis.
So why not simply adopt a healthy dietary lifestyle and tell everybody to eat better foods?
From dietary manipulation alone we don’t know who and how it may benefit. In the last five years, there have been extensive studies all across the globe with the same results. The more we eat the prudent Mediterranean diet, the less we have chances of developing mental illness compared to the western processed food.
Banish these foods from your plate
In the study named ‘The Chicago Health and Aging Project,’ the researchers looked upon the diets of people and did a very careful observation of hundreds of people, and then started to record who stays mentally clear as years went by, and who developed dementia.
In Chicago, some people ate relatively low amounts of saturated fat; around 13 grams per day. The researchers found that people consuming low saturated fats didn’t develop any symptoms of dementia or other psychiatric illness. Those who were suffering from dementia actually ate 25 grams of saturated fat per day. It’s true.
By simply avoiding bad fat we can reduce the risk of suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Avoid saturated fats and Trans fats
For most Americans, Bacon and Cheese are part of their lifestyle. Let’s accept everyone loves those juicy strips of bacon unless they are vegan. Guess what? Both Bacon Fat and the Dairy product is loaded with saturated fats-
The hallmark of Alzheimer’s.
And that’s just one of them. Chicago researchers also looked upon Trans fats ie, doughnuts, pastries. The very same pattern was found for this one too. Many people do avoid them for cholesterol and heart disease reasons but are unaware that it’s harmful for the brain too.
It’s not just about “whether I’ll get Alzheimer’s?” but, “will I be suffering from old age memory problems?” Now Alzheimer’s can be related to genes. But science proved it irrelevant.
Genetics doesn’t decide your destiny.
In another research conducted by Chicago itself, involving only those having a genetic history of mild cognitive impairment showed that individuals who consumed <21.6 grams of saturated fat per day didn’t develop any symptoms. On the other hand, those who eat >21.6 grams started displaying signs of cognitive impairment. This proves that by avoiding bad fats, even if we have the gene, the risk of developing memory problems will reduce by 80%.
There is just a fine line between eating to become healthy and eating to become sick. It’s called eating just the right amount and right food with the right understanding that’ll pave the way to mental wellbeing.
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