“Anything that affects your gut always affects the brain”, says Dr. Charles Major. And I could not disagree more, as I descry the latest findings showing connection between food and brain health.
We are surrounded by an incredible array of food options, of different kinds, fitting at different points on the scale of salubriousness. Some are healthy, others partially healthy, and some are grossly unhealthy to consume.
But the unhealthy options dominate more and constitute people’s choices. And why should not, it is, since they are designed with irresistible flavours to entice folks, and land tasteful on their taste buds.
However, this tongue-fun can have a long-term impact on brain memory, concentration, and attention potential. Therefore, nutritional science recommends you to be wary of what you are forcing into your mouths.
Prefer the victuals that contain nutrients which support the brain and overall health.
Here we shall talk over some foods which can help you promote your brain’s efficiency and capabilities. But how does healthy food help our encephalon.
Let’s dive in, promptly, there is so much to discuss!
How does healthy food promote our brain health?
Food is our body’s fuel and so does for our brain to. Higher the quality of this fuel, the more efficient it becomes and serves you more, with creativity, memory power, attention, etc.
And taking healthy, brain-pro diet helps in provided premium energy stuff to operate.
Further, unlike your junk edibles it protects our mind from oxidative stress, i.e., stress due to waste generated as your body uses oxygen for assimilation processes.
The greater is the concentration of free radical toxins in the system, the higher is the damage done to cells, also neurons or brain cells.
Thus, for now, you might have grasped an idea on how the food we eat affects our brainpower.
Now, what are the foods that best support this organ of ours? There are many which we shall discuss here in detail.
Different foods that help you nourish your brain
As it is important to adopt a good thing/ value, renouncing the bad/ unhealthy habit is also of equal significance.
Similarly, there might be certain things such as junk, fast foods, sweetened drinks, high carbs’ food, and so forth that you will have to quit along.
This is because it can restrain the progress that you might have enjoyed, relishing good diet.
Fatty fish
Eating fish at least two times per week is a great treat for brain. Fatty fish such as salmon, cod, canned light tuna, and pollack are a good source of omega 3 fatty acids and healthy unsaturated fats.
These nutrients are associated to lessen the content of beta-amyloid in blood, which can potentially trigger formation of malicious masses in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
If you are not quite interested in having fish, then there are natural options to gain omega 3 like, avocados, walnuts, and flaxseeds. Furthermore, you can also ask your doctor for supplement of omega-3 fatty acid.
Walnuts
Walnut itself looks like brain, isn’t it?
Nonetheless, this nut is packed with proteins and good fats that help in increasing memory. Walnuts are also rich in a type of omega 3 fatty acids called alpha linoleic acid (ALA). This nutrient is proved to increase cognitive scores, also lowers blood pressure and unclogs the arteries.
In case, you are allergic to walnut, do avoid it and seek and alternate.
Green, leafy veggies
While you are eating dark green, leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, arugula, you are supporting your body with nutrients like alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, lutein, nitrate, folate, vitamin K, kaempferol, etc.
These elements are salubrious for cognitive wellness, which improve your memory, focus, and retention power.
A study done on the subject reveals a drastic gradient regarding the brain power, between those who eat leafy veggies and those who do not. And the former had brain younger and active for about 11 years.
So, for your brain, better you check the vegetables in your plate.
Also Read: 12 Hygiene Tips Every Man Should know
Tea and Coffee
Coffee is overloaded with antioxidants and important nutriments. One of the popular beverages, coffee, has been studied and found to boost memory and concentration power.
It is also known to protect us from neurodegenerative condition such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Tea, another familiar drink, is affirmed to enhance attention, and concentration of the person. It also decreases the vulnerability to develop above-mentioned neurodegenerative diseases.
Avoid foods with high glycaemic index
Western diet and unhealthy foods are highly processed and contain lot of simple sugars. The amount of bad fat content as well is high, and has a direct impact on brain and heart health.
Foods which are highly processed, contain intense sugars, salts and unsaturated fats are those with high glycaemic index.
Avoid regular and staple consumption of stuff like, since it seriously affects cognition and memory.
High sugar content in these victuals can infect addiction in a person as it activates the brain areas linked with reward response. Thus, you will end up feeling hungry often, which may result in weight gain further.
Alcohol is a culprit too
The detrimental effects of alcohol on the brain are readily visible after its consumption. But regular and excessive boozing can have terrible and unimaginable impacts in the long term. It retards memory, coordination, judgement, and disrupts circadian rhythm too.
Brain might have to suffer chronic and severe damages owing to endured alcoholic addiction or use.
The beverage may drastically lower the levels of a neurotransmitter called Dopamine. This biochemical is obliged to make us feel happy, motivated and sense pleasure.
It’s lack on the other hand can make a person prone to depression. So, avoiding alcohol can revive your brain into good spirits.
Bottom line
So far, we discussed how our brain is controlled by our diet. Consuming unhealthy foods can impair our brain’s potential, while there are many healthy options to boost it.
Enrich your diet with omega 3 fatty acid rich foods like fish, walnut, flaxseed, etc., keep off alcohol, adopt regime of exercise, and take green leafy vegetables in your meals.
Nourish your brain with real food!
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