This is your brain. This is your brain on…Food.

The Brain may just be the most important….and the most ignored organ of the body. You can’t see it and neither can anyone else.  You don’t care if it is skinny or fat. It doesn’t get blemishes or need anti-wrinkle cream. It doesn’t sag, droop or spill out over your jeans.  So what’s the point in eating blueberries, exercising or getting enough sleep, when it comes to one of the most powerful organs we have? I will get to that in a minute. First, let’s talk about a few reasons we should adore, and not ignore, our brains. 

It is our brain that controls just about everything that makes us human. Our brain is an organ of character, intelligence, planning and decisions. It is divided into functional sections and each has an important and specific function. Our Frontal Lobe is responsible for our personality, concentration, language and judgement…and without our Brain Stem, we could not breathe. The Brain Stem also controls other involuntary functions such as heart rate, arousal and sleep/wake cycles. Literally, all the things we need to have functioning, in order to survive. Among many other things, the Temporal Lobe allows for us to hear, the Parietal Lobe allows us to touch, and the Occipital Lobe allows for us to see. The Cerebellum gives us our balance and coordination and skilled motor activity… just to name a few of the most fascinating functions of one of our most important and complex organs. 

In addition, the lobes are further differentiated into the left side and right side. Each side has a set of important functions and general dysfunction can occur when either of the two sides is injured.  The left side of the brain controls the right side of the body and is analytical, logical, precise, organized and literal. If you were to have an injury to the left side of your brain, you may have difficulty expressing language or understanding it. You could have depression or anxiety, or even impaired logic. The right side of the brain controls the left side of the body and is figurative, creative, empathetic and imaginative. An injury to the right side of the brain may cause an inability to think about the “big picture”, may alter creativity and music perception and could cause visual memory or visual-spatial impairment as well. 

There is a ton more to consider when you are talking about the anatomy and function of our Brain and Neurological System…and the science lover in me could just go on and on with details…but that really wasn’t supposed to be the point of this blog. A good basic understanding is what I was going for. 

Now—Let’s talk about your brain… on food.

As we age, our brain ages too. Certain factors of our behavior and lifestyle may actually cause our brains to age faster. The foods we eat and the lifestyle we lead could be causing our brain to be unhealthy! BUT! I have amazing news. It doesn’t have to stay that way. We can improve the health of our brain at any time, any age. That seems like a no brainer! No pun intended.

Do you remember that commercial when we were younger…of the frying egg. “This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs.”  It turns out that drugs are really bad for your brain…and also, eggs happen to be really good for it! 

Did you know that eggs could help prevent brain shrinkage…or that brain shrinkage was even a thing? B Vitamins also play an integral role in brain health and may even help prevent dementia, in addition to boosting neurotransmitters (the chemicals that deliver messages between neurons in the brain and the body). Lack of B vitamins could put you at higher risk for cognitive decline or memory loss.  B1, B3 and Choline are important in the regulation of normal brain function. Choline can be found in egg yolks. Chicken, Fish, Avocado, nuts and seeds, whole grains, fruits, leafy greens and beans such as black beans, chickpeas, kidney or pinto are all excellent sources of vitamin B.  B6, B12 and Folic Acid are important as they seem to lower homocysteine in the blood. Homocysteine is a compound that is associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease, when it is elevated. Vitamin B12 is only found in animal protein, so if you are a vegan, you may have to use a supplement to be sure you are getting a sufficient amount. Also, another important note about B12, while I am thinking of it- if you have MTHFR, you will need to make sure that you are taking a B12 vitamin with methylated B and folate, rather than folic acid.

Improving your diet is one of the best ways to keep your brain young and healthy. A Mediterranean style diet is one that focuses on healthy fats and carbs and is an excellent way to decrease cognitive dysfunction and dementia. The focus is on fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds as well as fish. They use primarily unsaturated oils such as extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil or avocado, as well as plant sources of protein.  

Whole Grains

Whole grains may reduce brain fog and irritability and also lead to an improvement in focus and concentration. Eating whole grains allows for a slow release of energy, in the form of blood glucose, into your bloodstream which will allow you to have a steady supply of energy to the brain.  Refined grains have been stripped of the most important nutritional value during the refining process and cause a sharp spike in blood sugar when you eat them. Examples of whole grains are oatmeal, brown rice, bulgur, barley, buckwheat, millet. My personal favorite is Quinoa, which can be made in a variety of ways, for breakfast, lunch or dinner and most importantly- it is naturally gluten free and has a high protein content.  Quinoa is actually considered a complete protein as it contains all 9 essential amino acids. 

Our food is the best way to get vitamins that we need and it turns out certain vitamins really boost brain health, where a lack of that vitamin, may cause impairment. B vitamins are not the only need. Our brain also thrives with Vitamin C, K, E, Zinc, essential fatty acids and lycopene. 

Vitamins

Vitamin C can improve mental agility and a deficiency may even be a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s. Vitamin C can be found in red peppers and broccoli as well as oranges. Black Currants are an excellent source of this vitamin and can also help reduce anxiety and stress. 

Broccoli is one of the best sources of vitamin K, which can help improve brain power, increase cognitive function and keep our memories sharp. You can also obtain vitamin K from prunes, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, liver and hard cheeses. 

Vitamin E is important when you want to prevent decline in your cognition. Nuts and seeds, leafy greens, olives, whole grains, brown rice and eggs are all an excellent choice.  

One of the best choices to obtain zinc in the diet is pumpkin seeds, which can improve memory and thinking skills. You can also find zinc in nuts such as almonds and cashews, beef and chickpeas. 

Essential Fatty Acid’s can be found in oily fish such as Salmon, Trout or Mackerel and if you are vegetarian, you may prefer to use seeds such as flaxseed, hemp or chia. 

Lycopene can be found in Tomatoes and may play a role in preventing free radical damage, that occurs during the development of dementia and can even have therapeutic effects in disorders such as Alzheimers as well as other neurological diseases. Papayas and watermelon are also good sources for Lycopene. 

Go chemical free to support a healthy brain

If you find all of that was a lot to take in, you may want to eat some blueberries and boost your short term memory! Blueberries may be beneficial when it comes to improving or delaying short term memory loss! 

But, before you grab a handful and pop them in your mouth- there is an important fact I want to share with you, that could make your head spin. Conventional (non-organic) blueberries can contain up to 52 pesticide chemicals. The thin skin allows the chemicals to enter the fruit’s flesh, so be sure to buy organic, whenever possible. And not just when it comes to blueberries. According to beyondpesticides.org “Mounting evidence over the past years shows that chronic exposure to sublethal (low) levels of pesticides adversely affects the central nervous system (CNS), with agricultural chemical exposure identified as a cause of many adverse CNS impacts. In addition to CNS effects, pesticide exposure can impact a plethora of neurological diseases including, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s disease, along with cognitive function, and dementia-like diseases like Alzheimer’s.” You can also find the top most sprayed fruits and veggies at https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php, where they post the “dirty dozen”. Blueberries are typically on this list, however they may have been #13 for 2021. 

Food and nutrition is only ONE way that we can support the health of our brains and decelerate the aging process of one of the most important organs that God gifted us with.  Being mindful of what we eat and eating with the intention of achieving health should be just as much a part of our daily routine as any other regimen for our health, such as going to the gym or a daily skin regimen. The brain has such a complex role in our voluntary and involuntary functions, enabling us to live- walk, think and breathe and sometimes, we just need a reminder that it’s there. When you actually stop and think about it, I think we can both agree, that we should love and respect our brains and that taking care of it should be just as important as fitting into our jeans. 

XO

Christina Fawn