When we think about the things we eat, we mostly associate it with dieting to get in shape, but we don’t consider how the food we eat will affect our brain in the long run. Day in and day out we put food into our bodies, and regardless of whether the food is good for us or not, the foods we eat are broken down into nutrients that are taken up into our bloodstream and delivered to our brain.
Once these nutrients are delivered to the brain, they restore the depleted storage in our brain, activate certain cellular reactions and ultimately become the very fabric of our brains. Considering all our brain does on a daily basis, it’s pretty shocking how much we still take it for granted.
Our organs are built to help us filter out all of the bad things we put into our bodies and help us maintain our optimal health. But, if we’re constantly putting junk in our body, damage to our body may occur over time if we aren’t careful.
The Correlation Between Your Brain and a Poor Diet
This might come as a surprise, but the brain is the organ the suffers the most from a poor diet. When your brain may be thinking about everything else except its health, most of us think we’re fine, but in fact, our brain and body are calling out for help.
Have you ever had those moments where you start feeling drowsy, sluggish and have a bad case of brain fog after you eat something sugary or fatty? These feelings don’t occur in the stomach, but in the brain and aren’t just temporary sensations. Research proves that an unhealthy diet can cause the loss of important functions and structures within the brain and can even increase the risk of dementia.
On the other hand, have you noticed when we diet or engage in some type of fast or juice cleanse you are able to think more clearly? This is one of the reasons why some people participate in cleanses because of that feeling of clarity that is attributed to your brain becoming free from the tons of chemicals and stimulants caused by eating poorly.
We put so much emphasis on anti-aging, clear skin, looking young and having a toned body, we don’t realize that if we change our eating habits, we can actually do just that while protecting our brain.
Simple Tips to Help Support a Healthy Brain
Luckily, there are plenty of foods we can eat that are classified as neuroprotective, which shield the brain from harm and support mental compacity and function. In order to start catering to your brain, here are a couple of tips to help maintain a healthy-brain diet.
Drink Lots of Water
Did you know that our brains are composed of 80 percent water? If we don’t get an adequate amount of water on a consistent basis, our brain can become dehydrated fairly quickly. Make sure you eat plenty of water-rich veggies and fruits and be sure to drink plenty of clean water.
Make Sure to Eat Your Caviar and Cold Water Fish
Although this might sound like an expensive habit to pick up on, caviar and fish contain a special blend of nutrients that are extremely useful for brain health. They both contain omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and iron which are all useful in improving memory and strengthening the nervous system.
Stock Up on Seeds and Nuts
Seeds like chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts, brazil nuts and sunflower seeds are all great for improving brain health. Most of these seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids that are vital for brain health.
The more knowledgeable we are about what promotes brain aging, the sharper our brains will be because we’ll know which foods to avoid. It’s never too late to take care of our brain. Our future lies in our hands and the foods that these hands put in our mouth.