Did you know that there were foods out there that are actually healthier for your brain as well as your waistline? June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, so what better way to celebrate your brain than to give it a summer makeover. Who said beach bodies are the only thing that can look good in a swim suit!
Brainy bites
So here are 5 brainy bites you can eat to help get your brain to stay in top shape!
Healthy Fats! Diets rich in fats can protect against an aging brain and reduce the likelihood of Alzheimer’s and dementia! Did you know that our brains are actually 60% fat? And its fat that makes it work correctly. Diets high in healthy fats like Essential Fatty Acids like Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty play a huge role in learning and memory development. In addition, other possible health benefits include reductions in symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder, and ADHD. So where do we find healthy fats? Foods like oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel) as well as whole grains, nuts, seeds, and dark leafy vegetables.- Antioxidants! Vitamin E and vitamin C are a super heroes when it comes to brain health. Foods
high in vitamins E and/or C are found to slow cognitive decline as these vitamins are antioxidants. Since our brain requires a whole lot of energy, it needs a whole lot of oxygen. Antioxidants work to protect our tissues from destructive effects of oxidative damage by removing toxins and wastes. Vitamin C is also needed for the production of neurotransmitters. So where do we find vitamin E? Foods like seeds, nuts, dark leafy greens, and avocado all have great amounts of this lovely little vitamin. Vitamin C? Acidic fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes, peppers, and strawberries to name a few! - B Vitamins! Our brains are made up of neurons, or brain cells that communicate with one another
through messengers called neurotransmitters. In order for us to have enough neurotransmitters to get the messages from one side of our brain to the other, we need to make sure we are consuming enough B vitamins in our diets. Vitamins like B-6, B-12, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate all help produce neurotransmitters, keep them on the right pathways, and strengthen those connections between cells. Where do we find our B vitamins? Foods like whole grains, lean meats, and dairy. - Calcium! So now we know that our brain cells need to have good communication skills, but what about the phone line that connects the two cell friends? Calcium has a special interaction with proteins inside and around our brain cells. Calcium activates genes that influence the development of neural stem cells which can grow to be any kind of brain cell we need! Calcium is that reinforced duct tape of the brain that keeps the internal wiring stable. We know that calcium often comes from the dairy in our diet but we can also make sure we are meeting our calcium needs by leafy greens, seafood,
legumes, and fruit. - Vitamin D! My personal favorite of the vitamins, the “sunshine” nutrient affects your ability to think, concentrate, and problem solve. Diets high in vitamin D can help prevent disorders like multiple sclerosis, seasonal affective disorder, and dementia not to mention it just plain makes you feel good! So where do we get vitamin D? Well clearly from the sun, but we can also get good sources from fish like salmon and tuna as well as eggs and fortified milks and cereals.
In the end, our brain may only make up about 2% of our entire body weight but it uses 25% of all our bodies’ energy! Making sure we eat well balanced, nutrient dense, and calorically sound diets is the best way for us to make sure our brains stay healthy, strong, and young for a long time!
Here’s to a beach ready brain!
