Brain Health Foods

Regardless of your age, there are so many things that we can be doing to help with brain health. This applies to everyone from babies in the womb to adolescent children, teenagers, college-age students, adults, seniors and so on. So, it pretty much applies to everybody. There are a number of things that we can do, like simple changes in our diet that can help you protect your brain from aging too fast.

Okay, first let’s start with our diet. There is a really strong connection between the health of your gut and the health of your brain. Your gut transmits information via the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is the longest of the cranial nerves and oversees a vast range of crucial functions. It acts as a sort of direct line to your brain and lets it know when you are taking in too much bad bacteria, which can disturb the good healthy flora thereby affecting your brain function. If you are ingesting a lot of processed foods it would behoove you to include some healthy pro biotics into your daily diet. These “healthy” foods can be can come in the form of foods such as miso soup or kimchi, which are both high in pro biotics, to supplements in the form of turmeric and ginger. Turmeric contains the active ingredient curcumin which research shows crosses the blood-brain barrier and helps to sort of limit the formation of plaques that can form in the brain. This is especially evident in patients with Alzheimer’s.  It can also break down the plaques and help your body to make new brain cells.

Another good source of pro biotics is walnuts which are a great source of plant-based omega-3 antioxidants. These too can help to promote new cell growth within the brain.

Next are blueberries. Blueberries are awesome. Not only do they balance your blood sugar levels but blueberries contain antioxidants that protect your brain from the risk of oxidation and oxidative stress as well. They also help with your memory.

Some of my favorites come in the form of, what we call good healthy fats. Avocados are excellent healthy fats and many people are surprised to find, are a fruit not a veggie. Their healthy monounsaturated fats help increase blood flow to your heart. They also contain potassium as well as vitamin K which can help to decrease your risk of developing strokes.

Another really important pro biotic is coconut oil. We know that coconut oil is a great source of fuel for your brain as your liver will convert it into what they call ketone bodies which is a great fuel source for your brain. It works well for patients that are suffering from brain related health conditions. So, not only is it a great fuel source for your brain, it tastes good too.

Another area that should we be talking about today is omega-3 fats. First you can eat fish, which is high in omega-3, especially fish such as salmon and anchovies. Even though that may not go along with your tastes, it’s important because 60% of your brain is made up of fat and 25% of that is DHA which is an omega-3. When you're deficient in omega-3 in your diet, it often relates to decreased cognition and brain function. This can result in decreased concentration and focus and can have negative effects on memory and IQs. So, if your child is experiencing these types of symptoms in school, you may want to take a look at their diet.

The next up is vitamin D. You can get vitamin D from a variety of sources even from sunlight. However if you live in Canada or the upper northeast, you may not see sunshine for months at a time. But, studies show when you're deficient in vitamin D you're at risk for developing brain related health conditions like Parkinson's, early senility, dementia etc. Therefore, vitamin D is really important for your brain function. Many doctors are now recommending for patients to be tested for early dementia through a simple blood test which can be added to their personal blood work when undergoing a routine check-up.

And lastly, I think sleep is really important to maintaining good brain health. Research shows if you're getting less than seven to eight hours of sleep a night, it affects your ability to remember things and learn new tasks. Some foods and herbs that can aid in better sleep habits are to include, in your diet, such things as bananas, oatmeal or even chamomile tea. These can help promote sleep as they contain natural melatonin. If that still doesn’t work, again there are several supplements on the market that contain melatonin. Just make sure you confer with your doctor as to what they may recommend.

That’s it for now. Once again, thanks for reviewing our blog and we hope this helps you develop the habits that will keep you healthy for a long time to come.

Thanks again…CBD Doctor