Nutrition & the brain
There is a lot of talk surrounding what you “should” eat. The common misconception is you should eat certain “low calorie” foods because they will help you lose weight, stay in shape, and so on. This approach to diet minimizes the true depth and power behind nutrition. What we eat comes down to far more than just calories.
The food we eat impacts our genes. For example, you may have the genetic variant for Alzheimers. The good news is, this does not mean you are destined to get Alzheimers or any other neurodegenerative disease for that matter. Genetic expression can be turned on and off by our lifestyle - AKA what we eat. This is the field of epigenetics (the study of how your behaviors and environment cause changes that affect the way your genes work).
We have all heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” This does not mean the fatty foods you consumed last night end up on waistline tomorrow. This means your nutrition is directly impacting every cell in your body! Nutritional Psychology is the science behind how the food we consume impacts who we are. Otherwise defined as, the use of nutrition to optimize brain health and to prevent and treat mental health disorders.
As Hippocrates said, “all disease begins in the gut.” While our gut plays an important role in hormonal, autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine actions, it is also where 95% of our body's serotonin is synthesized. SSRIs (antidepressants) seek to increase the amount of serotonin (otherwise known as our “happy” neurotransmitter) in our brain. Low levels of serotonin impact sleep, appetite, and mood regulation. If our gut is under stress and lacking good bugs, the vital role of serotonin production may be interrupted - worsening mental health.
Chronic inflammation (triggered by lifestyle) is gaining more attention and recognition regarding the role it plays in the development of disease. Neuroinflammation is systemic inflammation that impacts the brain - a leading driver of mental health disorders. Symptoms of neuroinflammation include brain fog, irritability, mood swings, hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, and more. A remarkable study done in the Netherlands found 70% of ADHD patients after 3 months of eliminating the highest inflammatory foods no longer had ADHD.
Here are a few basic diet guidelines to support healthy brain function:
1. Increase intake of Omega 3 fatty acids!!
Our brain is 60% fat and we want to make sure we are fueling it with the good fats, Omega 3s. I take an Omega 3 supplement and am mindful to include healthy fats in every meal. A really easy way to do this is cooking with extra virgin cold pressed olive oil! My other favorite way to increase my intake of healthy fats is by eating Greek food. Research has consistently shown that the Mediterranean diet is very beneficial for brain health. Foods commonly used in Greek dishes like seafood (salmon and oysters have amazing nutritional properties), olives, and avocado are great sources of Omega 3s.
2. Increase intake of whole fruits and veggies (especially berries and dark leafy greens)
Eat the rainbow! Colorful fruits and vegetables are rich in phytonutrients (natural plant compounds) which are disease preventing! My favorite way to load up on phytonutrients is making balanced smoothies - my favorite blueberry smoothie is half a frozen banana, frozen organic blueberries, lots of spinach, vanilla protein powder, almond butter, and almond milk or coconut water! Another easy and tasty way to include leafy greens is by making kale chips (my entire family loves these): wash, de-stem, and cut kale into larger chip-size pieces. Drizzle with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Lay on a pan in single layer and put in the oven at 400-degrees for about 7-12 minutes. You will know when they are done when the kale begins to shrink and get crunchy!
3. Increase intake of prebiotic and probiotics
Some of my favorite prebiotic foods are garlic, onions, bananas, whole grain oats, and apples. As for probiotics, I like yogurt and kombucha. However, the main way I receive my pre/probiotics is through my daily synbiotic made by the brand Seed. Getting adequate amounts of pre/probiotics is so important because that is what produces and supports the good bacteria in your gut, optimizing gut health and function.
4. There is no time like the present!
Your brain is what makes you, YOU. Brain health issues start decades before you have any symptoms. Now is the time to start prioritizing your health, not only for you, but for those who care about you. “You can change your brain to change your life.” - Dr. Daniel Amen.
Resources!!
I really admire the work these physicians are doing to spread awareness of the nutritional aspect of brain health, revolutionizing mental health care. Linking their personal websites + books, but I would also recommend following them on instagram!
Dr. Drew Ramsey https://drewramseymd.com/who-we-are/
Dr. Daniel Amen https://www.amenclinics.com/ // https://brainmd.com/books-and-media
Dr. Uma Naidoo https://umanaidoomd.com/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626 - An easy to read article explaining how the bacteria in your gut can impact your brain and why traditional diets differ from western diets regarding their impact on mental health.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37457976/ - Study on diet and lifestyle impact on Alzheimer's (research shows that a Mediterranean and plant-based ketogenic diet show promising results in slowing cognitive decline and preventing dementia).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4322780/#:~:text=Thirty%20children%20(60%25)%20had,be%20treated%20was%20not%20useful. - Elimination diet and ADHD study
