With degenerative neurological issues on the rise, it is important to consider how we can support brain health to minimise the risk and protect the brain from cognitive and motor decline as well as enhance brain function, mood, focus and memory.
Part 1: Nutrition
The foods we eat provide the structural basis of our nervous system – the neurons function and glial cells (brain function and cognition) that allow us to think over time.
So what are the top foods to improve your brain health?
1. Essential fatty acids.
Essential fatty acids are required for normal physiological function. Our brain consists of 60% fat so it is critical that the right fats are included in our diet to support the integrity of nerve cell and membrane structures. Omega 3 in the form of EPA/DHA is of primary importance as most of us already have enough omega 6 is our diet. EPA is widely available in food sources, the highest content being in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and caviar. It is also found in chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, walnuts, olive oil and brussel sprouts. A minimum of 1.5g per day should be consumed but ideally, you should aim for up to 3-2/3g per day. EPA/DHA can also be taken in supplement form, this is usually derived from fish sources so if you are vegetarian/vegan, you can take a krill oil or algae EPA supplement instead.
Studies have shown that 1-3g can have positive effects on mood. In particular, it has been shown that a daily dose of EPA reduced symptoms of depression, sleeplessness and low libido.
2. Eggs.
Eggs are high in selenium, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate, choline and vitamin E. These are all essential for optimum neurological function. Choline is an essential micronutrient our bodies use to make a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine that helps regulate mood and memory.
3. Broccoli and Kale.
Broccoli and kale are high in antioxidants like vitamin C and flavonoids. They both also contain vitamin K and compounds called glucosinolates (which when ingested get broken down into isothiocyanates) that have been shown to lower the risk of neurodegerative disease.
4. Blueberries.
The antioxidants in blueberries may effect the area of your brain linked in with intelligence and benefit aging neurons resulting to improvements in cell signalling.
Studies have shown that after 12 weeks of consuming blueberry juice every day older adults with mild cognitive impairment experienced improvements in several markers of brain function.
5. Coffee.
Coffee contains caffeine, a low to moderate (50-300mg) consumption of which has been shown to improve alertness, concentration and mood through increasing dopamine and norepinephrine levels in the brain. Coffee also has high levels of polyphenols (antioxidants) and contains niacin (B vitamin).
6. Dark chocolate.
Studies have shown that consuming dark chocolate with a 70% or higher cocoa content has resulted in increased cognitive function and neuroplasticity.
Dark chocolate is high in flavanols and contains magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron, copper and zinc which are all crucial minerals for optimal brain function. Dark chocolate also contains caffeine and theobromine, both of which increase cerebral blood flow. It also includes tryptophan, an amino acid which is the precursor to serotonin – your happy mood hormone!
7. Avocados.
Avocados are packed with brain boosting nutrients: vitamin E, folate, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin K and omega 3 (ALA form not EPA/DHA).
8. Tumeric.
Tumeric contains curcumin which has positive boosting affects on the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. Studies have also shown that curcumin may increase BDNF (Brain derived neurotrophic factor) or abrineurin levels in the brain improving brain plasticity, memory and focus.
Part 2: Exercise
Both mental and physical exercise are important to enhance and maintain healthy brain function.
1. Exercise your brain!
Mentally stimulating activities improve both cognitive function and memory. They also increase brain plasticity which allows the brain to adapt more easily and recover from damage.
Try a new activity such as a jigsaw puzzle, crossword, wordle or sudoku. You could also look at learning a musical instrument or even a new language.
2. Get moving!
The benefits of exercise are a direct result of increased blood profusion to brain tissue, a reduction in insulin resistance, a decrease in inflammation and the stimulation of growth factor production and release – growth factors are chemicals in the brain that are responsible for the health and repair of both existing brain cells and the growth of new cells and blood vessels in the brain.
Exercise also improves mood and sleep quality as well as reducing stress and anxiety. Issues in any of these areas have been shown to contribute to cognitive impairment.
What are the best forms of physical exercises for my brain?
Aerobic exercise
This is any exercise that gets your heart rate up and gets you sweating. Studies have shown that regular aerobic exercise for 150-180 mins per week for a duration of 6 months to 1 year increases the size and function of the hippocamus – the part of the brain area involved in memory and learning. The sustained increased blood flow nourishes and removes toxins from the brain, improves the brain’s response to stress, reduces inflammation as well as expanding it’s resistance to oxidative stress
Squats
Squatting for 1 minute a day increases the size and function of your hippocamus. This movement also stimulates the production of new brain cells and challenges the brain’s blood vessels to adapt to an intermittent rise in blood flow.
Racquet sports
Studies have shown a marked reduction in neurological degeneration in racquet sport players. Not only do you get a rise in blood flow to the brain from the HIIT style training but it also tests and improves your mental acuity, balance and co-ordination as well as allowing for social engagement.
Part 3: What common life-style habits are damaging your brain health?
1. Smoking
In addition to increasing your risk for heart disease, stroke, cancer, lung disease and many other health conditions, smoking also has a negative impact on your brain.
What are the most common side effects of smoking on the brain?
Cognitive decline typically happens naturally as you get older. You may become more forgetful or not be able to think as quickly as you did when you were younger. However, research has shown that if you smoke, you may experience faster cognitive decline than non-smokers and that male smokers experienced a more rapid cognitive decline.
Smokers also have an increased risk of dementia, a condition that can affect memory, thinking abilities, language skills, judgement, and behaviour. It may also cause personality changes. Studies comparing smokers and non-smokers have found that smokers were 30 percent more likely to develop dementia.
Smokers are more likely to suffer from a stroke than non-smokers. Smoking increases the risk of a stroke by two to four times in both men and women. This risk increases if you smoke a higher number of cigarettes. The good news is that within 5 years of quitting, your risk can decrease to that of a non-smoker.
Smokers have a higher risk of cancer. Smoking introduces toxic chemicals into the brain and body, some of which have the ability to cause cancer. It is thought that the repeated exposure to nicotine causes genetic changes in the lungs, throat and brain and may increase your risk of developing cancer.
What does nicotine do to your brain?
Studies have shown that nicotine itself is actually neuroprotective. Ingesting nicotine causes a surge in key neurotransmitters – dopamine, acetylcholine and epinephrine, which in turn leads to a transient increase in alertness, focus, memory and motivation. As it stimulates the pleasure centres in the brain, it also produces an experience of feeling good. The increased release of dopamine along with the inhibition of another neurotransmitter, GABA and the stimulation of a neuro-re-enforcement circuit in your brain is what makes nicotine so addictive and over time, a nicotine tolerance builds up and more nicotine is needed to function.
What about vaping and e-cigarettes?
Although research on vaping liquids and e-cigarettes is limited, we know so far that they can still have a negative impact on your brain and overall health. It is thought that e-cigarettes that contain nicotine produce similar changes in the brain as cigarettes but the health risks involved are significantly reduced.
2. Alcohol
Scientifically, alcohol works on the brain as a relaxant. However, it can also have an impact on your cognitive function leading to slurred speech, blurred vision and impaired memory.
But can alcohol damage your brain?
Alcohol is neurotoxic and can damage your brain cells. It works on multiple receptors in your body, and excessive use of it can be very harmful to the brain and to the mind.
In the short term, alcohol can affect your cognitive function and cause: slurred speech, blurred vision, fatigue, decreased hand-and-eye coordination and slower reaction times, balance issues, impaired memory and reasoning, confusion and mood swings.
Studies on the long-term effects of chronic alcohol use have shown it can lead to brain damage in both the grey and white matter. It can result in structural changes to your brain, cause brain atrophy and shrink your brain over time. This damage increases the chances of you developing dementia and other memory disorders. As well as memory, it can also effect your mood, cause anxiety and depression, and create a feeling of confusion and paranoia.
However, research has shown that by stopping drinking, improving your nutrition and taking thiamine (vitamin B1) supplements, it can be reversible.
3. Sleep
If you have ever felt foggy after a poor night’s sleep, it won’t surprise you that sleep significantly impacts brain function. A healthy amount of sleep is vital for ‘brain plasticity’ or the brain’s ability to adapt to input. If we sleep too little, we become unable to process what we’ve learned during the day and we have more trouble remembering it in the future. Researchers also believe that sleep may promote the removal of waste products from brain cells – something that seems to occur less efficiently when the brain is awake.
Sleep is vital to the rest of the body too. When people don’t get enough sleep, their health risks rise. Symptoms of depression, seizures, high blood pressure and migraines worsen. Immunity is compromised, increasing the likelihood of illness and infection. Sleep also plays a role in metabolism: Even one night of missed sleep can create a prediabetic state in an otherwise healthy person.
Some of the key things that happen while you’re asleep include:
- Energy conservation and storage. During the day, cells throughout your body use stockpiled resources to keep doing their jobs. While you’re asleep, your body uses less energy. That lets those cells resupply and stock up for the next day.
- Self-repair and recovery. Being less active makes it easier for your body to heal injuries and repair issues that happened while you were awake. That’s also why being sick makes you feel more tired and need more rest.
- Brain maintenance. While you’re asleep, your brain reorganizes and catalogues memories and learned information. It makes accessing and using things you learn and remember easier and more efficient.
What are the health effects of sleep deprivation?
Even missing as little as 1.5 hours can have an impact on how you feel, causing short-term problems like a lack of alertness, memory problems, mood swings and an inability to participate in normal daily activities. Sleep deprivation not only causes fatigue and a lack of energy, it can also effect balance and co-ordination, blurred vision and slow reaction times as well as increased stress levels and hypertension.
Sleep deprivation over your lifespan also increases your risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. Studies show that adults who regularly sleep for six hours or less per night accumulate toxins in the brain that can lead to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
4. Hydration
Water makes up for around 50-70% of human body weight and is necessary for the daily functioning of the body, including playing key roles in metabolism, maintenance of electrolyte balance, nutrient transporter and provides lubrication for joints and organs. Staying hydrated is also key for mental health, as even mild dehydration has been linked with poor mood, attention and memory.
The brain, compared to the rest of the body contains more water mass, approximately 75% of all brain mass is water. Studies have shown that cognitive function declines even at mild water loss (of around 2%). These include poorer concentration, short-term memory issues, and negative mood changes. Other physiological symptoms of mild dehydration that affect the brain can include light-headedness, dizziness, headache, nausea, and fatigue.
How to hydrate: As well as drinking plenty of water (around 2 litres a day), try drinking green tea as it contains the amino acid L-theanine and antioxidants, which can have a calming effect and may help improve your memory and focus. Herbal infusions such as chamomile, ginger or peppermint can also help with hydration and offer the benefits of helping with digestion, headaches and anxiety.
5. Sugar
The brain uses more energy than any other organ in the human body and glucose is its primary source of fuel.
Elevated amounts of glucose in the bloodstream can be harmful to the brain, resulting in slowed cognitive function, memory loss, problems with attention and inflammation in the brain.
Many people also experience feelings of decreased self-control – having a little sugar stimulates an addiction-like response and leaves you craving for more.
Another serious effect of sugar on the brain is the impact on mood. An elevated blood sugar increases anxiety and depression as well as the ability to process complex emotions.
However, don’t panic! Sugar can be part of a healthy diet, when eaten in moderation. Try to opt for dark chocolate or by satisfying your sweet tooth with fresh fruit in place of refined sugars. Eating fresh fruit provides the satisfying sweetness of sugar-laden treats with the added bonus of the fruit’s fibre, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that curtail the surge of sugar in the bloodstream and block its negative effects.
Should you have any concerns about cognitive decline then make an appointment with your GP. You can also find more information and advice at Dementia UK or Alzheimer’s UK and NHS websites.
https://www.nhs.uk/
https://www.dementiauk.org/
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/