Brain food - brain series part 5.
When I think about nutrition for the brain it would be so simplistic to write: eat dark chocolate, blueberries, concentrate on reducing saturated fats, eat frequent nutritious meals, but allow 8 hour fast (if your health allows that)and make sure not to skip meals for longer than needed.
What I am saying instead is - eat local!
I think it is very crucial that we think about how we live, where we live, and what season of the year we are observing to choose the healthiest brain-healthy ingredients and recipes.
I recall from growing up in Poland that in winter we didn't have access to the abundant fruit and vegetables that we have access to now, while I live in the United States and shop supermarkets or other groceries. In Poland in the 80's you had to think about how to balance your diet for things that were available in the store and for the things that you prepared during summer and fall to consume in the colder months, long winter and spring that could be quite brutal until the warmer months arrived. That for me was marinated cabbage and green tomatoes, fresh apples and a few gorgeous home-grown carrots.
“Cruciferous vegetables benefits (e.g. broccoli, cabbage, bok choy) may be related to rich content of vitamin C, K, folic acid, and minerals such as magnesium, manganese then phytonutrients with their anti-inflammatory properties. ”
We know that advances in science put cruciferous vegetables back on the map and cabbage is a very nice source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, water and when marinated and fermented it packs on antioxidants that fighting damage and cancer-inducting free radicals. It is no wonder that kombucha, which relies on the process of fermentation, gained such a popularity for the immune and gut health in recent years.
I also think that this forward and a new era thinking about being climate-conscious is what is going to be a large part in choices of our nutrition.
That's why I think we should pay attention to, even on a minimal scale, growing and cultivating our own fruits and vegetables that can provide us proper, seasonal and local farms-based nutrition that is going to maintain and stimulate your healthy brain. Even tea and coffee, which are both smart brain preserving choices, may be better if free of harsh chemicals and unhealthy packaging, and you can find them in local farms or make habit of preparing your own full-leaf herbal teas.
But, back to the matter: You may find it useful to know that chewing is good for your brain. Literally.
There is some thought provoking research that suggests that one of the simplest tools of helping your brain to remain sharp is to avoid soft foods, like soups and drinks. See button above.
The message here is not so much linked to the content that you put in your healthy e.g. smoothie, but more to the process of mastication or in simple terms chewing that Japanese researchers linked to this part of the brain responsible for prevention of neural decline (prefrontal cortex in particular). In addition there are some pretty good studies and evidence that lack of teeth in elderly was associated with their mental and physical decline in nursing home settings. Super useful first thought about how to go about your brain health is to take care of the health of your gums, your teeth, visiting the dentist on a regular basis, brushing, cleaning and maintaining oral hygiene.
“As a rheumatologist I’m also aware of benefits of healthy gums, and that particular bacteria - P. gingivalis - present around the teeth [especially broken, loose teeth and inflamed gums] may be responsible for provoking or maintaining inflammation in patients with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.”
Now to the particulars - there's definitely a benefit of eating fresh and seasonal fruit and vegetables. The studies suggest that flavonoids have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that may protect against diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's - most of such studies come from animal models, but few human studies show the positive trend. The flavonoids may also be responsible for improving blood flow to the brain, and this process, as we know, may be responsible for cleaning and rebuilding of healthy nerve cells, which thankfully happens throughout our adult lives. The most of flavonoids are in the outside of the fruit and vegetables (skin, leaves) and it's important to remember that heat processing, like boiling, cooking or even prolonged storage may rip those healthy veggies and fruits of their maximal benefits. And while berries, such as blueberries and raspberries, may be very helpful to your brain, talk to your local farmer or just visit your local farm in a season and take the benefits of a place near you and avoid long-transportation based deprivation of plant nutrients. Planning your garden? Try to plant a few berry bushes like black currants. They are so rich in brain benefiting substances, nice to look at and smell fantastic. Another friend of yours will be antioxidant rich dark chocolate with a large amount of cocoa - look for those about 50 to 60% pure cocoa content, they may be a little bit bitter, but they truly are good for you and a small amount may be a nice company to snacks, or small work-based meals. If you consume a lot of chocolate just remember that it may constipate you and then in some people can provoke migraines.
“Did you know that cocoa has caffeine? It may keep you up at night, but also provide a boost of energy in the early afternoon.”
