The foods you eat have a direct impact on the health of your brain. (Representative image)
How much can you alter your eating patterns to influence your brain? Nutritionists might have some answers.
Our brains are always active. It works tirelessly 24 hours a day, even when you are asleep, to maintain your thoughts, movements, breathing, heart rate and senses. It implies that your brain needs food all the time. That food comes from the things you eat, and what's in it makes a big difference. In other words, the foods you eat have a direct impact on the health of your brain. In essence, what you eat defines you.
However, to what extent can you alter your eating patterns to influence your brain? Nutritionist Marina Wright might have some answers.
In an Instagram post, Wright talked about “5 Nutritional Habits That Will Transform Your Nervous System.”
- Controlling your blood sugar levels is the first priority. According to Wright, irregularities in blood sugar can cause the nervous system to become altered by causing changes in neurotransmitter activity, which triggers the stress response and increases inflammation. So how do you manage it? She suggests eating a balance of fats, high-fiber carbohydrates and protein.
- The second is to promote a balanced microbiome in the gut. Gut microbes influence neurotransmitter synthesis, inflammatory levels, and cortisol through the gut-brain axis, which is critical for the regulation of the nervous system. He advised including prebiotic foods such as onions, leeks, apples and bananas along with probiotic foods such as yogurt and kimchi in your regular diet.
- Eating foods that nourish the vagus nerve is another step. Many foods have been shown to benefit the nervous system and improve HRV, a measure of vagal tone, including choline, vitamin B12, omega-3s, probiotics, and polyphenols. She recommends eating meat and fish for vitamin B12, eggs and liver for choline, fatty fish for omega-3 fatty acids, yogurt and kefir for probiotics, and berries and green tea for polyphenols.
- Reducing intestinal inflammation is the fourth strategy. Dysregulation of the neurological system may be due to gastrointestinal inflammation. Eat more foods rich in antioxidants, such as berries, leafy green vegetables, fatty salmon, and olive oil. She suggests minimizing highly processed foods and those you are sensitive to and aiming for a diversified, colorful diet based on whole foods.
- There is also the conscious eating approach. We activate our parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes a state of mind of peace and relaxation when we focus on the sensory experience of eating. She recommends chewing carefully, enjoying each meal, and paying attention to your body's hunger and fullness cues when eating mindfully.
