Food and drink provide fuel for the brain to build itself
and function well. This really is a case of rubbish in – rubbish out!
Identifying and eating the right foods affects you in a number of ways:
1. They help to build and repair a better brain.
Recent research shows that malnourished brains deteriorate because they simply
can’t regenerate on a daily basis without the right fuel.
2. They enable you to stay sharp and allow the
brain to function at its peak. Functionality can be significantly impacted by
food.
3. They help to control your emotions and
mood. Different foods create very
distinct chemical reactions that in turn contribute to positive or negative
emotional responses.
In future articles I will be addressing simple tips for
rectifying faulty fuelling. In this first one, I deal with the foundation for
fuelling – digestion. If your brain were a car, using the right fuel will make
a great difference to the car’s performance – but if the delivery of that fuel
to the engine is faulty, the fuel cannot do its job. Digestion is the process
by which your body creates and delivers fuel to the brain.
Tip One: Rev up your digestion
Digestion gives your body and your brain access to the
various ‘goodies’ that your food contains. As we age we develop a greater need
for specific nutrients to support brain health due to the gradual decline in
our digestive function. Among these nutrients are choline, vitamin B12,
magnesium and zinc. Eventually,
without effective processing, the body will not be supplying enough of these
essential nutrients for the brain to function well and rebuild itself, which
leads to increasing deterioration in later years. This factor could well be
affecting many of our assumptions about dementia and poor memory; they could
relate to poor nutrition. Remember, we can be eating very good food and still
be lacking essential nutrients because of poor digestion. It is very difficult
to take in the nutrients your brain needs without great digestion; if your
digestion was not great in your more youthful days, it may be even more of a
problem now.
Here are my five key recommendations for revving it up:
1. Chew your food well - your stomach will have
an easier job breaking food down into its essential nutrients if you chew your
food 15-20 times before swallowing. Aim to be the last person at the table to
finish eating.
2. Drink plenty of water - your stomach secretes
around 2 litres of digestive fluid daily, so aim to drink a minimum of 6-8 glasses
each day to support digestion. Regular water consumption also helps to create
soft bowel motions, easing the removal of waste products from your body. If you
do not enjoy the taste of plain water, try adding lemon or lime slices or a few
mint leaves to your water jug.
3. Have apple cider vinegar before your meals –
try 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in ½ glass of water, just before
eating. This can help compensate for the
reduction in stomach acid that tends to occur as we age. Stomach acid helps to
breakdown protein, release essential nutrients from food, and provides the
acidic environment needed just beyond the stomach for the absorption of
minerals, such as magnesium and zinc. These minerals are essential for making
chemical messengers in the brain (neurotransmitters). Always follow this apple
cider vinegar drink with food, as acid left in contact with your teeth is
damaging to tooth enamel.
4. Include probiotics in your diet – these are
helpful bacteria that have a number of useful roles, one of which is keeping
your intestines healthy so they are at their best for absorbing nutrients. The probiotic bacteria that research has
found to be the most helpful are the strains Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium.
A daily serving of probiotic yoghurt will help to maintain the population of
helpful bacteria in your intestines. If you are unable to regularly include
probiotic yoghurt in your diet consider a supplement containing these two
strains.
5. Increase your intake of soluble fibre – this
is the food source of the probiotic bacteria mentioned above, and it also helps
to create soft, easy moving stools. Great food sources of soluble fibre include
prunes, cooked apple, oats, broccoli, carrot, beans, nuts and seeds.
There is no doubt that improving digestion can improve your
brain. Start using these simple tips for digestion today and see the difference
in a couple of weeks. Once you have developed these basic habits, it will be
easier to move on with the tips I will be discussing in future articles, which
together will help you build better brain function and repair.
Upcoming topics include: essential nutrients for a healthy
brain; what not to eat for a healthy brain; food sensitivities and your brain
chemistry; and medications that can reduce your brain power.
Shona Wilkinson is a registered Clinical Nutritionist with a
focus on nutrition for great brain health. Shona also has a background in food
technology which adds an extra dimension to her understanding of food and its
impact on our health. Shona is an active Wiring Warrior, and the current
Secretary for the Clinical Nutrition Association. Contact Shona at Nutrition
Workshop by emailing [email protected],
or calling 09 846 1160.
