The human brain is one of the essential organs in the human body. It’s technically responsible for every functioning organ as it delegates and regulates bodily tasks in mere milliseconds. Suffice to say, the brain has a lot of responsibility hanging on its shoulders, and its functions never stop. Neurons pass information in mere milliseconds, while various brain regions analyze complex data. However, because of this, it’s very prone to deterioration. It’s the organ that’s mostly affected by the ravages of time.
To slow down the deterioration process or maybe even reverse it, people have to consume a healthy diet. Here’s what you need to know.
How Diet Affects It
The brain consumes nutrients, much like any organ in the body does. However, its functionality is also determined by the nutrients it consumes. A common and obvious example is how our brain reacts to allergens in our food.
Allergens
Ultimately, allergies are the most obvious example of how the brain reacts to what people eat. When the body encounter allergens, the human brain responds in the most exaggerated way possible. This abnormality is a prime example of how our brain can react to our diet. This is why taking an allergy test in a local clinic is crucial in keeping you healthy. Many people wouldn’t know their allergies firsthand, especially if they haven’t encountered them yet, so by knowing your allergies. You can avoid them in your diet.
Nutrition
How your brain reacts to allergens is just one example of how diet can affect your functionality. Another more subtle example is the amount of energy you feel every day.
There might be some days when you feel like you can take on the world. You’re pumped up and ready to go, and it feels that you can function for days. However, there might also be days when you think you’re too tired to do anything. Experts attribute this fatigue to people’s poor nutrition.
When you feel too tired to do anything, it’s time to review what you’ve consumed for the day. There’s a good chance that you didn’t consume any food at all. This is reasonably common for busy people. However, you might recall that you’ve eaten a lot, but it is fast food.
Fast food is known to have a lot of fats, which isn’t entirely bad because fats can be converted to energy quite easily. However, it’s trans fats that you should be careful of, and sadly, they are present in many fast food choices. Essentially, trans fat increases bad cholesterol in your body, and once that increases, you’ll feel all sorts of changes in the way you function. One of them is increased fatigue. Another problem with trans fat is that it can lead to heart problems.
This is why you should avoid fast food and any meals with low nutrition. Instead, aim for a high fiber and high protein diet. Your brain loves these nutrients, and you should add them to your diet if you want more energy in your days.
Neurogenesis and BDNF
As stated earlier, the human brain is filled with various molecules that pass and move information in a matter of milliseconds. These molecules, known as neurons, are essential in the way your brain functions. Sadly, they don’t last very long. But there are two things that affect neurons inside our brain: Neurogenesis and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). The former concerns itself with the replenishment of neurons in our brains, while the latter concerns itself with the protection of these neurons, hence, increasing their already limited lifespan.
What we eat can affect these processes. A healthy diet, and one that is filled with omega-3 fatty acids, can help both neurogenesis and BDNF. This is why this nutrient has been known to prevent Alzheimer’s and even depression among people. It’s one of the prime reasons dieticians recommend adding omega-3 into people’s diets. Broken down proteins have also been known to improve the function of neurons, making them more alert than ever.
Being able to control the process of neurogenesis and BDNF production is crucial to a healthy life. However, there is no other way to stimulate this process aside from a good diet and getting enough sleep. So ultimately, the more you consume healthy food, the more you function better. In addition, a healthy diet can lead to a sharper and more alert mind. So make sure you start consuming food that is good for your brain if you want to function better in your daily life.
