Nutritional Psychiatry

Researchers are surprised about the vulnerability of the brain to our diets

We all know the connection between our body and what we eat, but even now the researchers are more concerned about how foods affect our brain functions. They concluded that foods have psychoactive powers. We are not talking only about certain psychoactive foods like mushroom and alcohol here, rather about how an everyday meal like grains, potatoes and eggs affect our mood.

The brain function and the nutritional peak and valley

The brain is dependent on the blood for nutrients that are the building blocks of neurotransmitters. If the brain is deficient in these essential nutrients, our thinking is altered in a way that could leave us emotionally unstable or say the least, at less than our intellectual best.

The mind-altering effects of foods are subtle, so we tend to overlook it. Researchers now know the mental shifts that follow a meal, say a mental lethargy that follows a meal of carbohydrates. It was discovered to indirectly raise the level of a brain chemical that retards the firing of neurons and promotes relaxation. At the same time, a meal of protein boost mental performance.

The Brain & Blood Sugar Level (Glucose)

The body blood sugar, glucose is processed from carbohydrates and sugars that we consumed. The effect of skipping a meal is felt when one is light-headed and unable to concentrate, signifying low blood sugar or hypoglycemia. The brain is highly susceptible to ups and downs of blood sugar.

The promoters of breakfast believe that one should start a day with a good breakfast as it has a lot to do with the blood sugar level. The brain burns two-thirds of the body’s glucose such that within just half an hour after a drop in blood sugar, the brain is noticeably affected.

The brain’s billions of electrical circuits are turned on, whether or not we are involved in a knotty problem or not. This could be explained that only a tiny fraction of the brain is employed by any single activity. The brain is hungriest, not when we are awake but during a period of rapid-eye-movement sleep, that when we are in deep sleep and dreaming.

Glucose generates the twenty to twenty-five watts of electricity needed to conduct the brain electrical business. It is harnessed to produce the transmitters that monitor these transactions.

The brain keeps very little glucose in storage because the glucose is stored as glycogen. Glycogen is rather too bulky for the delicate brain intricacies. The brain usually draws its sugar requirement from the liver, which stores glycogen in the body.

Low Risk Of Depression In A Traditional Diet

Studies comparing different types of diets have shown that people who eat traditional diets have a lower risk of suffering from depression and other psychoactive disorders. This is mainly because traditional diets contain more grains and vegetables with their natural sugars. The combination of these natural foods promotes gut health, which in turns allows the brain to absorb the needed nutrients for its utmost performance.

Foods That Are Good For The Brain

High fibre whole grain, fruits, legumes and dairy are best to start the day. But you have to watch the calorie as high-calorie foods hinder concentration.

Oily fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids are fuel for the brain. They also aid in cognitive functions, helps increase memory and lower risk of Alzheimer and stroke, especially in older adults.

Anti-oxidant Fruits/Foods like blueberries, pomegranate, grapes, onions, leeks, pumpkins, apricots and spinach.

Walnuts are termed by some people to be brain food. Walnuts are rich in omega 3 fatty acid and also promote healthy gut microbiome. It is when the gut is healthy that nutrients are properly absorbed into the blood to feed vital organs including the brain.

Dark Chocolate is very rich in antioxidants and minerals and contains less sugar than milk chocolate, making it ideal for all, including diabetes.

Staying hydrated is also important for the brain. The whole brain is suspended in a fluid, so it is important to stay hydrated.

Choline For Memory Function

Although a memory pill is yet to hit the ticket, one nutrient of the Vitamin B complex, choline has been identified as a key memory function.

Loss of memory is not funny at any age but is more particularly serious in older adults. This is because memory loss can be a symptom of senility in general or Alzheimer disease in particular.

Research continues in the hope that serious mental decline can be reversed nutritionally.

Choline has three major roles: 1. It increases the rate of brain metabolism 2. It is the substance in which the brain makes acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in memory function. 3. It helps maintain the structural integrity of the synapses, which are the points of communication between brain cells.

Levels of choline drop as we age and the levels are particularly low in people suffering Alzheimer, the obvious form of senility. And Alzheimer has been linked to impairment of acetylcholine’s function in the brain, among other possible causes.

Good sources of Choline are eggs, beef liver, lecithin granules or capsules and fish.