Our brain plays such a fundamental role in our being. It plays a role in how we communicate, our mood, memory, ability to think, forge relationships, and imagine and create experiences. It is the main operator of our body and the powerhouse behind the operations of every bodily function. But when brain fog, senior moments, trouble focusing, or forgetting names and where you put your keys starts to unfold, are we in the beginning stages of brain atrophy?
Dementia and Alzheimer’s are on the rise and we are experiencing a brain health epidemic for which there is no magic cure. Now coined as type 3 diabetes, this metabolic disorder is affecting an even younger generation, but is there a way to cure or even prevent the cognitive ability of our brain?
Food matters, toxins matter, insulin and blood sugar matters, sleep matters, stress matters, exercise matters—that your lifestyle is determining whether your brain survives or dies. It is not just a genetic factor—what is at the end of your fork is what fuels your body and feeds your mind.
If you are conscious and curious about what you can do to prevent cognitive decline, the key to your brain longevity is right here!
Visual Cortex
The memory retrieval system is the vortex to the brain. The eyes are not only the window to your soul, but the gateway to the brain. It is kind of like a phone line, and as we age the connection can become weaker and weaker as if you only have one bar on your phone. You hear some things, but not others. What if you could strengthen the brain from fork to focus? It’s true—the eyes have been shown to be a key in brain longevity!
The Role of Nutrients
There are two key nutrients that reboot your eyes which is connected to your memory. These nutrients rebuild the retina and visual cortex, rebuilds the brain, and increases your memory.
- Choline: This is the messenger that helps your brain cells talk to each other, like our cell phones on all bars. Alpha-GPC, a special form of choline that has been known to restore brain health, not only restore but allow a faster brain response.
- Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA): This nutrient is known for enhanced thinking in the brain. GABA actually slows the brain and sends info from the eyes to the brain. It can rebuild the connection to the brain and give you faster recall and a more sustained thought process.
These two nutrients are powerful, but there are other nutrients that also support brain health.
What grows in your garden is the gateway to brain health and also be important in age-related memory loss. Herbs such as Bacopa monnieri can greatly increase the ability of the brain to function, speed recall, and retain memories.
Tyrosine is another amino acid that can help your cognitive flexibility. It helps with problem-solving, mental acuity, and the sharpness of the brain, keeping your brain youthful and vibrant to recharge your memory.
Release Those Toxins and Choose the Right Foods
It’s not only what you eat, but what builds up in your brain that can slow memory. Toxins, protein buildup, high insulin, lack of exercise, and nutrient deficiencies wreak havoc, not to mention poor sleep. The glymphatic system is part of the lymphatic system and is the brain’s natural way to detox while you sleep. The brain shrinks by 20–30% at night to allow for this natural cleansing process. But if you’re drinking alcohol or eating before bed, on electronics past sunset, or aren’t getting enough shut-eye, you are greatly affecting the way your body can detox or use melatonin for sleep. This buildup is what causes the protein matrix of white matter to build up, causing memory loss.
Eating right plays a huge role in brain health as well. Here are the top 25 foods to eat for brain health:
| • Beef and liver | • Adzuki beans |
| • Egg yolks | • Dark chocolate |
| • Chicken breast | • Avocados |
| • Fish | • Fatty fish (non-farm raised) |
| • Shiitake mushrooms | • Blueberries |
| • Potatoes | • Garlic |
| • Legumes | • Olive oil |
| • Cruciferous vegetables | • Bacopa monnieri herb |
| • Sunflower seeds | • Tofu |
| • Lemon balm | • Squash |
| • Spinach | • Pumpkin seeds |
| • Tomatoes | • Wild rice |
| • Buckwheat |
The most important thing to remember is that inflammation will always result in cognitive impairment. Stress, lack of sleep, lack of exercise, or poor diet will cause cognitive decline. We have the power to reverse the number-one fastest-growing disease without a cure. And you can start with something as simple as choosing the right foods.
Betsy is a Licensed and Registered Dietitian as well as a Certified Diabetes Educator, Integrative and Functional Medicine Nutrition Therapist, and owns 4 Elements Yoga Naples. She specializes in nutrigenomics, gut health, food sensitivities, detoxing, inflammatory diseases, and longevity living. She also understands the importance of living a mindful life and incorporates her background of mindfulness and yoga teaching to her practice. Betsy is a professional speaker and advocate for healthy living and is available for individual consultations, group programs, and speaking engagements.
To learn more, visit: www.healthyconceptsconsulting.com, www.yoga4elements.com, email: [email protected] or call 239.297.8844.