The brain is one of the major organs responsible for bodily functions – without it, life would have no purpose and meaning. Unfortunately, it will take a while to fully explain all of its complex tasks but we cannot disregard its importance. In the quest to maintain brain health, it would help to know that brain development begins during pregnancy, and most problems associated with the brain are usually due to lack of nutrition during pregnancy or in the critical years of growing up.

As one grows old, the brain begins to lose its touch. It starts with noticeable lapses in memory, difficulty in recalling recent details like where you placed the car key, or whether you turned off the stove or not. This may seem harmless at first, but what’s scary is the fact that this may lead to other more serious problems.

Brain health promotion, and brain deterioration prevention needs to start as early as possible. It is not necessary to take expensive supplements posing to have benefits to the brain. There are a lot of natural sources of essential vitamins and minerals that promote brain health. The problem is:  you just don’t know it yet.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

A study showed that Inuit or Eskimos are the healthiest people in the world.  They have very minimal cases of health problems such as arthritis, heart diseases, and diabetes. The researchers concluded that their superior health condition is brought about by their constant consumption of foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids like seal, whale and salmon. The good news is that people from all over can get the same benefits of good fish fat through the consumption of fish oil and other marine animals that are known to contain Omega-3 fatty acids.

Different studies have been dedicated to the discovery of the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids to the heart and its preventive and curative value against some types of cancer. But studies are also being conducted to examine the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids to the brain. According to UCLA’s Brain Injury Research and Brain Research Institute, Omega-3 fatty acids supports and improves the synapses or the connection of neurons in the brain and deficiency of the substance had shown increased risk of developing mental disorders in humans.

The human brain itself contains healthy or good fatty acids, and a majority of it is Omega-3. However, the body is not able to produce Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) which is responsible in proper brain function. Thus, medical experts advise the oral intake of foods rich in Omega-3 like fish products and concentrated supplements such as fish and krill oil.

Consuming foods that are rich in Omega-3 has been proven to do the following:

• Increase a person’s cognitive skills
• Enhance memory
• Improve one’s ability to learn and solve problems
• Promotes proper focus

Aside from the benefits mentioned, Omega-3 fatty acids also improves the communication between brain cells. Several factors like ageing and intake of foods containing excessive amounts of bad cholesterol and saturated fats can come in between the proper communication of neurons in the brain.  This results to a decreased brain function. Omega-3 fatty acids improve and restore the pliability and flexibility of brain cell membranes. This results to an enhanced cell communication and helps the brain to function properly. Besides an improved cognitive function, Omega-3 fatty acids can also promote mental health and emotional balance.

Eggs

Gone are the days when eating eggs is thought to do more harm than good.  More than 200 trials revealed that eating a maximum of 2 eggs per day proves beneficial for the human body.  Aside from its effects on enhancing vision and cardiovascular functioning, eggs have been found to promote brain health through its essential component Choline. It is actually a neurotransmitter which acts by carrying messages from one brain cell (neuron) to another brain cell, enhancing one’s memory at the same time boosting one’s thinking capacity.

Since brain development starts during pregnancy, additional intake of Choline is said to be important in order to aid in the enhancement of the brain and this too, increases a person’s memory capabilities all throughout his life.

Alpha Lipoic Acid

The popular sources of antioxidants are vitamin E, vitamin C and selenium. However, according to a study by neurosurgeon, Dr. Larry McCleary, the most versatile antioxidant is alpha lipoic acid. The substance is a fatty acid that is soluble in both water and oil – a unique property that is not present in other fatty acids. This characteristic of alpha lipoic acid makes it a more effective antioxidant in fighting free radicals. Also, due to its capacity to enter the blood-brain barrier, alpha lipoic acid has been observed to improve the memory of animals. Other studies also show a 600-mg dosage of alpha lipoic acid aids in the repair of damaged nerve cells in Alzheimer’s disease patients, making it a potential cure for the disease.

Alpha lipoic acid is naturally produced by the body. But as a person grows old, the production of the substance declines while the demand increases. This is the reason why people in the ages of 50 and above are advised to take supplements or eat foods rich in alpha lipoic acids. The substance has also shown beneficial effects to people with insulin-resistant diabetes by improving the cell’s ability to consume sugar and react to the body’s naturally produced insulin.

Rich sources of alpha lipoic acid are peas, spinach, rice bran, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli.

Herbs:  Gingko Biloba, Gotu Kola

Harvested from the oldest species of trees, gingko biloba has been found to contain essential nutrients that helps improve the circulation of blood to the brain. These, in effect, help maintain good memory and aids in age-related circulatory problems and memory loss. It also stimulates the brain’s neural activities and makes remembering recent facts easier.

The leaves of the gotu kola tree were used in an experiment consisting of thirty developmentally-disabled children. After 2 weeks of consumption, the children showed significant indications of improved attention and ability to concentrate. And other studies show that gotu kola is one of the best foods for the brain.

Vitamins

Vitamin E

Free radicals’ destructive action on the body tissue can reach the brain. This is why the body needs as much antioxidants that it can get to help prevent brain degeneration which can lead to impaired cognitive functions and memory loss. Vitamin E is a strong antioxidant which helps prevent this from happening by protecting brain cell membranes from the oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Protecting the membranes keeps the brain cells healthy and efficient.

Vitamin D

Excessive exposure to sunshine may cause skin cancer. But protecting yourself too much may lead to other complications like Vitamin D deficiency. Besides the well-known fact that it keeps the bone healthy by regulating calcium levels, Vitamin D is also an important nutrient in keeping the brain in top shape.

According to a study conducted by the University of Cambridge, vitamin D deficiency causes poor mental function. 1700 participants with different levels of vitamin D were assessed through a battery of mental tests. The result showed that the participants with higher levels of vitamin D performed better than the vitamin D deficient participants.

Sources
naturalhealthontheweb.com
nutritional-supplement-guides.com
scientificamerican.com
food-facts.suite101.com