What_Does_the_Brain_Need

What does the brain need' Place two fists together, with your inner wrists touching.  Your brain is about this size and shape. In contrast to the rubbery pink models we have seen, the brain is amazingly soft, composed primarily of fat and water. It is grayish and pudding-like - composed of 100 billion brain cells - called neurons, that drive our thinking, learning, feeling and states of being.  Neurons need good fats, protein, complex carbohydrates, micronutrients - vitamins, minerals and water.  These nutrients are used to drive the learning functions of neurons. What 'Brain Food' Actually Does for Your Brain' You should eat salmon before a test, berries to prevent Alzheimer's, or a vitamin supplement to increase your memory. You've heard the term "brain foods" since you were a kid, but how much do you really know about them' More importantly, is there really a way to boost your brain power just be eating a certain type of diet' Just as your stomach, muscles, and heart feed on the nutrients that food supplies, so does the brain. The brain controls almost everything we do and when it takes in chemicals it can have an effect on how it works, both positively and negatively. While you can't push your brain past a certain limit, chances are that your diet isn't providing it with what it needs. The Science behind Why Certain Foods Interact with Your Brain Plants have developed mechanisms to deal with stresses in the environment. Because of sunlight, smog, and temperature they have developed antioxidant or anti inflammatory capabilities. When we ingest them they are protective in our bodies as well. We share an evolutionary history with plants and animals. If the chemicals they consume get into our brain in a high enough concentration it will affect how we think and feel because we share the same chemicals. For example, we hear a lot about the neurotransmitter serotonin in Prozac. Well, lizards have it. Bees have it. In fact if you get a bee sting you've been injected with the bee's serotonin, but you're not going to notice [the effect of serotonin] because the dose is too low. Lots of chemicals out there look a lot like the chemicals in our brain that make us feel good or bad. Some get across the blood-gut barrier (a lining that keeps certain bacteria and other nasty things out of the bloodstream, but it lets other helpful chemicals through) and some don't and we simply excrete them. Then there's some that cross the blood-brain barrier (a layer around your brain that allows some important things in and keeps others out) but we don't notice them. Let's say you have some sushi and you're consuming that animal's neurotransmitters and it gets into your brain, but you don't notice it. But one of my favourite types of sushi is giant clam, and when you eat that, you're going to have wonderful dreams—it's almost hallucinogenic. Basically, it's the old saying: you are what you eat. In the case of brain foods, that also includes how much you eat because, as Wenk explains it, it's just a chemical dosage that goes from your mouth to your brain. A lot of foods can interact with the brain, but research suggests that four different types of chemicals and nutrients do so in a positive way. Glucose: The brain draws nearly all its energy from glucose. Like a car in need of gas, if you don't pump it full of fats and sugars (which are converted to glucose) it doesn't run.P Fatty Acids: Specifically, polyunsaturated fatty acids, aka omega-3 and omega-6. These help strengthen the synapses in your brain related to memory.P Amino Acids: Amino acids come from protein-rich foods and help connect the neurotransmitters which are essential for keeping your brain sharp. These neurotransmitters include: dopamine for proper immune and nervous system function. Norepinephrine for alertness and concentration. Serotonin for mood, sleep, memory, and learning. Acetylcholine for storage and recall of memory.P Antioxidants: Antioxidants like you find in tea or vegetables help regulate the oxidative stress that destroys brain cells. The stress is caused when your body is converting glucose to energy and extra oxygen is created called free radicals. Antioxidants block them so your brain doesn't have to work as hard.P Knowing that, let's look at the actual benefits of brain foods and how you can work them into your diet. Replace Lost Brain Cells If you had to take a drug and alcohol class in school then you likely heard that brain cells are irreplaceable. It turns out that's not entirely true. While we're not going to tell you to go out and get wasted to test the theory, research from MIT, Princeton, and others suggests that we continue to make new brain cells throughout our lives. Brain cells affect the speed of your brain and increase your working memory, which in turn makes you a better learner. According to Shukitt-Hale, certain foods can change gene expression in the brain and increase neuronal brain communication by creating new brain cells. It's thought that one food type that may help brain cell production comes from the fatty acid omega-3 which is found abundantly in fish and walnuts. Eating a serving of these every day in combination with exercise can help rebuild those brain cells. concl We all know this by now: Eating right is smart. Eating right also can make you smart. More accurately, eating the right foods can give your brain the nutritional support it needs to perform at the highest level. This can be seen upon how you frame the question about foods and the brain you get a different list of foods and a different reason for consuming them. If you wish to alter your current brain function or slow your brain's aging you need to consume foods that target specific chemical processes. In truth, no one ever considers these distinctions when eating - we just eat what tastes good. The best recipe is a diet that includes brain-building nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and certain vitamins, and steers clear of foods that promote high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes,