1. Your brain takes a lot of fuel.
Did you know that your brain accounts for less than 2% of your body weight, yet uses roughly 20% of our daily calories.
2. Your brain is a picky eater.
It demands a constant supply of glucose, primarily obtained from carbohydrates like fruits, veggies and grains. Sugary snacks provide the wrong kind of glucose, and damages cells everywhere in the body – including the brain. Eating Right For Your Type can help support cognitive function and brain health.
3. All day grazing
A study at Aston University in England suggests that more frequent, but smaller meals help the brain work best. They found that the brain works best with about 25 grams of glucose circulating in the system – about the amount found in a banana.
4. The brain is 60% fat
Essential fatty acids – the Omega 3’s are brain food!
5. It requires a lot of our blood
20% of our blood circulation is devoted to the brain.
6. Don’t eat too much!
Moderation is good for the brain. A study at the University of Wisconsin found that there is an immune response to too much food and may cause cognitive deficit.
7. What you eat can affect memory
Rats that gorged themselves on highly saturated fats for several weeks showed damage to the hippocampus – a brain area critical to memory.
8. Combat confusion
The frontal cortex is the CEO of our brain and particularly sensitive to falling glucose levels. When the glucose level drops, confused thinking sets in.
9. Learning new things is key
Keep building your brain. Your brain continues to develop new connections through learning throughout your life.
10. Exercise daily!
Physical exercise helps the brain by improving circulation and memory, and balance, coordination and reflexes are all improved with exercise. Mental exercise can help the brain by building new neural connections, boosting memory and offsetting the debilitating effects of age and disease. Read more about how to exercise right for your type here.
Supplements to help brain function
Our brain health is important, and keeping it properly fueled can help increase cognitive function and slow symptoms of aging. Absentmindedness, forgetfulness and an inability to focus can be common challenges in today’s fast-paced world. Dr. Peter D’Adamo has formulated a line of high-quality, personalized supplements formulated to support proper brain health and in turn boost cognitive function.