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From walking and breathing to talking and eating, everything that we do in our lives is dictated by the brain. Just like any other organ out there, the brain also expends energy to run, and where do we get the energy to fuel our body from? That's right! It's from the food we eat.
What we eat turns into energy for our body to use. However, food can also affect how well the body performs, which means that your brain can also be affected by the food you eat.
Today, we are going to talk about food and the brain—how food can affect it and what you can eat to improve brain function:
Did you know that the intestine doesn't only help to absorb the good stuff out of the food you eat, but it also can affect your emotions? Ninety-five per cent of all serotonin produced in your body comes straight from your gastrointestinal tract. From this fact, it isn't surprising to see how food can affect your brain and mood.
With that, how exactly does food affect how you feel? Well, you can thank the bacteria that live in your gut. There, you can find billions of good bacteria that protect your digestive system's health. Good food keeps these bacteria alive and well, ensuring that your gut health is great, providing your body with plenty of serotonin. On the other hand, while bad food will hurt them, meaning less serotonin production.
Generally, the quality of our food is the biggest dictator of how food can affect the brain. As such, high-quality food items containing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fatty acids all help energise and nourish the brain. It also helps to protect the brain from damage caused by oxidative stress, an issue caused by waste left by the body when using up oxygen. That said, examples of great food include vegetables like kale, meats like salmon, and fruits like blueberries. Food items like olive oil are also great for your brain and should be included in your diet.
On the other hand, low quality food like processed or refined food will only make you feel worse. They include sugary drinks, chips, and the like. Since they lack things like fibre, they also get digested quickly, creating huge swings in blood sugar levels and affect mood, not to mention hurt the brain. These food items also promote oxidative stress, a problem we mentioned earlier, hurting your brain's ability to perform well.
As you can see, good food equals a healthy brain, and a healthy brain means you live an overall happier, more satisfying life. That being said, if you are motivated to transition to better food items to improve your mood and brain, remember to take it slow. Eat clean for a day or two, then slowly reintroduce some of the foods you love back into the diet. From there, note how you feel when you do eat the food items. You might find something that you love to improve your mood and brain without the crash, while you might find something you initially believed to be healthy to do the opposite. Regardless, take note of all the food items that help you feel better physically and emotionally in the long run. These are the food items you must be eating to improve your overall wellness, leading to a better life.
Unichem Greenhithe Pharmacy offers a wide range of treatment options to help individuals leave a healthier life. If you are looking for a holistic pharmacist in New Zealand to help you understand what to eat to get better, reach out to us today! If you need help and guidance selecting the right supplements talk to us