It’s common knowledge that the brain deteriorates with age. However, we can do much to make it happen at a slower rate and even prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Like other body functions, your regular habits may or may not positively affect your brain function.
Besides memory and intellect, your brain’s health can also affect your mood. So all the efforts for keeping your brain in a good state will also translate into how you feel.
Feed your brain adequately
The brain cells use oxygen from blood sugar to send messages between them, so keeping blood sugar at proper levels throughout the day is vital. This can be done only by having a suitable caloric intake. Nerve fibers also rely on myelin (for insulation) to send messages from one cell to another. Myelin is a fatty material that is produced and maintained with the help of omega-3 fatty acids.
Many foods deliver good amounts of omega-3 oils, such as fish, walnuts, flax and pumpkin seeds, edamame (green soybeans), wild rice, canola oil, and beans.
Boost your mood
Stress, depression, and anxiety can have a great impact on your life. You can be a hard-working person, but you won’t be productive if you’re always unhappy. Dopamine is one of the most important neurotransmitters that play an important role in establishing your mood. High levels of dopamine will make you feel more enthusiastic, while low levels will do exactly the opposite.
To keep your mood high, you must ensure steady dopamine levels by eating foods such as eggs, meat, grains, almonds, beets, and soybeans. Other foods such as sweets, alcohol, and fatty foods can give a quick surge of dopamine, but it will be followed by a dropout, so these are not recommended.
Serotonin is also an important neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of calmness and satisfaction. For the brain to produce serotonin, tryptophan is needed. It can be found in foods such as meat and eggs.
Keep your energy levels high
If you’re active, keeping high energy levels can be accomplished by using caffeine. However, too much caffeine can cause exaggerated brain activity, interpreted by the pituitary gland as an emergency; thus, the body will be instructed to produce more adrenalin, causing anxiety.
That is why coffee is a good solution for a quick energy boost, but only in moderate amounts (don’t reach for the second cup).
Improve your memory
The brain allows us to remember things by creating new connections between its cells. This activity is most effective when the cells are excited. To maintain this excitation, the most important messenger in the brain that plays this part is acetylcholine.
This substance is produced using choline, naturally occurring in foods such as eggs, liver, and soybeans.
