Brain Food

Have you ever thought of feeding your brain? Sounds strange - but the foods you eat go beyond affecting your waistline and hips. Did you know by providing the right nutrients and eating foods rich in vitamins, minerals and fatty acids could keep brain communications healthy, resulting in better sleep, feeling happy and boosting dwindling energy?

If you are suffering from mood swings, depression, difficulty in sleeping and anxiety, it could be your chemicals in the brain, called Neurotransmitters, that are out of balance.

Powerful chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters regulate numerous physical and emotional processes, such as concentration, feeling happy or sad and pain response. Concentration and focus are sharp when neurotransmitters are in balance (due to a good diet and balanced hormone levels), making you feel ready to handle (difficult) tasks at work and home.

But, day-to-day disruptions such as stress, heavy pollution and an unhealthy diet cause small, yet dramatic, miscommunication amongst the neurones: it is reduced neurotransmitters levels that cause mood swings, anxiety and depression, alterations of appetite, lack of sex drive and feelings of apathy.

Below are some of the chemical reasons why we experience mood swings, obesity, anxiety and sleep disorders:

Mood swings: low levels of Serotonine , Norepinephrine (adrenaline), Dopamine and GABA.

During the menstrual cycle, towards the end or around the peri-menopausal and menopausal time, women experience mood swings; they feel depressed, irritable and aggressive because estrogen levels drop, causing a big dip in the serotonin (mood stabilizes) levels in the brain.

Anxiety: low or high levels of GABA, Glyceine or Taurine

Experiencing palpitations, a fleeting fear of something unpleasant that could happen? Well, we all experience anxious moments as a normal response to unpleasant situations or danger but it becomes harmful to your health when anxiety attacks become the norm. Taurine is an amino acid which plays a major role in the brain as an inhibitory neurotransmitter that calms an excited brain.

Sleep disorders: Low or high levels of GABA, Serotonine, Taurine

Counting sheep all night, getting in and out of bed, running your daily activities over and over again is not uncommon. This could be because of an imbalance of serotonine and taurine neurotransmitters.

The case study below illustrates an example of what happens when Neurotransmitters are imbalanced:

Samantha 45*, was suffering from mood swings, anxiety and sleepless nights. She was putting on weight and eating too much and no amount of exercise and dieting was helping. Samantha was happy but gradually became depressed and couldn't cope with the stresses at work or home. She decided to have a urine test to check what was wrong with the chemistry in the brain. Tests revealed low levels of serotonine and dopamines (it controls mood swings). By following the nutritional advice and taking the right supplements, she restored her happiness, lost weight and regained her focus. After few months, Samantha became the attractive and confident woman she once was.

Feed Your Brain Diet

Eating a healthy diet enhances brain activity and increases memory and concentration, together with the ability to learn. Serotonin, dopamine and endorphins are the three main neurotransmitters in the brain that have a strong emotional connection to food. To keep the chemicals in your brain balanced,include the following foods:

• To increase memory function: egg yolks, red meat, fish, chicken, turkey, calves liver, cereals, cucumber, courgettes, lettuce
• To increase the “feel good factor: chicken, duck, germinated wheat, cottage cheese. Be careful of sugar cravings and caffeine addiction because once sugar levels drop, you begin to feel moody and tired afterwards.
• To increase calm and relaxation: whole grain oats, walnuts, almonds, halibut, calves liver, bananas, broccoli, brown rice, citrus fruits
• To stabilise mood: avocado, cheese, dark chocolate, pork, duck

Though this diet has nothing to do with making you slimmer, it has everything to do with stabilising your mood, keeping you happy and enhancing your memory functions. Isn't that what we all want?