Food for Thought

Memory Learning

Behavior

Mood

Nutrition’s link with:

Diane Hodge, MBA,

RD, CDE, CSR, CLC

Public Health Nutritionist

GIMC-HPDP Dept.

Topics for Today

Brain Structure

Brain Function

Brain Communication-Neurotransmitters

How Food affects our Behavior

How we can Improve Brain function

Food and the Mind

“Can what you eat influence

your mental function? The

answer is certainly affirmative.”

Nutrition Reviews 2001;

59(1):S22-S24

“We ingest

each day any

number of

compounds

that we know

alter mental function”

Nutrition Reviews 2001;59(1):S22-S24

Food and the Mind

Under the Influence

“Over the past 40 years,

several lines of investigation

have shown that the chemistry

and function of both the

developing and the mature brain are influenced by diet.”

AJCN 2000;71(6):S1669-73

Mind Bending Meals“Repeated poor

food choices can

set fundamental

patterns in the

production of the

brain chemicals that

regulate appetite and mood...

Mind Bending Meals...so that you

become a victim of

mood swings, food

cravings, poor sleep

habits and other

emotional problems

...because of poor

eating habits.”

Somers, E. Food and Mood

An adult human brain is made up of approximately 100,000,000,000 brain cells, or neurons

Histamine – Arousal

Vasopressor – Aggression

Norepinephrine – SNS activation

Oxytocin – Bonding with other humans

Dopamine – Pleasure

Serotonin - Relaxation

Most common are: Neurotransmitters

Glutamate – usually excitatory

Gamma Amino-butyric Acid (GABA) –

usually inhibitory

Neuromodulators important in calming, caring, sociability

The Wizard Behind the Curtain

Serotonin

Serotonin is linked to: depression, antisocial behavior, autism, anxiety, addictions, and eating disorders.

Serotonin is a monoamine- a synthesized form of single amino acid (tryptophan)

Our bodies DO NOT produce tryptophan. We have to get it from food.

Neurotransmission affects everything and

everything affects neurotransmission!

What Do We Know?

High Fat and Cholesterol = Heart Damage

Sugar Imbalance = Pancreas Malfunction

Low Folic Acid = Embryo Deformations

Low Calcium = Bone Loss

Alcohol = Liver Damage

Smoking = Lung Damage

??? = Brain Inefficiency and Memory Loss

Nutritional Neuroscience

Definition-The nutritional influences on mental and

neurological health.

Nutrition-historically glossed over in medical school and post

graduate mental health programs.

While the idea that dietary choices impact health is not a new

one, nutritional neuroscience is in it’s infancy.

Diet and Neurotransmission

The building blocks of normal neurotransmitter function starts prenatally.

Continued poor diet negatively affects one’s ability to cope with life

stressors.

Life stressors lead to increased stress hormones which lead to higher

risk of mental and physical health problems.

Food impacts how neurotransmitters function in the brain, which affects behavior.

Approximately 70 neurotransmitters regulate functioning and contribute to normal functioning.

S.A.D. Diet

Americans suffer with much higher rates of cancer, heart

disease, diabetes and obesity than people eating more

traditional diets.

Traditional diets-foods your great grandmother would have

eaten(whole, unprocessed, nutrient dense foods)-have been

consistently associated with significantly lower risks of mental

health issues.

“The food that you eat can either be the safest & most powerful

form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” –Anne Wigmore

Consequences of SAD Diet

among Indigenous Populations

55% Obesity rate in First Nation Communities (CMA,

2007)

Chronic disease rates are higher (and some are in epidemic

proportions) among Indigenous populations

Mental health issues are abundant among Indigenous

People – slowing our progress towards healthier

communities

Your Brain on S.A.D.

We are experiencing a bad mood epidemic- people are 100 times

more likely to have significant mood problems than people born

100 years ago.

Your mood is the first casualty of malnutrition-even before your

physical health begins to deteriorate.

Forty percent of how you feel right now is related to your last meal.

“Junk moods come from junk food”. –Julia Ross, The Mood Cure

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Your Brain on Sugar

According to brain scans-sugar is as addictive as

cocaine. Just like cocaine, sugar intake eventually

blunts dopamine release.

High sugar consumption is linked to-lower IQ, anxiety,

aggressive behavior, hyperactivity, depression, learning

difficulty, fatigue , dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Fat heads??

Human beings are literally fat heads with

fat(DHA)accounting for 60% of our dry brain weight.

The two most important omega-3 fats are eicosapentonic

acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Without these, the brain does not work.

What can Healthy food do?

Provides nutrients vital for proper neurotransmitter functioning:

Omega 3 FFA

B vitamins

Zinc & Selenium

Magnesium

Vitamin C

Vitamin D

Probiotics

Lack of some nutrients can cause irreversible damage

to the nervous system: protein and zinc.

Omega-3 Fats

Omega 3’s build all cell membranes(along with the help of other fats called phospholipids).

They reduce inflammation-which has been linked to autism, ADHD, Alzheimer’s and depression.

They balance blood sugar-which is essential for a healthy brain.

They increase the activity of a key molecule in you brain, (BDNF-brain derived neurotropic factor) which stimulates new cell growth and increased cell connections.

Omegas and Mood

Following the SAD leaves most Americans deficient in Omega 3’s.

Mental and emotional conditions that recent research has

connected to low tissue levels of Omega 3: Depression, Anxiety,

ADHD, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, learning disabilities, Post-partum

Depression, Schizophrenia, Multiple Sclerosis and Seasonal Affective

Disorder.

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Strong Employee Assistance Program

Omega-6 Fat vs. Omega-3 Fat

Omega - 6 Fats

in oils and dressing

in pork and beef

in processed foods

in fried foods

trans fat

BAD FOR BRAIN

cause neurons to become more rigid

Omega - 3 Fats

in fish and seafood

in nuts (almonds, walnuts,soy) and legumes

in green leafy plants

in olives and olive oil (limit)

in flax, chia and hemp seeds

In purslane (easy to grow plant)

GOOD FOR BRAIN

cause neurons to become more fluid

RATIOS OF OMEGA-6 FATS to OMEGA-3 FATS

Optimal ratio is 1:1

Brain Impairment occurs at ratios over 4:1

Average American diet is over 20:1

Asians have lowest ratios

Hispanics and African Americans have highest ratios

Micronutrients-Vitamins & Minerals

Critical for optimal brain function-sadly lacking in the current SAD.

Half of the U.S. populations does not meet the recommended

dietary allowance (RDA) for important brain vitamins and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin A, and Vitamin B6.

31

Sodium vs. Potassium

SODIUM (Na)

in processed foods

in table salt

causes brain tissue and blood vessels to become more permeable

high levels decreases brain performance

POTASSIUM (K)

in fruits and veggies

in beans, nuts, milk

In some fish

counteracts high sodium levels

low ratios of sodium to potassium increase brain performance

Zinc

Zinc is involved in many enzymatic reactions inside of the brain and it assists with the metabolization of omega 3s.

More than one third of the world’s population is zinc deficient.

Research has linked low dietary zinc intake to depressive symptoms-the lower the zinc levels, the greater the depression.

Zinc levels are 30% lower in individuals with ADHD

Sources of Zinc: lean meats, beans, nuts, oatmeal, egg yolks, fresh gingerroot and pumpkin seeds.

33

Magnesium-The Relaxation Mineral

Like Zinc, magnesium is involved in many enzymatic reactions

that take place in the human brain.

More than 60% of North Americans are magnesium deficient.

Magnesium level are decreased by excess alcohol, salt, coffee,

sugar, soda and antibiotics.

Low levels of magnesium have been implicated in mood

disorders, depression and suicide.

Sources: kelp, wheat and oat bran, brown rice, nuts and dark

leafy green vegetables.

34

Vitamin C

A 2002 German study found that a hefty dose of vitamin

C (1000mg a day) helped people bounce back more

easily from a stressful situation. Both blood pressure and

cortisol levels decreased faster in people given a vitamin

C supplement than the study participants given a placebo.

Sources-bell peppers, dark leafy greens, kiwis, broccoli,

berries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, peas, and papayas.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D levels are known to be low in populations residing in the Northern latitudes due to lack of sun and shorter days.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, researchers demonstrated that 400-800 IU of Vitamin D improved mood during the winter months. Vitamin D significantly influenced aspects of positive affect, attention, enthusiasm, motivation, and alertness.

Additional research has demonstrated correlations between cognitive impairment and memory loss and Vitamin D deficiency.

Sources: Cod liver oil, herring, salmon, sardines and egg yolk

Vegan sources: Lichen 36

Feed Your 100 Trillion Friends

Your body is colonized by a multitude of organisms that

outnumber your cells on a 10-1 ratio.

For each human gene in your body-there are 360 microbial

ones!

Many of these organisms live in your digestive tract and

take center stage in every conceivable aspect of your health.

No other system in the body is more sensitive to changes in

gut bacteria than the central nervous system, especially the

brain.

37

Feed Your BUGS!

Anyone can change the state of their microbiome-and the fate of their health-through dietary choices.

Choose foods rich in probiotics-Yogurt, spirulina, chlorella, and blue-green algae, sour dough bread (whole grain for fiber), Pickles-try homemade (for reduced sodium)

Eat vegetables, low-sugar fruits, healthy fats-extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, pasture fed butter, nut butters, protein-pasture raised eggs, wild fish, grass fed meat, wild game.

Enjoy, herbal teas, such as Navajo tea!! Tea contain polyphenols which are powerful antioxidants found in plants that support the health of gut bacteria.

38

Rules for Eating

“Eat food, not too much, mostly plants”

“Limit food your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.”

“Limit anything with more than five ingredients or ingredients you can’t pronounce.”

“Limit anything that won’t eventually rot.”

“Shop the perimeter of the grocery store, stay out of the middle of the store”.

39

Know What You Are Eating!

Ask what AM I eating?

Read nutrition labels and question

ingredients. Look up for instance

ingredients such as aspartame. What are

the side effects of these ingredients?

How does my diet impact my mood?

What are the foods that positively impact

my mood and vice versa?

40

Diet is really Important!!

Sugar is good for energy, but too much can cause low mood and energy.

Diets should be balanced. Diets too high in protein or in simple carbs can

cause imbalances in blood sugar AND neurotransmitters that affect mood.

Sugar enters the bloodstream increased blood sugar

pancreas releasing insulin decreased blood sugar

(usually sending it lower than where it started).

Foods high in sugar and caffeine also lower serotonin

levels in the brain, which can slow people down.

Repeat: Diet is really important!!

A poor diet creates a vicious cycle.

Negative

Mood

Food

Craving

Good

Feelings

(temporary)

Crash

What happens when you eat Sugar?

What Does The Research Say?

Benton (1991) - 6 year olds given multivitamins for 6-8 weeks

increased and average of 7.6 points on intelligence tests

Murphy (1998) - School aged children who ate breakfast performed

much higher in math than those who skipped breakfast (also had less

behavior problems and absences)

BEWARE!!!

Portion Sizes

National Geographic, August 2004

BEWARE

Diets High InDehydrating,

stimulating drinks

In Conclusion…

Diet is one factor that increases the risk of depression.

It is important to remember that balance is important, and anything

we do to disrupt our bodies balance will affect neurotransmission.

Eat Smart to be Smart

Start with a Healthy Breakfast

Other Ways to Increase the Good Stuff

Oxytocin – bonding with other humans

Increase by touching, sharing resources

Forming warm relationships with others

Dopamine – pleasure

Pleasant views, favorite music, perfume, smell of favorite foods, comfortable clothes

Favorite activities

Serotonin – relaxation

Not created by body, must come from food and drink. Foods containing tryptophan are best.

The

end…

…and the

beginning!

Questions?

“The most powerful tool you have to change your brain and

your health is your fork.” Dr. Mark Hyman, The Ultramind

Solution

***If you have a Chronic Condition or are on

Medication: Always check with your Healthcare

Provider to make sure these recommendations are

appropriate for you!