Nature optimized Food for the Brain

Nature optimized Food for the Brain

There’s no getting around this fact: Our brain is at least 60 percent fat and needs fat to function properly. The natural neuro-chemicals and enzymes that come from the foods you choose to eat can determine how well our brains work and influence a range of cognitive abilities. Monounsaturated fats are some of the healthiest out there.

The fats that are necessary for good health and cannot be manufactured by the body are called essential fatty acids (EFAs). They are termed essential because, like vitamins and minerals, they must be provided by the diet. The EFAs that receive the most attention for effecting health include certain unsaturated fatty acids, known as omega-3 and omega-6 fats.

The Healthy Fat

Nature optimized Food for the Brain

A balance of both omega-3’s and omega-6’s is needed for good health. Unfortunately, the average American diet does not provide a balance. Instead, because it is so high in certain vegetable oils, it provides an excess of linoleic acid, which is generally metabolized into pro-inflammatory substances. This means that most people have an insufficient amount of the omega-3 fatty acids that are needed to make anti-inflammatory substances.

Depending on your particular needs, you may want to add omega-3 EFAs into your supplementation program to ensure your brain is getting the necessary intake of healthy fats it needs. Research suggests that including the omega-3 fats eicosapentaneoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in your diet specifically contribute to a boost in brainpower and can enhance mental execution.

Omega-3 and omega-6

Nature optimized Food for the Brain

The fundamental importance of DHA for brain development in childhood is beyond dispute. Several studies have reported reduced blood concentrations of highly unsaturated fatty acids in ADD/ADHD children compared to controls. Typically, low levels have been found in DHA and total omega-3 fatty acids. In one study that included both ADHD and non-ADHD boys, the reduction of omega-3 fats was associated with a range of behavioral and learning problems, irrespective of the clinical diagnosis.

The fundamental importance of DHA

Nature optimized Food for the Brain

The brain’s reliance on DHA/EPA continues throughout adult life as well. New research on primates and rodents has documented the adult brain cortex undergoes neurochemical changes causing highly active synaptic turnover throughout life. This finding has helped drive an eye-opening shift toward understanding brain plasticity and adaptability – all of which can be influenced by the foods you fuel your brain with.

Make it a priority to ensure your brain is getting the necessary fats and nutrients it needs for optimal performance. Choose to take control of your brain health today.

Making Brain Healthy