Eat Your Way to Better Brain Health
Illustration © D. Yael Bernhard
People tend to think of health as a given, as if it’s an inalienable right. Yet if we are alienated from the basic conditions that create and sustain human health, we may need to change our thinking. We may be born healthy, but like a house or a car, our bodies need maintenance and care in order to enjoy continued good health, especially as we age – and especially when it comes to our brain.
Many people take better care of their cars than their bodies, as a vehicle is likely to break down quickly if, for example, you put dirty fuel in the gas tank, or use the wrong kind of engine oil. Young bodies, on the other hand, can withstand years of low-grade abuse or neglect – what some doctors refer to as the “honeymoon period” between age 20 and 40 – before serious symptoms begin to manifest. During those years, Americans eat processed food on a regular basis – up to 60% of the average “SAD” (Standard American Diet) – assailing their brains with toxic chemicals that inflame blood vessels, diminish neuroplasticity, damage signaling pathways, and inhibit the production of neurotransmitters. The consequences manifest downstream, accumulating like rock algae that coats river rocks with choking slime.
Popular thinking waves off these considerations, as if enjoying life and thinking about nutrition were mutually exclusive. Nothing could be further from the truth. Enjoying life depends on good health, and good health requires clear thinking. This becomes more evident as we age, and as the effects of poor nutrition and lifestyle habits cause our health to deteriorate. Good underlying health, and cognitive health in particular, must be tended and fed. Anything that harms your health will also diminish the capacity of your brain.
Fortunately, the human brain is resilient, and it’s never too late to prevent or even reverse cognitive decline. Years ago it was believed nerve cells could not regenerate, but we now know that isn’t true. The world of functional medicine abounds with stories of great neurological improvement through dietary and lifestyle changes – simple steps that are within your reach. Reduce your intake of sugar and refined starch, and you might even improve your mental acuity. This is great good news for your brain – provided your own mindset doesn’t get in the way. How ironic that our own thinking is often the greatest obstacle to maintaining brain health.
As with many dietary habits, positive change involves both removing the bad stuff and replacing it with whole, nourishing foods. There’s simply no substitute for removing the cause of a chronic condition, and that’s often inflammatory, processed food. It seems like a no-brainer that ongoing exposure to chemical additives such as fluoride, pesticides, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners contribute to the degradation of the brain. Don’t rely on the FDA to issue warnings about aspartame, heavy metals, or even over-the-counter pain medication. MSG – an excitotoxin that makes food addictive and kills brain cells – appears under several guises on food labels, including innocent-sounding ingredients such as flavor enhancers, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, textured vegetable protein, and yeast extract.1 Avoid these products that are unfit for human consumption. You’ll be helping yourself as well as voting with your wallet for better choices. Though it takes time, the food industry does respond to consumer demands.
Many new products are on the horizon, including supplements that support cognitive health with active ingredients such as urolithin-A and astaxanthin. I can’t vouch for these “nutraceuticals” (supplements) that claim to support mitochondria – your cellular energy factories – and to slow the aging process, but it’s heartening to see the rising tide of awareness of mitochondrial health, and the increasing demand for safer alternatives to drugs for dementia that offer scant benefits at best, and too often cause more problems than they solve. Whenever possible, it’s always best to get the nutrients you need from food.
Your liver is the safety net that filters brain-damaging toxins from your bloodstream. It can only neutralize so much, however. You can help your liver do its job by not giving it extra work. Fructose, for example, cannot be burned directly for energy, but must first be converted within the liver. Free fructose – fruit separated from its natural fiber, such as juice, jam, and high fructose corn syrup – contributes to fatty liver disease. In response to free fructose, the body also produces uric acid, a breakdown product of both fructose and alcohol. Uric acid is often associated with gout, but it also contributes to cancer, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and dementia.2 Uric acid inhibits the activity of mitochondria, and compromises the beneficial effects of nitric acid, which relaxes blood vessels, lowers blood pressure, and increases insulin sensitivity. More uric acid equals more inflammation and less circulation to the brain. Less uric acid is beneficial to your entire cardiovascular system.
Sugar in all its forms is addictive, triggering the release of dopamine, the reward-seeking hormone that produces cravings for more. But don’t let your dopamine-duped brain fool you: sugar is probably the number one contributor to cognitive decline. Alzheimers disease is now known as “type 3 diabetes” or “diabetes of the brain,” for good reason. The average American consumes fifty times as much sugar as our ancestors did, leading to insulin resistance and in turn, chronic inflammation. When excess insulin is “resisted” by the cells in muscles and other tissues, it circulates in the bloodstream and triggers the release of free radicals. These destructive compounds inflame and oxidize the epithelial linings of blood vessels, turning healthy cholesterol into an unhealthy hazard. Chronic inflammation in the brain triggers the build-up of plaque – which is meant to be protective, but over time may block the flow of blood. Sugar and processed foods also contribute to hardening of the arteries.
To track your insulin, request a fasting insulin test from your doctor. Blood glucose tests are not a good indicator, as results may remain normal until it’s too late.3 Uric acid is another worthwhile test to consider. Most insurance companies will cover these lab tests, but few mainstream doctors request them.
Refined starches such as flour and processed carbohydrates also contribute to poor brain health. What is a processed carbohydrate? Any manufactured food that cannot be made at home and has ingredients that can’t be understood without a college degree in chemistry. Examples include many crackers, instant mashed potatoes, breakfast cereals, potato chips, corn chips, frozen pizza, and many kinds of packaged candies and desserts. The best foods have no ingredient list and no bar code.
The brain is made of fat but runs on glucose. This need not be provided by carbohydrate foods, as the body breaks down fat and protein into the sugars needed for brain fuel. Known as ketone bodies, these may even be superior to sugars derived from carbs. First introduced over a century ago as a way of controlling epileptic seizures,4 the ketogenic diet is known for its beneficial effect on the brain (though it should not be maintained indefinitely). I’ve been on a modified keto diet for 18 months.
A healthy gut microbiome is also critical for brain health. What does the brain have to do with the gut? One-third of your autonomic nervous system, the enteric nervous system, is rooted in the gut, which contains over 100 million nerve endings. Two-thirds of your neurotransmitters are produced in the gut, including serotonin. Through this gut-brain axis, your intestinal bacteria have a direct effect on your neural networks. Bad food leads to bad gut bacteria. Try typing “gut bacteria and brain health” into the Google Scholar search bar, and your brain will be flooded with studies that attest to this connection. Among the most interesting are those that focus on butyrates, short-chain fatty acids in the gut that act as signaling molecules. The new science of nutritional neuroepigenetics – how diet affects gene expression in the nervous system – has not yet reached the ossified halls of mainstream medicine, but is well known in the world of nutrition science.
Gluten may also contribute to poor brain health by damaging the intestinal lining of the gut, which allows bacterial endotoxins and undigested food particles to leak into the bloodstream, triggering autoimmune reactions and inflammation. Stick to sourdough bread for lower gluten, or avoid it altogether if you know yourself to be sensitive.
Alcohol is known to kill brain cells, but it’s worth elaborating here on some of its other effects. Alcohol depresses the activity of the brain, and also dehydrates the brain and body. As alcohol wears off, the brain cells rehydrate and swell, causing the headache of a hangover. The liver’s activity to break down excess alcohol depletes it of glutathione, an important antioxidant, and cysteine, a critical amino acid. If you’re concerned about cognitive decline, even moderate drinking may be too much. Set your standards according to what benefits your individual brain, not by popular recommendations.
Sufficient sleep, clean air, good social relationships, intermittent fasting, and stimulating the brain through learning also contribute to cognitive health. Aerobic exercise stimulates the production of nitric oxide, as well as nerve growth factor (NGF) – but as the saying goes, you can’t outrun a bad diet. Eating poorly won’t lead to good health no matter how much you work out. Optimal nutrition is the foundation of a robust and resilient brain. What foods light up your grey matter?
First on the list is healthy fat, as your brain is 60% DHA, derived from omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory and increase blood flow to the memory part of the brain. The best sources are small-bodied oily fish such as sardines, mackerel, herring, anchovies, and salmon, as well as grass-fed beef and liver. Factory-farmed meat and eggs, whether organic or not, are low in omega-3s, as animals cannot produce healthy fats from eating grains. They need to graze on a variety of plants and insects, which transfer essential phytonutrients and amino acids into their meat and milk. For example, grass-fed meat is known to contain up to nine times as much niacin.5 This critical B-vitamin enables cells to make energy, helps control DNA methylation, and acts a signaling molecule in the brain. Insufficient niacin may lead to headache, depression, and memory loss.6
Popular new vegan omega-3 supplements claim to provide DHA from algae, but so far my efforts to dig into the science behind this claim have dead-ended in murky half-truths from the sellers of these products. In my mind, the jury is still out on this controversial subject. We are omnivores, and we cannot override nature’s design. My personal conviction is that animal fat and protein are necessary for long-term human health, especially in our early developmental years and as we age. 90% of Americans are deficient in DHA, which may provide a clue as to why Alzheimers disease and dementia are on the rise.
Other healthy fats include whole nuts and seeds; grass-fed goat and sheep dairy; avocados; coconut oil; raw olive oil; and grass-fed butter. Unhealthy fats include vegetable and seed oils, and fried foods. More on this subject in a forthcoming article.
Next on your list for creating clear cognition is antioxidants – the many phytonutrients including polyphenols, bioflavonoids7, carotenoids, and so many more found in whole fruits and vegetables as well as herbs, spices, teas, and grass-fed meat and dairy. These colorful compounds neutralize free radicals, protect your brain from inflammation, and promote the production of vasodilating nitric oxide. Berries are among your brain’s best buddies. Blueberries, cranberries, elderberries, and goji berries are my favorites, all rich in brain-boosting antioxidants.
Herbs that support healthy circulation are also allies for the brain. Rose hips are known to support resilient capillaries. Medicinal mushrooms have been found to have neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging properties.8 Lions Mane mushroom, taken consistently as a liquid extract, stimulates the production of NGF. Reishi mushroom, hawthorn berry, and motherwort extracts are anti-hypertensive, easing the pressure in the entire cardiovascular system and maintaining blood flow to the brain.
Over time, these foods have a powerful effect on your cognition. Together, they tip the balance toward better brain health. With good nutrition, you know you’re heading in the right direction, and that’s what matters most. So mind your brain as you go about choosing and preparing your meals, and ask yourself the right questions: How will this food affect my insulin sensitivity? Will this food nourish my brain? Will it stress or support my liver? Does this food serve my long-term cognitive health?
What benefits your brain will also be good for your entire body.9 Cognitive and cardiovascular health go hand in hand. By protecting your brain, you’ll also be building resilient blood vessels, preventing degenerative disease, slowing the aging process, and lowering your risk of cancer.10 Your body is a network of systems, not a consortium of separate organs. What’s good for the part helps the whole.
Cultivating health is truly an art. The more you practice, the easier it gets and the more fully you can enjoy life. Cognitive health must be crafted with patience and diligence. As a potter makes a teapot or a weaver makes a basket, the outcome is your creation – an expression of your unique intelligence, and a gift to yourself and the world.
To your good health –
Yael Bernhard
Certified Integrative Health & Nutrition Coach
Yael Bernhard is a writer, illustrator, book designer and fine art painter with a lifelong passion for nutrition and herbal medicine. She was certified by Duke University as an Integrative Health Coach in 2021 and by Cornell University in Nutrition & Healthy Living in 2022. For information about private health coaching or nutrition programs for schools, please respond directly to this newsletter, or email dyaelbernhard@protonmail.com. Her art newsletter, “Image of the Week,” may be found here. Visit her online gallery of illustration, fine art, and children’s books here.
Information in this newsletter is provided for educational – and inspirational – purposes only.
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Erratum: the voiceover of this article contains an error, in which “nitric acid” is spoken instead of “nitric oxide.” My apologies! – YB.
https://www.hungryforchange.tv/article/sneaky-names-for-msg-check-your-labels
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/fructose-metabolism
https://www.levelshealth.com/blog/what-are-normal-insulin-levels-and-why-dont-we-test-it-more.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19049574/
Youtube webinar: Nutrient Density in Grass-fed Meat and Milk with Nutrition Scientist Dr. Stephan van Vliet watch?v=6ZQ1r9jGdss
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/niacin-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_3
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230529171757.htm
https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/pdf/10.1055/a-1177-4834.pdf