Consider how a child learns to crawl, then walk, then run, or how an adult can go from a novice to an expert in any field they put their mind to. This is an example of positive plasticity. An example of negative plasticity is feeling anxiety by thinking about walking into a grocery store.

While our brains naturally connect, we have to take active measures to make sure it connects in the right patters (just as we need to challenge our muscles regularly in order to stay strong). A toxic environment, disease, injury, stress, poor diet, and an unhealthy lifestyle can inhibit the brain’s capacity to operate on all cylinders and will create negative plasticity. Even healthy individuals can lose brain functioning with age alone. We only have one brain and must do everything we can to protect it.

10 Nutrients For Brain Health

There are many things that can be done to promote or regain brain health, but we are going to focus on nutrient intake. While there are many nutrients, we are going to focus on the ten.

Omega 3 Fats

The brain is made up of 60% fat, therefore maintaining a diet rich in healthy fats, such as oily fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), olive oil, nuts, seeds, coconut oil, and avocados is a great way to support and rejuvenate the brain. Alternatively, healthy fat intake can be achieved through fish or cod oil supplements.

Choline

Choline is an essential nutrient needed for brain health, and is found in Brussels sprouts, liver, lima beans, eggs, and wheat germ.

Vitamin E

The health of the brain relies heavily on Vitamin E, found in foods like dark leafy greens, nuts, and whole grains.

Flavonoids

Flavonoids, found in chocolate, tea, red wine, berries, and beans, help to regulate the activity of our cells and can fight harmful free radicals. Blueberries in particular are a powerful antioxidant and have been proven to improve memory and cognitive function as well as reduce inflammation.

Turmeric

Curcumin, the main compound in turmeric, is known for fighting inflammation. Turmeric can encourage intake of oxygen in the brain, which is crucial to high brain function.

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral for many bodily functions, including sleep, muscle relaxation, and digestion, but it’s also just as beneficial for the brain. The best place to get a good dose of magnesium is from dark, leafy green vegetables. Lucky for dessert lovers, magnesium is also found in chocolate. Magnesium can also be taken in supplement form.

Sulforaphane

Sulforaphane is found in cruciferous vegetables. It helps with neutralizing toxins and removing wastes from our body. It is also shown to protect the brain in addition to anti cancer benefits. Animal studies suggest its benefit in reducing amyloid beta plaques and improving memory. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6611193/

Fiber

Every day, more and more research emerges that supports the strong connection between the gut and the brain. The health of the gut largely depends on dietary fiber, which feeds our microbiome (the bacteria in our digestive tract). A healthy and diverse microbiome is created and fueled by a variety of fiber-rich foods (think: fruits and vegetables). A healthy gut is a healthy brain.

B Vitamins

B vitamins support essential nerve health and help form our DNA. They perform many other vital roles in the body, and protecting the brain is no exception. Meat and eggs are great sources of B vitamins, but it can also be taken in supplement form.

CoQ10

We all naturally have CoQ10 but it can decrease as we age. CoQ10 can be obtained by eating fatty fish, some nuts and seeds, legumes, oranges, strawberries, and the muscular parts of meat. CoQ10 may reduce harmful free radicals, guard against oxidative damage, and has the capacity to improve memory. It can also be obtained through supplementation.