Nutrition and Your Brain
Thursday, September 17th, 2009
Blood sugar problems, (aka Dysglycemia,) are perhaps the most common cause of mental health problems. Fluctuating blood sugar will cause energy and mood to rise and fall corresponding with blood sugar spikes and lows. If you experience the following symptoms you may want to ask you doctor about a blood test measuring your fluctuating blood sugars:
• mood swings
• depression
• anxiety and irritability
• fainting, trembling, weakness or dizziness
• excessive thirst
• heart palpitations
• blackouts
• forgetfulness or confusion
• cravings for sweets, simple carbs or stimulants
• aggressive outbursts
• crying spells
• chronic fatigue
• drowsiness after meals
To help with fluctuating blood sugars eat complex carbohydrates instead of simple ones. Think brown. Brown rice instead of white rice, whole grain bread instead of white. The sugars in these carbs take longer to break down in the body and give less of a “spike” in blood sugar levels.
Second, eat protein with your carbs. Protein is palatable, keeps you feeling full longer and it slows the release of the carbohydrates. Third, stay away from sugary snacks and treats……needless to say right? Also avoid dried fruits, eat bananas only in moderation and dilute fruit juices if you are going to have them. Eat 5-10 servings of vegetables per day. They
have very little effect on blood sugar and should make up a large portion of your daily diet.
If I may add one more thing…..please stay away from sugar substitutes. They don’t raise your blood sugar levels, but they still trick your brain into feeling as if it’s having the addictive substance (sugar). Besides, more and more studies show that artificial sweeteners are bad for us. Oh…..and again, DRINK MORE WATER..STAY HYDRATED.
Allergies are common in today’s society but most of us don’t realize we are suffering with them! You may wonder how allergies can affect the brain. This has been well proven by chemical tests, scientific analysis and the experiences of many people. Specifically, the connection between allergies, autism and schizophrenia are well established, and we are beginning to see more and more symptoms alleviated through the elimination of offending foods. These offending foods are foods that people are most commonly allergic to such as:
wheat, dairy, eggs, citrus, soy, yeast, nuts and vegetables in the nightshade family i.e. potatoes, tomatoes and peppers. Also, many chemicals, food colorings and additives in foods can be troublesome i.e. tartrazine and benzoic acid. I think it is important to note that I am using the term “allergy” quite loosely here.
Although a “true allergy” is one that will show on conventional allergy testing, one can experience food “sensitivities” that do not show on “scratch” or RAST tests but can also present many symptoms. Sensitivities and allergies both evoke an immune response, however this response in a “true allergy” is more obvious and often more severe. We already know many of the symptoms that allergies can cause. The following are symptoms that people often don’t associate with allergies and sensitivities:
• digestive difficulties
• childhood history of colic, asthma, eczema, rashes and ear infections
• weak immune system
• daily mood swings
• depression
• aggression
• learning difficulties
• hyperactivity
• difficulty sleeping
• sinus congestion
• facial puffiness and discoloration around the eyes
Without getting into testing, an elimination diet can be an effective way to pinpoint allergies. This involves a two week “avoidance” and then “challenge” of the food in suspicion. If you don’t already have an idea of which foods may be causing you trouble, I recommend starting with the most common offenders (listed above). Pay attention to how you act and feel during this time. Keeping a food journal, making notes of what you eat and how you are feeling throughout the day, can also be a really great way to see the food/mood connection.
The next few issues also affect our brain they include: thyroid issues, B vitamin deficiencies and essential fatty acid deficiencies.(specifically Omega 3 fatty acids)
Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)is a very common condition these days. Often the first noticeable symptom is a distinct sluggish feeling. This sluggishness can range from slight to so severe that a person may be unable to get out of bed in the morning. Depression is also very common in people will hypothyroidism. Blood tests are used by doctors to diagnose it, but they aren’t always reliable. Also, symptoms will often present themselves in sub-clinical hypothyroidism in which the blood work still falls within the range of “normal”. These are some symptoms caused by an under active thyroid:
• physical or mental fatigue
• depression
• irritability
• dry skin/hair
• painful menstrual cramps
• poor memory
• intolerance to cold/cold hands and feet
• bloating, gas, constipation or indigestion
• muscular pain
• sore throat or nasal congestion
• difficulty losing weight/easy weight gain
If you have 4 or more of these symptoms you may want to get tested by your doctor. You can also test thyroid function yourself with the Broda Barnes Temperature Test. Take your temperature before rising in the morning for several days, if it is consistently below 97.7 F, your thyroid may be under active.
Hypothyroidism is often a consequence of long term stress and poor nutrition. The thyroid gland, which is at the base of the throat, makes the hormone thyroxin which tells our cells to keep active. Our thyroid is closely linked to our metabolism. Specific nutrients, stress management and exercise are key in its treatment. The hormone thyroxin is made from Iodine and the amino acid tyrosine. You may want to supplement with 1,000 mg of L-tyrosine first thing in the morning and again at noon, taken on an empty stomach with a multimineral containing iodine, zinc and selenium). It would also be helpful to increase Iodine containing foods like seafood and kelp.
Hyperthyroidism (or over active thyroid)is less common than hypothyroidism. When for any reason the thyroid becomes overactive, chemical reactions in the body are sped up, with many resultant physical and psychological symptoms.
• weight loss
• excessive body heat
• increased urination and bowel movements
• restlessness and sleeplessness
• anxiety
• hyperactivity
• blurred vision
• bulging eyes
• enlarged thyroid gland (goiter)
• heightened sensitivity
• inability to concentrate
• breathlessness and heart palpitations
• diminished muscle tone
• tremors
A varied diet of whole foods and avoidance of stimulants such as sugar and caffeine are very important for people with an overactive thyroid. It would also be a good idea to take a good quality multi vitamin/mineral supplement along with some extra antioxidants while the body is playing “catch up”. Be sure to eat plenty of cruciferous vegetables such as:
broccoli cabbage or Brussels sprouts and try to stay away from high iodine containing foods such as table salt, seafood and dairy foods to name a few. Stress reduction and ample exercise are also key in treating hyperthyroidism.
B Vitamins are the most important vitamins for your brain. Niacin, B 12, Folic acid and Pyridoxine Vitamin B6, facilitate the function of those neurotransmitters that I mentioned earlier… They help control: methylation, which is how the brain keeps everything in balance, and they also stop the body from producing homocysteine. Homocysteine causes inflammation in the body and is thought to cause many types of mental health problems. B vitamin deficiency can cause and/or accompany depression, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia and can affect a person’s ability to cope with stress. Some common symptoms of B vitamin deficiency are as follows:
• frequent mood swings
• depression
• anxiety
• feeling “unreal”
• inability to think straight
• poor memory
• seeing or hearing things abnormally
• having delusions
• being overly suspicious or paranoid
• difficult orgasm with sex
• tendency to be overweight
• loose bowels or skin problems at the onset of mental health problems
• high pain tolerance
•
The amount of B vitamins that are needed vary from person to person. For this reason it is best not to rely on blood tests but rather be guided by symptoms. Food sources for B vitamins are whole grains, vegetables, leafy greens, eggs, meat, nuts and seeds, fresh fruit…….so as you can see a varied diet is essential. If you are supplementing B vitamins it is important to do so in a complex or multi vitamin.
Essential Fatty Acids
• are crucial to a healthy brain. Imbalances in “brain fats” are now associated with learning disorders such as dyslexia, hyperactivity and autism as well as depression, manic depression and schizophrenia among others. Many people have a problem metabolising EFA’s normally and require higher amounts of it either through supplementation or diet. Some common symptoms of EFA deficiency are the following:
• excessive thirst
• dry or rough skin or eczema
• dry hair or dandruff
• loss of hair
• aching joints
• PMS or breast pain
• asthma
• dyslexia or learning disabilities
• hyperactivity
• depression or in some cases manic depression
• schizophrenia
References: ‘The Brain Diet: The Connection Between Nutrition, Mental Health, And Intelligence’by Alan C. Logan
