Whatever your age, chances are one of your most prized possessions is your ability to think.   Brain power is something most of us hope to have, hope to give our children and hope to hang on to as we age.

The 3-pound center of attention

The average adult brain weighs three pounds. Within that small mass are more than 100 billion neurons or nerve cells.  Their job is to talk with each other and send signals between one another.  This communication creates all our sensations, movements, center for every function in the body.

Although 90 percent of the brain’s physical size is reached at about age five, throughout life our brains can continue to develop new nerve cell connections and create new signals between cells.  Giving the brain the nutrients and fuel it needs to support the growth of healthy cells and maintain the integrity of existing ones can help keep the brain performing at its best.

What helps the brain?

Every cell in the body functions off the nutrients it is fed.  Quality in means quality out or… better results. So, what’s the brain hungry for?

• B vitamins.  They are found in whole grains, beans, some fruits and vegetables and in lean meats.  They are needed to deliver the energy from food to the brain.  They also enhance the signaling and communication between nerve cells.
• Vitamins C, E and beta-carotene, found in fruits and vegetables.  These nutrients function as antioxidants, helping fend off the potential damage caused by free radicals (see below).
• Fiber - specifically soluble fiber found in many fruits, vegetables, any bean and plenty of whole grains.  This type of fiber jumps in to help lower cholesterol in the blood and keep plaque from building up inside arteries.
• Minerals, such as zinc and iron help make the enzymes that neurons need to function properly.
• Omega-3 fatty acids, especially from fish.  Sixty percent of the brain is made up of fat, nearly half of which is DHA, an omega-3 fat found primarily in fish.  Omega-3s are required for a brain’s growth and development.  They help keep blood vessels nimble and the outside layer of the brain cell (the membrane) more fluid.  Most of the brain’s functions occur within the membrane.  A more fluid membrane means better communication and responsiveness between brain cells.  Omega-3s can reduce the risk of blood clotting which could affect blood flow to the brain.  They fight inflammation and preserve nerve cell function.

Besides vitamins and minerals, phytonutrients, such as resveratrol in grapes, ferulic acid in whole wheat bread, curcumin in curry powder and anthocyanins in blueberries offer much promise and potential for brain health.  These, and likely hundreds of other phytonutrients, may protect brain cells from being damaged, affect plaque build-up within the brain, improve blood vessel strength and elasticity, and improve the flow of blood (oxygen and nutrients) to every brain cell.

What hampers the brain?

A strong heart and cardiovascular system can pump good things to your brain.  One weakened by atherosclerosis (a clogging of your blood vessels and arteries), high blood pressure, inflammation or uncontrolled diabetes will have a negative impact.  Studies suggest that untreated, these conditions may affect attention span, the ability to learn and remember things, and the ability to make decisions.

Other factors that negatively affect brain health include:

• Free radicals.  Free radicals are unstable cells that can damage healthy cells.  Free radicals are naturally formed in the body and help the immune system effectively do its job.  However, an overproduction of free radicals caused by things such as smoking, environmental pollutants and overexposure to the sun goes beyond what the immune system can handle.  Too many free radicals roaming around the body may start affecting the integrity of healthy cells (including those in the brain).
• Trans and saturated fats.   These fats can make brain cell membranes less pliable, fluid and supple which in turn makes communication between nerve cells less effective.
• Too much vegetable oil—too little fish oil.  Research suggests an imbalance between the different types of polyunsaturated fats in our diet may be harmful to the brain.  Most of us get plenty of polyunsaturated fats from vegetable oils such as corn, safflower, sunflower, soybean and cottonseed oils.  These oils are rich in omega-6 fats.  Another type of polyunsaturated fat, omega-3s, are found in fish, seaweed, flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil and hemp.  Science shows both omega-6 and omega-3 fats make hormone-like chemicals that the body needs.  However, they compete with each other for the “ingredients” used to make these chemicals.  Too much omega-6 in the diet may mean there is not enough material left for omega-3s to make their healthful substances.  For example, omega-6s produce chemicals that promote blood clotting, omega-3s produce chemicals that discourage it.  A diet containing too much omega-6 may encourage blood clumping to an extent that causes health problems.

The goal for optimal brain function is to strike a health-promoting balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fats. A ratio of 4 to 1 is suggested. For every four grams of omega-6 fats, we should get one gram of omega-3 fats. The typical American diet is a 10 to 1 ratio. That doesn’t mean you need to plot out how much of each fat you eat, simply tip the scale to favor more omega-3s (fish) at the expense of omega-6s (vegetable oils, margarines, highly processed foods).

The Bottom Line

Within the past 10 years, research has made significant strides in understanding the relationship between food and its impact on our brain.  The good news:  A variety of wholesome foods (including plant foods and fish) are your brain’s best friend

Other Brain Boosters

• Get weight in line.  Research suggests excess fat in the body (fat tissue) doesn’t just sit quietly on our hips or at our waist, it is active, releasing substances into the blood that may damage cells in the brain.
• Manage stress.   Stress creates a cocktail of harmful chemicals that can damage and even kill brain cells.  These substances make it difficult for brain cells to communicate with one another and may actually make brain cells age more quickly. 
• Get moving.   Exercise improves the flow of blood (nutrients and oxygen) to the brain supplying the very ingredients that nourish it.
• Challenge the ol’ noggin.  Ageless advice:  “Use it or lose it.”   A steady dose of stimulating and challenging activities builds what scientists call a “cognitive reserve”—extra neurons and neuron connections.  The earlier you get started challenging and stimulating your brain the bigger and deeper the reserve.  Ongoing deposits help keep the brain engaged and functioning at peak performance.
• Sleep soundly.    Sleep may offer brain cells a chance to shut down, recharge and repair themselves.   Too little sleep makes membranes less fluid.  That can make them less effective and efficient in their communication.