You wash it when it’s dirty, get “tune-ups”, and fill it with fuel when you’re
You wash it when it’s dirty, get “tune-ups”, and fill it with fuel when you’re feeling “on empty,” so to speak. For this chapter, let’s focus on fuel. You have a choice of what kind of fuel you can fill up with. Whether it is cheap unleaded from a no-name gas station that gets you from point A to point B or premium fuel with additives that help keep the engine running smoothly long term. The same can be said for the type of nutrients you put into your body. In our case, the engine in our vehicle is our brain. Our brain needs fuel that promotes healthy function as well as prevention of demyelination (Short 2015). Luckily for us, we know what kind of nutrients we can eat to keep it running in its most optimal state.
Why is nutrition important to the health of our brain?
Our brains are big eaters. Despite being only 2% of our body weight, the brain burns 20% of the energy we incinerate each day (Raichle, 2002)! The brain’s primary source of fuel is glucose. When most people think of glucose, they think of sugar. While “sugar” is the most commonly known form of glucose, it can also be found in many foods that are not pure sugar or derivatives of sugar. Glucose is the byproduct of the metabolization of carbohydrates. There are many great wholesome foods that we can incorporate into our diets that fall into the carbohydrate category. Another important source of energy we should look at is fat. Although fat is metabolized at a slower rate than carbohydrates, it provides the energy needed without inducing a blood glucose spike (Wakhloo, 1984). The final fuel we will discuss is protein. Protein can be found in both animal and plant-based forms. Carbohydrates, fat, and protein are what the average person can identify as nutrients they know are important to overall existence. This chapter aims to look at each category and incorporate these vital nutrients into our diets for optimal brain health.
Where can we find the correct nutrients to help our brain function?
We often think about what we eat and how this fuels our body for daily activities. Nutrition is essential for healthy brain function. Our brain is the second biggest internal organ and uses 20% of the energy we consume. The brain carries out fundamental functions. Not only does it allow us to carry out involuntary actions like breathing and blinking, but it also allows us to think and reason. This is also known as cognitive function.
Cognitive function is affected by nutrition. Cognitive function refers to someone’s mental ability to think, learn, reason, solve problems, make decisions, and pay attention. Since nutrition is a modifiable factor, it is important to consider how we can benefit our brain cognition and decrease our risk of developing neurological disorders in the future. Being a Phoenix College student means you’ve taken the first step on a path to enlightenment, no matter what you’re pursuing. Why not set yourself up for success by feeding your body and mind with foods that not only