How Does Food Impact Your Brain’s Health?

We know that a healthy diet has a direct effect on our physical health. In fact, most people change their diet as soon as their physical health status begins to change. Rarely do we think about the importance of good nutrition to our brains. The reality is that everything you eat or drink has an effect on your brain. Good nutrition affects your mental health in the following ways.

1. Boosting Your Memory

One of the reasons why doctors recommend that you eat lots of fruits and vegetables is that they contain vitamins and minerals that improve your memory. This is even true with dogs and pets as well. This is why you can buy a nutritional supplement for dogs for joint health, memory and brain function. While fruits and vegetables boost your overall physical health, you can pick some to boost your memory.

The fruits and vegetables to include in your diet include oranges, peas, artichokes, spinach, broccoli, and beets among others. In addition, include foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon. Omega-3 supplements are widely prescribed to elderly who in most cases suffer memory loss or a slow cognitive function. Increase your consumption of vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids as you advance in age to enhance your cognitive function.

2. Lowering Your Risk of Stroke

Any condition that interferes with the supply of blood to your brain increases your risk of suffering stroke. A healthy diet ensures that your brain has a good supply of nutrients and oxygen daily. Good nutrition keeps your heart healthy, which means that your brain stays healthy. Suffering a stroke can severely damage your cognitive function.

The good news is that you can keep your heart and brain healthy by changing your diet. If you want to lower your risk, include fish, fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts in your daily diet. Reduce your consumption of fatty foods and red meat. Most processed foods are rich in fat that end up in the arteries and block the supply of oxygen to different parts of the body including the brain.

3. Improving Your Alertness

Do you have problems paying attention or staying alert for a long time? The problem could be your diet and not your brain. You need a constant supply of sugar or glucose to your brain to stay alert. This partly explains why sugary foods or drinks improve your concentration levels for a while. Healthy carbohydrates are the best source of the glucose that your brain needs to stay alert. Include minerals such as iron and magnesium to help your body digest carbohydrates fast. Unexplained fatigue and poor concentration are sometimes signs that your brain is not receiving enough oxygen. Iron boosts the supply of oxygen to your brain. Some of the best sources of iron include liver, turkey meat, and oysters.

You can improve your cognitive function by including the right foods in your diet. Some foods and drinks have immediate cognitive effects while some effects take time to manifest. A healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables improves your health and cognitive functions.