Getting your brain healthy will lead you to a healthy mind, body, and soul.
How to take care of your Brain
Fuel your brain with proper food and nutrition
Physical exercise, get the blood pumping and flowing
Mental exercises; memory games & puzzles
Keep learning
Supplements; Omega 3 Fatty Acid, Vitamins D, B & E
Help control inflammation by eating more fiber, feed your gut bugs
Avoid: sugar, high fat, high-glycemic fruits & veggies and in some cases gluten
Get plenty of quality sleep
Good oral health
Eliminate toxins; alcohol, drugs, molds, heavy metals
How to eat for good brain health
Colorful low-glycemic fruits and veggies
Healthy fats (avocados, fatty fish, flax oil, nuts, EVOO, coconut oil)
Drink water, stay hydrated
Lots of Fiber
High quality proteins
Two rock stars in the brain health world that I have studied are Dr. Daniel Amen and Dr. Uma Naidoo. To dig deeper into how our brain health affects our mental health, I highly recommend both of their books.
In Dr. Naidoo’s book, “This is Your Brain on Food” each chapter is dedicated to one diagnosis where she goes through what foods, herbs and spices are beneficial for each condition and she also talks about what foods may be having a negative impact. In addition to being a doctor she is a chef and also includes several recipes in her book. She has also got a fun Instagram page @drumanaidoo that I really enjoy following. Check out her website that has all the information regarding her & her services.
In Dr. Amen's book, “The End of Mental Illness” he delves deeply into how neuroscience is transforming psychiatry and how his strategies are helping prevent and in some cases are reversing mental illness. Hearing one of his lectures, it struck me when he said that psychiatrists are the only doctors who start treating a patient without doing any diagnostic testing. In his practice and at his clinics (there are several Amen Clinics all over the USA) he starts by scanning patients so he can determine what their brain is doing. As Dr. Amen says “you cannot change what you do not measure”. To further learn about Dr. Amen and what he is doing for brain health and mental illness check out his website here. He has several books, a podcast and a wonderful youtube channel chock full of information.
In addition to Drs Amen and Naidoo I would like to mention a book called “Fiber Fueled” by Dr. Will Bulsiewicz. Dr. Bulsiewicz breaks down the relationship between Probiotics + Prebiotics = Postbiotics and the benefit that they play in the gut-brain connection.
The information in this post is not meant to diagnose or treat anyone who might be suffering from a mental health disorder. It is simply meant to help support good brain health. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed or suffering from a mental health disorder be sure to consult with your mental health provider or doctor before making any changes in your diet or exercise routines.