What Eating Habits Harm The Brain

When making a meal plan , people usually set specific goals for themselves. Someone wants to lose weight, someone wants to build muscle mass, and someone wants to gain weight. While the majority of people who start to adhere to one or another diet strive to achieve certain changes in appearance, often forgetting that the diet has an effect on the functioning of most body systems, the brain in particular. It deserves as much, if not more, attention than the heart, lungs, or any other vital organ. The World Federation of Neurology reminds that the health of the brainaffects a person's ability to communicate, make the right decisions and lead a healthy lifestyle. A number of factors contribute to the health of this organ, including sleep patterns, physical activity and diet.

Due attention to what our body receives with food is of great importance for cognitive health . If you regularly eat junk food , it can lead to nerve inflammation, which leads to memory impairment and other problems with cognitive functions . However, most unwanted symptoms can be avoided if you take care of a balanced diet and proper food intake . Let's find out what eating habits negatively affect the  brain .

Too much sugar

If you want your brain to function at 100%, limit your sugar intake.

Cognitive function is highly dependent on blood sugar levels, as glucose is usually the main fuel for the brain . Although too much sugar does not directly harm the brain , it causes a rapid increase in insulin levels. Insulin affects the access of various amino acids to the brain , in particular, it blocks the transport of most of them, except for tryptophan. Tryptophan is converted into serotonin and melatonin, the sleep hormone. That is why a lot of sweet food in the diet can cause a so-called carbohydrate coma.

Rejection of carbohydrates

Based on the previous information, it can be assumed that eliminating any sugar from the diet will be a miracle for cognitive health , however, one should not make hasty conclusions.

Glucose is not the only fuel for the brain . It can also burn ketones. Most supporters of the keto diet believe that burning ketones is more optimal and improves brain function , however, adaptation to such a system does not happen overnight. If your body is not used to or does not adapt very well to ketosis, then the complete rejection of carbohydrates can lead to fluctuations in blood sugar levels and even episodes of hypoglycemia. This causes a feeling of clouding of the mind, confusion and even short-term loss of consciousness.

Excessive alcohol addiction

Alcohol affects many functions of the human body, especially noticeable are changes in the brain .

Consumption of more than 1-2 drinks per day can affect cognitive functions . Alcohol abuse over time can affect the level of neurotransmitters, which are chemical messengers that help brain cells communicate.

Has it ever happened that the memory fails after a loud party? If you do decide to drink, stick to the one drink limit, which is 150ml of wine, 350ml of beer or 50g of strong spirits.

Refusal of breakfast / lunch / dinner

An active brain uses 20% of the body's energy, and it is the first to suffer if there is not enough energy from food . When you skip a meal , the body goes into compensatory mode to try to create glucose for the brain and balance blood sugar to a safe level. This can turn into a lack of energy, excessive excitement or inability to concentrate. In order for the brain to work at maximum capacity, it is useful to eat breakfast within 1 hour of waking up, and then eat a balanced meal every 3-4 hours throughout the day.

Multitasking while eating

If you like to eat lunch at your desk while doing quality work at the same time, or watch your favorite series during dinner, you increase the risk of overeating.

Doing extraneous tasks while eating means that you lose awareness and feel of the food on your plate. This leads to the fact that it is possible not to notice the brain 's signals about satiety in time, and also not to feel pleasure from meals. If you are constantly distracted while eating , then most likely, you will not get the satiety that should be. This means that later you will want to eat something else or snack, especially unhealthy foods, which will have negative consequences for your blood sugar and brain function .

Insufficient intake of vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 protects nerve cells and promotes the formation of neurotransmitters that help nerve cells communicate with each other. Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include memory impairment, confusion, depression, and dementia. If left untreated, over time it can lead to irreversible nerve damage. People who avoid all animal foods or do not consume enough of them are prone to vitamin B12 deficiency, especially after the age of 50.