Brain Food

What You Eat Affects How You Think

By Carma Haley Shoemaker

Considering the enormous increase in emotional, learning and immune system disorders in our population today, one can't help but wonder what effect this widespread nutritional deficiency is having on the breakdown in people's health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most frequent complaint resulting in doctor visits is fatigue – either mental or physical. Some feel that this reflects the old saying, "You are what you eat."

It is often thought that fatigue and a decline in mental alertness are the result of inadequate nutrients and oxygen in the brain, thus, leading to a decrease in brain function. For optimal mental functioning, the brain – like any other organ – has certain basic requirements.

"The neurons in the brains are like all other cells in the body, requiring delivery of nutrients and oxygen, as well as removal of waste," says Diane Roberts Stoler, a licensed psychologist and author of Coping With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (Avery Penguin Putnam, 1998). "Adequate nutrition is a major consideration for mental function. The brain is a relatively small organ, but it's a hungry one – the brain typically eats up about a quarter of the energy produced by the body. As such, it's exquisitely sensitive to nutrient deficiencies."

There are many foods that are actually a great source of vitamins, minerals, nutrients or antioxidants that all help with brain function, thinking process, cognitive function and concentration. However, trying to decipher which are the best sources can be like finding a needle in a haystack.

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