Food for Thought - Literally

Few weeks ago, my spiritual twin sister was telling me how I must note what I am eating and feeding my family because our mental wellbeing is directly related to the diet we follow. Everyone knows that food affects our physical health but now this new knowledge of it modulating our state of mind seemed hard to digest. She advocated that if medications can help with moods why not use food as medication.

Given the active life we all are trained to run, thinking about what we ate and how it makes us feel later sounded like an added burden to me. Casually, I mentioned this idea to my intellectual dad expecting him to brush this aside. Instead, he insisted that there is truth to the discussion. He supported the idea of certain foods being complementary to a healthy brain.

Even though both encouraged me to track my cooking, I completely avoided the additional work. Like they say, the Universe has perfect timing, in a matter of days, Tom Brady posted a podcast with Uma Naidoo on his Instagram account. Dr. Naidoo is the Director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) & Director of Nutritional Psychiatry at MGH Academy while serving on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. Her best selling book is This is your Brain on Food. I ended up listening to her complete podcast and became interested in learning more about this.

“The belly rules the mind.” - Spanish proverb

Lisa Schmidt, a licensed associate counselor, certified whole foods dietitian nutritionist, and instructor in the School of Social Work at Arizona State University, points out that people seldom think about what they eat. “The act of eating is considered a nuisance. It’s something people don’t have time for until they’re just so hungry, they have to eat something, and when you get to that point, you often make very poor nutritional choices,” she says.

“For instance, people may grab fast food and eat it in the car on the way to their next meeting or to pick up their kids. Then, when they have trouble sleeping later that evening, they assume it is related to their feelings of anxiety, thus overlooking any possible connection to food”, Schmidt adds.

“Most people don’t know that the kind of foods we choose to eat can help us regulate our nervous system and perhaps is the missing link in mental health care,” Schmidt notes. Medical students are not trained in nutrition. And, for what it is worth, neither are scientists.

Schmidt, an ACA member in private practice in Scottsdale, Arizona, says that mood-related disorders often have a food component to them because nutrition-poor diets affect mood. The standard American diet, often aptly referred to by its acronym SAD, frequently leads to people being hungry and tired and having dysregulated moods, she continues. People often alternate between periods of escalation, during which they fuel themselves with caffeine, processed sugar and refined carbs, and periods of starvation. This unhealthy pattern leads to dysregulated moods, Schmidt explains.

“Mindful eating as a practice can be helpful at reawakening our appreciation for food,” notes Schmidt, author of Sustainable Living & Mindful Eating. “As we wake up to how we feel and what we experience, we have the possibility of change.” Just like every part of our body is made up of the food we eat, our brain is also made up of the fuel we feed it.

“Food brings people together on many different levels. It’s nourishment of the soul and body; it’s truly love.” – Giada De Laurentiis

When an old friend from Arizona reached out to me recently and said, “I will be in Massachusetts this summer and will love to catch up with you.”, I was overjoyed. I was looking forward to meeting her after almost a decade. Her beautiful daughters, now 15 and 12, were so smart and sensible. We decided to meet up for lunch and I picked up the Veg Out food truck at Nourse farm. The most simple and clean food around. We spent some time showing them our beautiful town and finally ended up at Uhlmans ice-cream. That was one of the best afternoons in a long time. The best kind of memories are made around food.

Dr. Lisa Mosconi, PhD, is the Director of the Women’s Brain Initiative and Associate Director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medical College (WCMC)/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where she serves as an Associate Professor of Neuroscience in Neurology and Radiology. Dr. Mosconi holds a PhD degree in Neuroscience and Nuclear Medicine, and is a certified Integrative Nutritionist and holistic healthcare practitioner.

Her top five brain foods are:

• Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, bluefish, sardines, anchovies) contains a blend of nutrients that are perfect for the brain, including omega-3 fats (a brain-must), choline (a B vitamin needed to make memories), vitamins B6 and B12 (needed to support the nervous system), minerals such as iron and magnesium (needed for healthy blood and tissues) and a good amount of protein. Research shows that consuming fish only once a week is associated with a 70% reduced risk of Alzheimer’s in old age. Of all the nutrients present in fish, the omega-3s seem to be particularly protective against dementia. For those who do not eat seafood, alternative sources of omega-3s include flax seeds, olive oil, almonds, avocados and other plant-based foods.
  

• Dark leafy greens (spinach, swiss chard, kale and all sort of greens) and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage) are all full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and disease-fighting nutrients that are crucial for a healthy nervous system. Large-scale studies show that people who consume one or two servings of these vegetables every day experience fewer memory problems and cognitive decline than people who rarely eat greens. Simply eating a salad every day keeps your brain 11 years younger.
  

• Berries (especially blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries but also dark cherries, goji berries, mulberries) are packed with antioxidants that help keep memory sharp as you age. They are also a great source of fiber and glucose, the main energy source for the brain. They are sweet but have a low glycemic index so they help regulate sugar levels.
  

• Extra virgin vegetable oils, especially olive oil and flaxseed oil. These are loaded with anti-ageing nutrients, such as omega-3s and vitamin E. Olive oil is also rich in monounsaturated fat, a kind of fat that is good for the heart. What is good for the heart is good for the brain.
  

• Complex carbohydrates, such as wholegrains, legumes and sweet potatoes, are packed with brain-supportive nutrients from protein to B vitamins to a bounty of antioxidants and minerals. They are also a good source of glucose combined with a high fiber content to stabilize blood sugar levels. The more fiber, the lower the food’s effects on insulin. As a result, these foods enhance your metabolism, support a healthy digestion and boost the immune system too.

Lastly, it is recommended to drink water as the main source of fluids. Even though water is not usually considered a food, it is definitely a major source of nutrition for our thirsty brains. More than 80% of the brain’s content is water. Every chemical reaction that takes place in the brain requires water, especially energy production. The brain is so sensitive to dehydration that even a minimal loss of water can cause symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue, dizziness, confusion and, more importantly, brain shrinkage. Why is this important? The brain needs more than something wet; it needs the essential nutrients that real water carries with it. In the end, a brain-healthy diet optimizes your capacity for keeping a healthy, sharp and active brain over a lifetime – while reducing the risk of developing age-related cognitive impairments and dementia.

“Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.” – Alan D. Wolfelt

We all are continuously learning to live a better life. We ignore new knowledge from our close kin until a popular icon promotes the same theory. Science is constantly evolving and adapting to a new way of life is ongoing and mandatory. There is no end to discovering new and improved wisdom.

This spring my GoodMan planted some basil and mint leaves in small pots on our patio. He waters them regularly and when fresh leaves appear on its branches, excitedly brings them to the kitchen. With the innocence of a child he asks, “Can we make some dinner where we can use these fresh basil and mint leaves?” I can't help but smile at the endless possibilities :)

What are you having for dinner tonight?

~ MG