The brain has approximately 100 billion neurons, with an estimated 100 trillion connections. Until recently, it was believed that when you lost brain cells, they were gone forever. It has recently been discovered that stem cells, capable of turning into new neurons, are present in many regions of the brain. Under suitable conditions, stem cells can become active and make new circuits in the working brain, and in experiments with animals who had undergone strokes, new nerve cell formation, new circulation, and a degree of recovery are seen in the damage zone. That is good news for sufferers of traumatic brain injury!
Exercise seems to be a key factor in releasing growth factors that stimulate stem cells scattered throughout the brain to make new neurons and circuits. It seems that when we exercise, we release BDNF (brain-derived neurotropic factor) which acts like “miracle grow” on the brain. Studies done with children in school showed higher test scores with those who started out the day with aerobic exercise. Anxiety, depression & ADHD have all decreased after the implementation of exercise regimes.1
Neurons like other cells, have a membrane that is made up of protein & phospholipids (phosphorus & fatty acid components). The fatty (lipid) portion of the brain contains a high percentage of omega-3 fatty acids such as linolenic acid, EPA and especially DHA. Solid research is linking deficiencies of omega-3 fatty acids with depression, anxiety, and other clinical problems treated by psychology. Omega-3 fatty acid containing foods include:
- Wild, cold-water fish (or fish liver oil, or phytoplankton)
- Almonds (unroasted is best, as unsaturated fats like omega-3 oxidize easily with heat.)
- Walnuts (For centuries, the “doctrine of signatures” has guided people to plants or foods thought to resemble the appearance of the organ they feed or heal.
- Seeds (Pumpkin, sunflower, flax, chia, or virtually any seed)
- Green plants of any type
The phosphorus component contains high amounts of GPC (glycerophosphocoholine), and PS (phosphatidylserine), which can be supplemented, and/or obtained through diet. These help with nerve transmission, and as one researcher commented about his tennis game, “it makes the ball slow down”. Phosphatidyl-serine and phosphatidyl-choline containing foods include:
- Wheat germ (germ from most grains, which is also high in B-vitamins)
- Eggs
- Peanuts
- Soybeans
New studies are pointing toward nutrients that protect the brain from the ravages of oxidation, oxygen deprivation or Alzheimer’s; and they all seem to be purple. Polyphenolic compounds from pomegranite, the reservatrol found in grapes, and the bioflavonoids found in blueberries have all been found to be protective and even able to reverse some of the brain changes associated with cognitive decline.2,3,4 Bioflavonoid and polyphenolic rich fruit and vegetables include:
- Pomegranate
- Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries
- Red grapes and red wine
- Purple cabbage
New research is pointing toward bacteria in our gut having a profound effect on our brains. Autistic children had their autistic behaviors ameliorated or greatly reduced in experiments with changes in gut bacteria.5 Anxious or aggressive mice who got doses of the bacteria from the gut of calm mice calmed down and became more gregarious in experiments, and a study in process is looking at modulation of bipolar disorder with probiotics. Probiotic is a loose term for good bacteria in our gut, and includes many species along the lines of Acidophilus and Bifidus. We're finding that they outnumber the cells in our body, and are very important for the conversion of food into nutrients we can use, and even neurotransmitters like GABA that affect our mood and emotion. Many good bacteria have been used for the fermentation of traditional foods like
- sauerkraut and kim-chi
- sourdough
- miso and tamari
While yogurt and kefir can be good probiotic sources, I steer people away from dairy sources of probiotics when they have diary sensitivities, allergies, or chronic congestion (sinusitis, post-nasal drip, or inner ear congestion). Dairy protein sensitivities are common and easily tested.
The medicinal properties of various herbs that have been used for centuries for their effects on the brain. Ginkgo biloba, gotu-kola (Centella asiatica), and rosemary (Rosemarinus, “the herb of rememberance”) are all used for cerebral circulation and aiding memory. Others like skullcap (Scutellaria), passionflower (Passiflora), and motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) are used for calming an anxious mind and heart.
At the Mountain-River Naturopathic Clinic, we have teamed up with Neuroscience Laboratory to offer urinary tests of neurotransmitter levels. Neurotransmitters are most often derived from amino acids, and knowing which ones are high or low can be useful in targeting therapy for specific conditions. See our “Mood Food” handout for specifics on amino acids and other nutrients that support balanced emotional health.
We can help you with everything but the form of exercise that you choose. That choice is up to YOU. Get out there and make some “miracle grow” for your brain. Then, put the new neurons you made to use, so you can “plug them into circuits” and keep them!
- Ratey, John and Hagerman, Eric. Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. Little, Brown & Company (NY, Boston, London). 2008.
- Hartman RE, et al. Pomegranate juice decreases amyloid load and improves behavior in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Dis. 2006 Dec; 24(3):506-15.
- Castilla P, et al. Concentrated red grape juice exerts antioxidant, hypolipidemic, and antiinflammatory effects in both hemodialysis patients and healthy subjects. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jul; 84(1):252-62.
- Dai Q, et al. Fruit and vegetable juices and Alzheimer's disease: the Kame Project. Am J Med. 2006 Sep;119(9):751-9.
- Patterson, Paul, et al. Microbiota modulate behavioral and psychological abnormalities.. Cell. 2013 Dec; 155(7): 1451-1463
