Exercise is directly proportional to the functions of a healthy brain as much as foods. Also foods which are high in cholesterol and saturated fats are inversely proportional to it.

Did I just confuse you?

It’s a simple logic actually. Exercising keeps our body healthy and fit, while fat rich diets make it sloppy. The above lines mean, that if we do not control our fat intake we might just end up with a sloppy brain too.

The worst-case scenario could be Alzheimer’s disease or being brain dead !!^[1]

I know it is shocking but nonetheless true. While doing a research of my own, on how destructive fat cells could be to a human body, I came across other researches that proved this hypothesis true. I was stunned to find that fats could make me brain dead!

Fat and Brain – A recent study

N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) is a molecule in the brain that reflects health of brain cells (the neurons).

Jeremy D. Coplan, MD, professor of psychiatry at SUNY Downstate ^[2], found that lower levels of NAA in hippocampus of overweight subjects than those who were of normal weight. This was irrespective of the subject’s age, sex, or mental diagnosis.

Fat accumulation in certain areas of brain of obese people restricts blood circulation to the brain, which can cause strokes or minor hemorrhages. These in turn can give way to mental disorders in such patients.

Animal products like beef, pork, eggs and other dairy products contain cholesterol and fats. These two components are present in great amounts in snacks and junk food that we consume every day.

The American Heart Association suggests that we should limit our intake of saturated fats to less that 7% of the total daily calories.^[3] It also suggests that 300 mg of cholesterol intake every day is a healthy habit.^[4]

However, just cutting down on foods will not help. Exercise is another important factor, which can boost the functions of the brain.

Exercise and Brain – Another study

A study carried out by the University of Georgia,^[5] revealed that brain’s functions,  like information processing and memory, are improved if we can exercise for even 20 minutes each day.

Brain and heart are directly related.

Exercise increases the heart rate and in turn helps pump more oxygen to the brain, which makes it more active. Exercise also helps in releasing hormones which indirectly aid in the growth of brain cells.^[6]

Recently during a research conducted at UCLA, it was demonstrated that exercise enhanced the brain’s growth factor. This makes it easy for the brain to make new neuronal connections.

Another study from Stockholm suggests that running gives humans a high, which like antidepressants that can be linked with a drop in stress hormones. Hippocampus, the area of brain responsible for learning and memory, undergoes more cell growth because of this.

Is it not amazing how the human body functions?

Just imagine how much care our bodies need. Little were we aware that what we ate affects our brain and central nervous system too. So take care, eat well, and exercise as needed.

In case you wanna know, we have a tip for you that can reverse aging, naturally. Do make use of it!

References
[1]Morris, M., Evans, D., Bienias, J., Tangney, C., Bennett, D., Aggarwal, N., Schneider, J., & Wilson, R. (2003). Dietary Fats and the Risk of Incident Alzheimer Disease Archives of Neurology, 60 (2) DOI: 10.1001/archneur.60.2.194. ^Back to Top^

[2]Kanoski, S., & Davidson, T. (2011). Western diet consumption and cognitive impairment: Links to hippocampal dysfunction and obesity Physiology & Behavior, 103 (1), 59-68 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.12.003. ^Back to Top^

[3]Krauss, R., Deckelbaum, R., Ernst, N., Fisher, E., Howard, B., Knopp, R., Kotchen, T., Lichtenstein, A., McGill, H., Pearson, T., Prewitt, T., Stone, N., Van Horn, L., & Weinberg, R. (1996). Dietary Guidelines for Healthy American Adults: A Statement for Health Professionals From the Nutrition Committee, American Heart Association Circulation, 94 (7), 1795-1800 DOI: 10.1161/​01.CIR.94.7.1795. ^Back to Top^

[4]Krauss, R., Eckel, R., Howard, B., Appel, L., Daniels, S., Deckelbaum, R., Erdman, J., Kris-Etherton, P., Goldberg, I., Kotchen, T., Lichtenstein, A., Mitch, W., Mullis, R., Robinson, K., Wylie-Rosett, J., St. Jeor, S., Suttie, J., Tribble, D., & Bazzarre, T. (2000). AHA Dietary Guidelines : Revision 2000: A Statement for Healthcare Professionals From the Nutrition Committee of the American Heart Association Circulation, 102 (18), 2284-2299 DOI: 10.1161/​01.CIR.102.18.2284. ^Back to Top^

[5]Dishman, R. (1995). Physical Activity and Public Health: Mental Health Quest, 47 (3), 362-385 DOI: 10.1080/00336297.1995.10484164. ^Back to Top^

[6]Ploughman M (2008). Exercise is brain food: the effects of physical activity on cognitive function. Developmental neurorehabilitation, 11 (3), 236-40 PMID: 18781504. ^Back to Top^

Last Updated: July 24th, 2014
Next Scheduled Update: Sept 24th, 2014