Brain Food – Not!

Being bombarded with media, it is impossible not to know which kinds of food are bad for us. But still, we keep taking or ingesting them in the hopes that all those bad effects would go away. But perhaps, it is nice to be reminded of why they are considered bad in the first place to gain consciousness about these things and hopefully stop taking them. It’s for our own good anyway.

We all know that alcohol, when taken in huge amounts, is bad for our body and overall well being. Countless criminal cases have already been filed and reported all over the world due to alcohol abuse and intoxication (rape, drunk driving, death, etc.) Alcohol is good when taken in moderation. There are even studies that say it helps regulate the heart rate and blood pressure (like with red wine). The key is the word “moderation”. Otherwise, you end up like all those victims of the cases mentioned. For those who are still ignorant about how the alcohol affects the body, let me describe it to you. Alcohol is a substance that goes straight to the brain thereby killing brain cells in the process. This is why you get drunk, woozy or tipsy. You also lose motor control and your emotional reality drastically changes. Most of you will feel uninhibited, more carefree than usual and even indestructible for some.

Now let’s talk about Nicotine. Like alcohol, this substance also affects the brain in a very bad way (aside from the countless illnesses it can cause you through chronic use). Nicotine constricts capillaries and therefore restricts blood flow to your brain. Blood brings oxygen to the brain, right? So without blood, there’s no supply of oxygen and when you have poor oxygen in your brain, your brain functioning is hampered. In extreme cases, it gets fatal.

Hydrogenated fats, though not as negatively potent as the first two above, can cause heart failure and other heart diseases through continued ingestion. It is actually an ingredient of the top 5 cancer-causing food of today (e.g. hotdogs, bacon, donut, fries, chips/cookies).

These three types of substances should be avoided as much as possible for better brain and body health.

Most of us don’t know this but those artificial food substances and flavoring included in the processed food we take can lower a person’s brain power. One of the things they do is cause erratic fluctuations in your blood sugar level leading to drastic and erratic mood swings, over fatigue and moody behavior. One of the best things you can do to avoid this is to not include refined flour and sugar products in your diet. Potatoes, for instance, when taken in excessive amounts, are not good for your health either.

Let me explain to you the process further:

Carbohydrates turn into sugar once it gets digested. 20% of these carbohydrates are used by your brain. The brain always prefers to have a steady supply of blood sugar rather than an erratic supply of them (meaning, having huge supply sometimes, and then little supply in some occasions) which happens when a person goes on a yo-yo kind of diet. Otherwise, the fluctuation of blood sugar results to lethargy and moodiness. What you can do is try to eat many times in a day but in small quantities. This way, your blood sugar levels are always balanced. You feel active & renewed, mood swings are at bay and you can think more clearly. Always remember that processed flour and sugary products are the kinds of simple carbohydrates that can cause wild fluctuations in your system. So take them in moderation or don’t take them at all. When wild fluctuations happen, a surge of insulin enters the blood stream which leads to hypoglycemia or plunging blood sugar level which then causes adrenal hormones to be released. This makes you feel that “sugar high” feeling. If you keep experiencing “sugar highs and sugar lows”, your moods will be affected, you tend to feel sleepy, you’re not as attentive and alert. This shows that you are not able to maximize your brain function.

Keep in mind that simple carbohydrates are bad for your brain while complex carbohydrates are good for your brain. The latter help improve your alertness and mental capacities. It helps improve your brain power. Looking at their molecular structure under a microscope, you will observe that they are long like those of our intestines. This means that it takes a long time for them to get digested and turned into blood sugar. Therefore, it avoids the so-called sugar rush in your system. Instead, they give a steady supply of balanced sugar levels to your blood stream.

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London, UK (PRWEB UK) 31 October 2013

Scottish Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead has asked the UK government to allow him to lead negotiations for Britain at crucial European quota talks, BBC Scotland reported October 16th. According to the article, Richard Lochhead asks to lead EU fish talks for UK, this is because of David Camerons recent reshuffle putting George Eustice as the UK fisheries minister, and Mr Lochhead feels it would be unfair to ask the new minister to head the talks. Allowable days at sea and mackerel quotas are among the main issues involved in the talks, which will begin this week in Luxembourg, and Mr Lochhead commented, “I will be doing everything I can to secure a favourable outcome for Scotland’s fishermen.” (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-24548615)

Following on from this, Yourwellness Magazine delved into the issue of eating fish during pregnancy. Yourwellness Magazine noted, “Being pregnant is a wonderful time, but it comes with a fair amount of rules and regulations in order to stay healthy. One of these rules is that you need to avoid fish during your pregnancy, as it can affect the babys development. Seafood is a great source of protein, zinc and iron, which are all vital for both your own and your babys health. As well as this, seafood contains plenty of omega-3 fatty acids which keep the brain and joints healthy. So, with this in mind, why are women told to avoid these healthy ingredients?” (http://www.yourwellness.com/2013/11/danger-eating-fish-pregnancy#sthash.kcdDIAts.dpuf)

Yourwellness Magazine commented that some types of seafood contain high levels of mercury.

Yourwellness Magazine explained that, in adults, mercury isnt a concern, but in infants it requires a certain level of caution. Regular consumption of fish thats high in mercury can mean that a build-up of mercury in the bloodstream, which over time can damage the babys brain and nervous system development. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advise that pregnant women can eat up to 12 ounces of seafood a week and still remain healthy. Yourwellness Magazine recommended pregnant women to discuss this with their GP.

To find out more, visit the gateway to living well at http://www.yourwellness.com.