Could what you eat affect your mental and emotional state? While we have gained a better understanding of psychiatric disorders and psychological disruptions of our thinking, we find, incredibly, that we are able to change not only the function of the brain, but its very anatomy merely by changing our diet and our attitude toward life.
A number of dietary factors worsen brain inflammation. Infections and other inflammatory disorders cause blood serotonin levels (and possibly brain serotonin levels) to fall significantly. This was one of the reasons psychiatrists first thought serotonin was the culprit in depression. More intensive studies have shown that a lot more is involved.
Anytime the body becomes inflamed, the brain becomes inflamed as well — usually within minutes. We see this with many conditions, including:
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Lupus
• Bacterial infections
• Pneumonia
• Major surgeries
• Excessive vaccinations
• Trauma
To learn more about how stress affects your brain health, read my report Want to Stop Your Brain from Shrinking, Starting Right Now?
Diets high in omega-6 fats, which include corn, safflower, sunflower, peanut, soybean, and canola oils, cause brain inflammation. Most processed foods contain at least one of these oils.
During cooking, these oils become oxidized, making them even more harmful. Foods should never be prepared or cooked in these dangerous oils. Studies have shown that a high intake of omega-6 oils increases the incidence of depression and neuroticism.
A high iron intake is also associated with brain inflammation and free radical production in the brain. I have had patients referred to me who had been taking iron supplements for decades — but for some reason their physicians never bothered to check their blood iron levels.
There is a strong correlation between high iron levels and the following conditions:
• Cancer
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Worsening of neurodegenerative diseases
But very low iron levels are also associated with depression and fatigue. Optimum levels should be just slightly below the midpoint of normal blood values.
Red meats are the major source of dietary iron. Flavonoids from tea and vegetables inhibit iron absorption and vitamin C drastically increases it. This is why eating a lot of vegetables with meats greatly reduces the cancer incidence seen with eating red meat alone. To learn more of my diet strategies, read my report How to Boost Your Health Now.
Omega-3 oils are composed of two basic components — EPA and DHA. Most studies show the greatest benefit is from the DHA component.
Most people have heard that omega-3 fatty acids reduce depression and that people deficient in these vital oils have a higher incidence of a number of neurological disorders, including psychoses. For example, recent studies have shown that people with bipolar disorder have low levels of DHA in a part of the brain regulating behavior (the orbitofrontal cortex).
To learn more about the benefits of omega-3, read my report You Don't Eat Enough Fat.
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