To function well, our brain needs balanced energy intake. “You need to give your brain the nutrients it needs to heal, repair tissue, fight toxins and create neurotransmitters so it can stay young, sharp and energetic for as long as possible.” recommends Dr. Heather Sandison, who specializes in neurocognitive medicine, to CNBC.
Keep your carbohydrate intake measured for your brain health
The brain makes up only 2% of the body’s total weight, but it consumes more than 20% of the body’s energy each day. A real engine that runs at full speed and requires quality fuel! According to Dr. Heather Sandison, if you could adopt just one eating habit to preserve your memory and optimize your brain, it would be to reduce your carbohydrate intake. After 15 years of study and five years as medical director of a memory care center, she is adamant that a low-carb, nutrient-rich diet is one of the pillars of a young, sharp, healthy brain.
“This helps stabilize your blood sugar.”
she explains, “because insulin spikes and drops impair cognition and cause dizziness, anxiety, fatigue, irritability and decreased concentration” and, in the long term, an increased risk of cognitive disorders.
Choose foods that will provide few carbohydrates to your body
To achieve this, the specialist recommends not exceeding 130 grams of carbohydrates per day, approximately 25% of calories in a 2,000 calorie diet. To do this, she advises focusing on foods low in carbohydrates, such as cucumbers, peppers, cheese, yogurt, pecans or walnuts.
But the impact of consuming a sweet fruit at the end of a meal, such as grapes or watermelon, on blood sugar levels can be “caught up”, thanks to a tip she shares. “Be aware that eating a high-carb fruit, such as grapes or watermelon, after a high-fat, high-protein snack, such as Greek yogurt, will reduce the speed and extent of your blood sugar rise.”
On the contrary, sweets, especially when consumed on an empty stomach, will increase your blood sugar levels significantly, before being regulated by an insulin spike. “Typically, this drop in blood sugar makes us feel unwell and hungry.” specifies Heather Sandison. “Over time, it leads to diabetes, insulin resistance and cognitive impairment“.
Here is an idea of the meals to eat over the course of a day to get there
Are you wondering how to limit your carbohydrate intake throughout the day? The expert advises against counting every gram of carbohydrates. “It’s stressful and it’s the opposite of the result we want to achieve.” she recalls. Pbecome aware of your carbohydrate consumption already allows you to reduce it naturally and adopt a diet more suited to optimal brain functioning. To help you, she shares meal ideas for a typical day.
- Breakfast : replace a bagel or cereal with avocado toast;
- Lunch : prefer soup and salad rather than a sandwich with chips;
- Dinner : exchange potatoes or rice against quinoa or cauliflower rice;
- Dessert : bet on berries with a little whipped cream or a few squares of dark chocolate instead of ice cream.
Implementing these small changes will already have significant consequences for your brain. “This change alone will do you a world of good, including reducing glucose and insulin levels and therefore reducing inflammation.” assures Heather Sandison. “It also allows you to increase your intake of brain-healthy nutrients, such as protein, vitamins and minerals from vegetables and healthy fats.“.
“The idea is to become aware of the amount of carbohydrates consumed each day. Because we cannot change a habit that you are not aware of.”
she concludes.