Effects of the diet on the brain are largely unexplored, with pretty much all the attention being paid to the negative impact on rest of the body. However, from sugar and carbohydrates to fats and even grains, the list of dietary choices having potentially negative effects on the brain is growing...fast! Although a bulk of the evidence shows an association with, but not a causation of mental health and cognitive decline, many clinicians are reporting seeing first-hand improvements in patients' mental health outcomes with dietary changes that eliminate the notorious dietary culprits.
In an Australian study, they looked at the main culprits (junk food e.g.chips, chocolate, pizza, sweets and soda) and saw that it had an impact on adolescent's mental health status over a 2-year period. Again, junk food eaten in pregnancy and the first 5 years of life has been shown to cause aggression, hyperactivity, or tantrums amongst children independent of confounding factors and of the childhood diet.
What are these foods doing in our brain? High amounts of saturated fats and sugars have a negative impact on brain proteins called neurotrophins. Neutrophins are the clever guys that protect the brain against oxidative stress.
Rosemary Manners's Happiness Within Program is designed to go along with your other therapies. It looks at your nutrition, your lifestyle choices and your mindset in relationship to your brain health and the emotions you feel. Happiness Within is one of the health programs run at Cranes Pharmacy. Sounds interesting? Book an appointment. Till end of March first appointments with testing is reduced to only $100.
