XIV Международная студенческая научная конференция Студенческий научный форум - 2022

Your brain works 24/7, even when you asleep. It is responsible for your movements, senses, heart and even emotional swings. And while constituting only 2% of your total weight, it consumes nearly 20 times of the total energy. That energy comes from food. By consuming food, we supply our brain with various nutrients that have a distinct effect on our body’s functioning, development, mood and energy. Understanding how such nutrients affect our brain is important to maintain a healthy brain, hence, lifestyle.

Fatty acids, such as omega 3 and 6, prevent degenerative brain conditions by improving the quality of brain cell membranes. Eating omega-rich foods such as nuts, fish, and seeds is essential for the building and maintenance of brain cell-membranes. These fats bind to cell membranes increasing fluidity, which is important for the functioning of each brain cell. Specifically, membrane fluidity helps the brain adapt to new information by facilitating the communication of neurotransmitter receptors.

Proteins and amino-acids, the building blocks for growth and development, play a role in how we feel and behave. Amino-acids contain precursors to neurotransmitters, the chemical messages that carry signals between neurons affecting things like mood, sleep, attentiveness and weight. Complex compounds in foods stimulate your brain to release mood-altering hormones like norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin. A balanced diet helps maintain a balanced combination of brain messengers and keeps your brain from mood swings.

Micronutrients from fruits and vegetables maintain the health of our brain by fighting free radicals that destroy brain cells. Without powerful micronutrients like vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid the brain becomes susceptible to brain diseases and mental decline. Trace amounts of such minerals as iron, copper, zinc and sodium are fundamental to brain health and early cognitive development. However, in order for the brain to transform and synthesize these nutrients, the brain requires energy.

The brain "fuel" mostly comes from carbohydrates in the form of glucose and sugars. However, it is important to distinguish between different types of carbohydrates. The ratio of the sugar and fiber subgroups to the total amount affect how the body response. High glycemic foods like white bread and dessert cause a rapid release of glucose into the bloodstream, but then shoot down, reducing attention span and mood. On the other hand, oats, grains and legumes have a slower are characterized by slower glucose release supporting more a steady level of mindfulness.

In order to ensure sustainable brain health, it is important to ensure that you consume a variety of nutrient-rich foods. If your brain is deprived of good-quality nutrition, or if free radicals or damaging inflammatory cells are circulating within the brain’s enclosed space, further contributing to brain tissue injury, consequences are to be expected . So, start paying attention to how eating different foods makes you feel – not just in the moment, but the next day.