Take Care of Your Brain

Did you know...?

Your brain weighs about 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) and uses 20 – 30% of your total energy supply. It uses 10 times more energy than other body parts

It consists of some 100 billion nerve cells that put together thoughts and highly coordinated physical actions and regulate our unconscious body processes, such as digestion and breathing.

Your brain is 60% fat and can shrink when we suffer from ED

Glucose is your brain’s fuel and it cannot store fuel. That why we often feel confused when our blood sugar drops – our brain isn’t getting the fuel it needs to function properly! If the brain is deprived of glucose for more than 2 to 3 minutes, there is a real risk of brain damage. Including slow-release, complex carbohydrates will help fuel your brain. **DO NOT drive if you are experiencing low blood sugar. See Marie’s blog on driving with ED: http://www.eatingdisorderselfhelp.com/blog/marie/2010/july/30/eating-dis...

Your brain needs the fatty acids from fats to create the cells that allow us to think and feel and to ease the transmission of messages from one nerve cell to another. Sources include fish oils, oily fish, olive oil, nuts and avocados

You need amino acids from protein to make neurotransmitters that allow your brain cells to communicate. For example, the amino acid tryptophan is needed to make the neurotransmitter serotonin (our ‘happy’ , mood-boosting neurotransmitter that is also involved in appetite regulation and helps us sleep). Fish, chicken, turkey, soya beans, bananas, nuts and seeds are all good sources

Vitamins and minerals, especially B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium and zinc are essential for normal brain function

So, today lets fuel and nourish our brain! Your brain has to last you your lifetime and how you treat it today will affect how it functions later on in life.