Page 84 - Tracy Anderson Magazine | Spring 2021 Issue

Have you ever stopped to consider what your brain
BRAIN
FOOD
When you invest in your diet, you invest in your brain health, by Dr. Drew Ramsey.
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allowing messages to travel from cell to cell at the synapse.
is made of? Often, we talk about the brain as a muscle.
You’ve likely heard some expert or other tell you that But now that we’ve outlined the basics, what I want you
your brain, much like the muscles in your body, needs to understand about your brain is that what you eat, and
mental exercise to stay healthy. Use it or lose it, they your brain’s overall well-being, will always be intimately
say—encouraging mental stimulation to help your brain connected. And that’s because, simply put, your brain is
made of food.
grow faster, stronger, and, overall, stay fighting fit. Both
brains and muscles contain special fibers that help them Our brains consume 20 percent of everything we eat, and
function. And, of course, after a hard workout, like a final
exam or a tough crossword puzzle, your brain may feel as
fatigued as your legs do after maxing out your mileage on those foods provide the energy and nutrients to produce
and support each element that makes up our brains. Those
the treadmill. critical neurotransmitters and receptors? They’re made
from specific proteins and amino acids that you consume
It’s an easy analogy to throw into everyday conversation, through food. Similarly, the condition of your glial cells
the sort of comparison that helps to inspire people to is dependent on getting enough omega-3 fats. Minerals
engage in intellectual challenges like sudoku puzzles or like zinc, selenium, and magnesium not only provide the
book clubs—and it also does a fair job of highlighting how building blocks to form cells and brain tissue but also help
the brain can change and improve over time. to synthesize vital neurotransmitters.
That said, the brain doesn’t actually resemble a muscle B vitamins have been shown to aid in conducting nerve
in the slightest. The brain is the most complex organ impulses. When the brain is deprived of one or more
in the human body. This three- of these brain-healthy nutrients,
pound command-and-control cognition, mood, and overall
center contains more than 80 function will ultimately suffer. Take
billion neurons, the special cells serotonin, the neurotransmitter
that transmit nerve impulses linked to mood. Without eating
and form the synapses, or key foods that contain adequate levels
connections, that facilitate every of nutrients like iron, folate, and
thought, feeling, and action. The vitamin B12, your body cannot
brain also houses another category produce adequate levels of this
of unique cells, called glial cells, mood-enhancing chemical.
that make up the fatty, insulating Historically, we’ve put minimal
sheath surrounding neurons. thought and focus into how food
Some experts estimate that there choices relate to our brains. But it
are likely three times the number doesn’t have to be that way. You
of glial cells as neurons—and their can dictate what sort of building
Opposite page: Louis Hansel, courtesy unsplash.com. This page: Ian McSpadden
unique makeup allows them to materials you want to provide
indirectly improve the efficacy your brain. You can eat these high-
and efficiency of neural signaling quality, nutrient-dense ingredients
across the cortex. The fibers those and foods to help your brain work
neurons and glial cells make are quite different, both in at its highest level. When it does, you are in a place to
terms of form and function, than the sorts of fibers you better prevent and manage mood and anxiety disorders.
find in the muscles. Ultimately, you, and only you, have the power to decide
While the brain may already seem quite crowded with what you’d like your brain to be made of—and, in doing so,
put your brain into a mode of growth, resilience, and health.
those billions upon billions of cells, it’s also home to a
host of blood vessels and capillaries, which provide brain
cells with the rich, oxygenated blood they need to thrive. Truly, better brains are made, not born, by the decisions
you make about the foods you consume every day. ■
You can also find a cornucopia of different signaling
molecules, including hormones and neurotransmitters that Drew Ramsey, MD, is a psychiatrist, author, farmer, and founder of the
help pass neural messages from cell to cell. You’ve likely Brain Food Clinic in New York City, offering treatment and consultation
heard about neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, for depression, anxiety, and emotional wellness concerns. He is the author
and glutamate—all of which have been implicated in of three books, most recently the award-winning cookbook Eat Complete:
The 21 Nutrients That Fuel Brain Power, Boost Weight Loss, and Transform
depressive and anxiety disorders. Scientists have also Your Health (Harper Wave). Ramsey lives with his wife and two children
found that signaling molecules like NMDA, glutamate, in New York City and on their 127-acre organic farm in rural Indiana.
and endocannabinoids play a role, too. That said, I He can be found online at drewramseymd.com and on social media
at @drewramseymd.
shouldn’t forget to mention the cell receptors. These are
distinct proteins that “catch” the signaling molecules,
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