Nutrients for a Healthy Mind
By Sara Butler
There's no magic ingredient that will keep your mind sharp as the years pass by. Instead, there are many things that can help you to build more, and maybe even better, brainpower no matter old you are. It's not magic, it's nutrients!
Eating the right foods with the right nutrients can help boost your brain processing power and protect your brain as you get older, too. Here are some nutrients you should make sure you're getting enough of for better brainpower.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is popular because it promotes strong healthy bones, but it turns out that it's also good for your brain. This vitamin helps to support healthy neurons in the brain and protects against inflammation in the brain too, which can speed along degeneration and impact cognitive functioning.
You can make sure you get the Vitamin D your body needs by eating food enriched with it, such as milk. It's also in fatty fish such as salmon and tuna. Your body also happens to produce its own Vitamin D when you expose your skin to the rays of the sun. Just 15 minutes of sun exposure per day can help.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a bit of an unsung hero. It's vital to brain function and health and helps protect the neurons in your brain, too. It's also thought that magnesium plays a role in issues that can be caused by issues with the brain such as anxiety, depression, and even migraine headaches.
You can get more magnesium in your diet by including foods such as brown rice and spinach in your diet.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is known for being a great supporter of the immune system, but that's not all it does! This vitamin also has properties that help to protect the brain against cell death. It's also needed for the body to convert dopamine to serotonin, the hormone that makes you feel happy. If you don't get enough Vitamin C, then it can cause confusion, concentration issues, and even depression.
Foods that have Vitamin C in them are abundant. You can eat fruits such as kiwi, citrus, and berries. You can also find it in vegetables such as broccoli and bell peppers.
If you have questions about how to keep your brain healthy through the foods you eat, then the chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic are a great resource!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Des Peres, Mo.