The brain is the most important organ in our body and its operation is extremely delicate. Our ‘I’ resides in it and, therefore, all the care we give it will be little to keep it in the best possible state and activity.

“Food is basic for health in general and affects the entire body, but it is of utmost importance for all aspects of brain function. Likewise, all behavioral habits influence our body in a positive or negative sense,” he warns in an interview with the doctor of Medicine and specialist in Endocrinology and Nutrition and Physical Education and Sports Medicine, Dr. Antonio Escribano Zafra.

“Through the molecules that certain foods contain we can achieve it. For this it is necessary to maintain a correct and balanced diet in general in terms of the balance of fats, proteins and carbohydrates and to have certain components such as amino acids, vitamins of the group B, AD, E and C, minerals such as iron, zinc, magnesium, selenium and calcium and help with food components such as flavonoids, polyphenols and antioxidants,” defends the specialist.

Specifically, it cites that these ‘ingredients for memory’ are found in many foods, mainly those that are part of a balanced diet, although it highlights fruits (especially red fruits), and vegetables, as well as nuts with special mention to nuts, as well as oily fish, meats, eggs, dairy products, or olive oil, among others.

On the contrary, it mentions that alcohol, drugs and tobacco produce the main memory impairment. Naturally foods that contain a large amount of saturated fat and sugar that do not contribute anything to our body and develop obesity. “Habits such as sedentary lifestyle and lack of sleep, to which stress and anxiety are usually added, have an even greater impact on memory impairment,” said Dr. Antonio Escribano.

Obesity with memory

Along these lines, Dr. Escribano affirms that it is proven that the prevention of obesity through healthy lifestyle habits would also have a collateral impact on the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases, due to the established relationship between both, since patients with obesity in the stages half-lives present a greater risk of suffering from memory and cognition alterations.

There are studies that associate obesity with a specific deficit in communication between neurons, the decrease in some areas of the brain related to attention, memory and cognitive processes in general.

In our current society, excess consumption of fats, especially trans, and sugars is frequent: “Excess sugar usually manifests itself with digestive problems, skin alterations such as acne, a feeling of bloating that is usually interpreted as fluid retention, behavioral alterations such as irritability and insomnia, and of course a tendency to be overweight and obese”.

In this sense, excess sugar can harm our brain. Glucose, normally called sugar, is the fuel used by the brain. Its deficit modifies brain functions, but its excess also modifies it. When they occur frequently highs and lows in sugar, cognitive function is altered and these ups and downs lead to slowing down of brain function and mental concentration.

With this, it states that excess sugar decreases intellectual performance, since its increase is followed in many cases by reactive hypoglycemia that affects mental concentration. 

To maintain a proper diet every day we should consume fruits, all equally valid and necessary, and three to five pieces a day. Likewise, we should consume vegetables and greens in a day. Also, on a daily basis it is advisable to eat a small amount of nuts, some bread, dairy, fats in little quantity.

Besides, we should eat legumes, rice, pasta and potatoes twice a week, and cereals three times a week. From four to five times a week meat and five times a week fish should be eaten.