10 Brain Damaging Foods To Avoid
(after the age of 30 different parts of your brain begin)
As we get older different parts of the brain start to shrink which can cause issues like memory loss,
slower learning, and nerve damage.
(And problems with nerve transmission)
(Unfortunately)
There are also many foods that are to toxic to the brain which can speed up the aging process,
Triggering a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia,
Sleeping problems like sleep apnoea,
Strokes, hypoxia and many other issues.
Today we'll be talking about the top 10 brain damaging foods,
so that you can avoid these in order to protect your brain.
(at the end)
I'll also share some simple lifestyle tips that you can use to help boost your brain function.
Just a quick reminder, this video is for educational purposes only
so do speak to a doctor if you have any medical problems.
1. Fish High In Mercury The first brain damaging food to avoid is fish that are high in mercury.
Larger fish that are higher on the food chain
tend to accumulate high amounts of mercury. (biomagnification).
Mercury poisons the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex,
kills brain cells (neurons) and causes long-term nerve damage.
The fish containing the most mercury are Bluefish,
Catfish, Grouper, Mackerel, Orange Roughy, Shark, Swordfish and Big Eye/Ahi Tuna.
Eat these rarely (less than once per month) to avoid toxicity.
To help detox the extra mercury in your body,
consume cilantro, chlorella and walnuts on a regular basis.
(as these contain natural ingredients that bind to mercury)
Healthier fish that contain much less mercury
include wild caught cod, anchovies, salmon, sardines, oysters and herring.
2. Green Potatoes The second item on my list is green potatoes.
Green potatoes contain high amounts of solanine,
this a natural pesticide that the plant makes to protect itself from insects.
However, in humans solanine has a neuro-toxic effect.
Eating this causes nausea, headaches and serious neurological problems.
Eating only 1 whole green potato is enough to make an adult very sick.
Larger amounts can cause hallucinations, paralysis, fever, and even death.
(Be aware that)
Cooking green potatoes does not remove the harmful substance, so throw them away.
3. Vegetable Oils Number 3 may be surprising you, it's vegetable oil.
Some of the most dangerous foods that we often
take in on a daily basis are cooked with vegetable oils,
Such as corn, canola, soy, safflower, cottonseed, processed olive oil and margarine.
These oils are rich in omega 6 fatty acids,
and cause massive amounts of inflammation to your brain,
And also raise the risk of diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.
Be careful as they are used in fast foods,
microwavable meals, frozen packaged foods and it's even hidden in salad dressings.
I recommend cooking your own healthy meals at home
using raw coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil or cold pressed avocado oil.
Raw coconut oil contains MCT's which can stimulate healing in the brain
and improve connections between neurons.
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4. Iron Fortified Foods Coming back now to number 4, which is iron foritfied foods.
In the USA/UK many foods containing wheat and flour have been fortified with elemental iron.
This type of iron is toxic for the body and causes a rusting effect in the brain (oxidative damage).
This raises the risk of dementia, Alzheimer's disease and poor brain development in children.
It’s advisable to avoid grains as much as possible, and instead eat iron rich meats,
wild fish, whole fruits and vegetables to meet your nutritional needs.
Heme-iron found in animal products is naturally bound to protein,
making it stable and healthy for your body,
As opposed to the elemental iron used in fortified foods and cheap over the counter supplements.
5. Sugar Although it may be obvious,
number 5 is actually one of the most destructive foods of all, sugar.
Foods that are high in carbohydrates
are converted into sugar in the body. This has the same negative effect as eating pure sugar.
For example a slice of bread is comparable to eating 3 cubes of sugar.
Foods like rice, honey, sweetened drinks,
pastries, bread, cereal bars and biscuits are all high on the glycaemic index.
These cause a spike in blood sugar, which triggers anxiety, depression, mood disorders,
insulin resistance and destroys parts of the nervous system.
To keep your brain fuelled and energised, avoid these foods and eat healthy fats like avocados,
grass fed butter and almonds. These will satisfy you can get rid of sugar cravings.
I understand that there is lots of information in this video to take in,
so feel free to pause, rewind and take notes if you need to.
6. Cherry Pits Next up is cherry pits
Cherries are loaded with antioxidants that are healthy for your body,
but make sure that you remove the hard stone inside them before eating them.
The pit inside the cherry contains prussic acid, also known as cyanide.
This is poisonous to your brain and can cause headaches
because it prevents the cells in your body from using oxygen.
Too much cyanide can cause death.
Eating 1 or 2 seeds accidentally won't harm you,
but try not to chew them and remember to remove them before eating.
7. Alcohol Number 7 is alcohol.
Drinking alcoholic drinks on a daily basis
actively damages dendrites (neuron endings) in your brain and nervous system.
This makes it difficult for brain cells to send messages to one another,
causing brain fog and memory loss.
Alcohol also causes a Vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency over time
which can cause anxiety, nerve pain, neuropathy, restless legs, vision loss and sleep apnea.
Cut out the alcohol and save it for special occasions.
You also start eating nutritional yeast to help heal your brain from alcohol damage.
As this is good source of Vitamin B1
8. Glycated Proteins Number 8 is glycated proteisn
Whenever you mix a fat/protein with sugar and consume it,
it causes sticky proteins to build up in your body called (A.G.E's).
An example of this would be eating a burger covered in ketchup.
Or doughnuts which are made of butter, flour and sugar,
Pizza with sweetened sauces and, cheese and meats on top,
And ice cream which is loaded with, milk sugar, fat and protein.
(you see)
When you mix sugar with these foods,
especially under heat these sticky proteins begin to form which can stick to your nerves,
Damaging your brain and blocking the normal signals from flowing through them.
They also cause you to lose collagen and your body ages at a faster rate.
Eating antioxidant rich foods like blueberries, leafy green vegetables and salads can help to
reduce inflammation in the brain tissue and clean out these harmful proteins.
9. Soda Drinks the 9th food to avoid is soda
If you want to truly protect your brain as you age, you will want to cut out the
soda in the drinks as much as possible, including both diet and regular varieties.
Soda drinks contain phosphoric acid which prevents the growth of mould or bacteria in them.
The problem with this is that too much blocks your body from absorbing calcium and magnesium.
A deficiency in these minerals prevents the mitochondria from generating
energy in the brain cells. The neurons start to become deprived of energy,
which causes a loss of density in the synapses.
People who drink lots of soda will notice that they have poor sleeping patterns,
memory loss, poor learning and brain fog.
Regular soda drinks are loaded with fructose as a sweetener, which inflicts liver damage,
and insulin resistance that causes the brain to starve of fuel.
Diet soda drinks are sweetened with artificial sweeteners
like aspartame which crosses the blood brain barrier and blocks neurotransmitters.
These have been linked to the higher rates of depression,
mood disorders and an increased risk of stroke and dementia.
10. Nutmeg The 10th food that may cause harm to your brain is nutmeg.
Nutmeg is a spice that's made from the seeds of the nutmeg tree,
and is a key ingredient used in eggnog, lasagne, mulled wine and many other baked goods.
Although it’s delicious, it’s important that you don’t take too much of this into your body,
as it contains a toxin called myristicin.
Eating as little as 2 teaspoons of nutmeg can cause toxic effects such as fever, increased heart
rate and blood pressure, hallucinations, drowsiness and loss of consciousness.
As you can see eating the wrong foods too often can have a damaging effect on your brain..
Although you may not notice these effects straight away,
people start to experience symptoms as they get older such as dementia, stokes etc…
You can start by cutting back on some of these foods and replace them with
healthy (whole food) alternatives.
Improving Brain Health
Now that you are aware of some of worst foods for your brain,
let's explore a few lifestyle tips that you can use to improve brain function.
1. Start consuming at least 1 litre of mineral water each day. This helps to carry oxygen
and nutrients to your brain, clears out toxins and waste, improving concentration and memory.
2. To help stimulate the growth of new brain cells (neurogenesis) start intermittent fasting.
This is where you eat all of your calories for the day in a 4 hour window
and fast for the remaining 20 hours.
This stimulates BDNF,
helping to repair the DNA of your brain cells and improves electrical communication.
3. Get at least 10 minutes of high intensity exercise 2x per week.
Aerobic exercise promotes blood flow to the brain, boosting oxygen levels.
4. Take 1-2 teaspoons of MCT after your first meal of the day. This provides ketones, a powerful fuel
for your brain that bypasses damaged tissue and helps improve overall brain function.
5. Get at least 8 hours of sleep per night, to improve memory function,
spatial navigation and decision making.
Take naps if you need to, or use herbs like rhodiola to improve sleep quality.
Following these 5 key steps and avoiding many of the junk foods mentioned in this video,
will rapidly improve the health of your brain, and help protect it against age related diseases.
To learn about the top superfoods that boost brain function, tap here.
I wish you great health, wealth and happiness.