Everything you think, feel and do would be impossible without neurons and their support cells. Your brain has around 100 billion of these unique cells. Neurons are information messengers. They use electrical impulses and chemical signals to transmit information between different areas of the brain. They also help the brain communicate with the rest of the nervous system. Some neurons, called sensory neurons, alert your brain if you, say, touch a hot surface. Others, called motor neurons, help with movement, such as when your muscles contract when you lift weights. The most common type of neurons, called interneurons, help intercept sensory and motor neurons.
The Brain’s Chemical Messengers
Neurons communicate via hormones called neurotransmitters. These chemical messengers help transfer information from one neuron to another. Humans have about 40 neurotransmitters. Some, called excitatory neurons, “excite” or trigger a neuron to fire a signal to a receiving neuron. Others, called inhibitory neurons, can inhibit a neuron from firing a signal at another neuron.
Some neurotransmitters have both excitatory and inhibitory effects, depending on the receptors. One of them is acetylcholine, which plays a role in learning and memory formation. Acetylcholine is sometimes excitatory, such as with a skeletal muscle, where it helps muscles contract. Elsewhere, acetylcholine is inhibitory, such as slowing heart rate. Understanding how neurons and neurotransmitters behave helps scientists better understand brain-related diseases. Low levels of acetylcholine, for instance, might contribute to Alzheimer’s disease.
Unlike other cells, neurons don’t get replaced when they die. You want to protect them against the buildup of potentially harmful metabolic byproducts. Healthy neurons help the brain communicate. They contribute to memory, learning, mood, behavior, and so much more. These five strategies can keep neurons healthy at any age.
Eat Brain-Supporting Foods
How you eat impacts overall brain function, including how neurons communicate. Nutrients in specific foods can support brain health. They include:
- Omega-3 fatty acids in wild-caught seafood help build cell membranes, protect the brain against inflammation and oxidative damage, and much more.
- Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, can help prevent cognitive decline.
- The flavonoids in foods including dark chocolate and green tea may improve cognitive function.
- The B vitamin folate, found in leafy greens including spinach, is essential for your brain to function well. Deficiencies in folate can contribute to depression and impair brain function.
MaxLiving’s Core and Advanced Plans incorporate plenty of these and other brain-supporting foods. Many of our delicious recipes also provide nutrients for a healthy brain, including our Teriyaki Salmon. You can add turmeric to our Green Apple Smoothie for a healthy, brain-boosting start to your day!
Drink Tea
Want to improve memory and support overall brain health? Drink tea. Green and black teas could behave similarly to drugs that inhibit an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine. Both teas also inhibit an enzyme associated with Alzheimer’s. Researchers here found that green tea offered an additional benefit: It inhibited another enzyme associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Manage Mood Disorders and Sleep
People who often feel anxious, depressed, or tired don’t do well on cognitive function tests. To support a healthy brain, learn to manage stress levels. (Here are 16 ways how.) Talk with your chiropractor about more ways to manage anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. Get eight hours of solid, uninterrupted sleep every night.
Focus on Fitness
Among its benefits, exercising can support memory and help your brain process information better. Regular fitness also improves growth factors in the brain, which supports new neuronal connections. Walking, lifting weights, rollerblading in the park, or team sports: All of that counts as healthy movement for a healthy brain and body!
With a healthy brain, anything feels possible. You think more clearly, maintain a consistent mood, and sustain focus throughout your day. You’re less prone to brain-related diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Memory loss in older people isn’t a normal part of growing older, and you have plenty of ways to keep your brain healthy as you age. You can feel confident knowing this unique formula, available only at MaxLiving, provides key nutrients that support healthy neurons and overall health.
References
- https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/life-and-death-neuron
- https://www.healthline.com/health/neurons#research
- https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/neurotransmitters
- https://www.healthline.com/health/excitatory-neurotransmitters
- https://www.healthline.com/health/excitatory-neurotransmitters
- https://web.williams.edu/imput/synapse/pages/IA1.htm
- https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/human-biology/neuron-nervous-system/a/neurotransmitters-their-receptors
- https://www.healthline.com/health/neurons#research
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/do-omega-3s-protect-your-thinking-skills
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2805706/
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/10/041030144110.htm
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/12-ways-to-keep-your-brain-young
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12595152
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15159540
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4137276/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19622237/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5717128/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4160700/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746283/
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/7-ways-to-keep-your-memory-sharp-at-any-age
