Our brain is our master control. Many would say the one in our skull is our second brain and the first brain is our gut/small intestines. The brain-gut connection is very real and a good reason we all should be making sure the gut (small intestine) is doing well. I feel the gut is one place people don't worry about when we eat bad food or take drugs/medication, we often blow it off as something easy to fix or just not a big deal. Yet, if your brain can not function you would be taking it very seriously. Our two brains ‘talk’ to each other, so therapies that help one help the other,” Pasricha says. “In a way, gastroenterologists (doctors who specialize in digestive conditions) are like counselors looking for ways to soothe the second brain.”. Your gut health should be something you take seriously in striving to have good brain function.
What is the brain made of?
Weighing about 3 pounds in the average adult, the brain is about 60% fat. The remaining 40% is a combination of water, protein, carbohydrates, and salts. The brain itself is not a muscle. It contains blood vessels and nerves, including neurons and glial cells. Brain Anatomy and How the Brain Works | Johns Hopkins Medicine
You have grey matter making up the outside layer and white matter making up the inside layer of both brain and the spinal cord. The grey matter interprets information and processes it while the white matter sends the information to the other parts of the body. There are a lot of different sections of the brain and parts that do many things. Overall the brain is a large communication center for the rest of the body. We also have hormone glands stored in the brain. The brain is the regulator of function, nerves, and hormones all happening in the brain. The gut is impacting the brain by what it is bringing into the body that is either nourishing and supportive or toxic.
The die-off of neurons in the matter causes issues with motor skills, memory, shaking in the body, poor memory, or loss of memory. Part of the gut's job is to have a healthy barrier helping to keep toxins out and our detoxifying organs serve the function of removing toxins or stopping them before entering the body. Also part of the function is it is responsible for making sure our nutrients are digested (broken down) and pushed into the body (bloodstream) to keep it functioning.
Nourishing grey and white matter would be important, most say the best route to supporting the brain is limiting toxins and keeping from killing off neurons. I believe it is both about limiting toxins and providing the nutrients that can feed the brain. Having good gut health with a healthy thriving mucosa lining to help keep toxins out, plus foods that are nourishing what the brain is made of is important. I don't believe we need to worry about pushing the nourishment through the blood-brain barrier as the body if it is needed will do that without you having to force it.
The majority of that nutrients would be fat than some water, salt protein, and carbs. Limit toxicity with whole foods and unrefined foods to make sure they are not a lot of chemicals in them.I will be discussing more of what impacts the brain, the organs, and the nutrients needed to support quality brain health.