B E Y R A N I N O S H

THE BRAIN & BODY CONNECTION EXPLAINED

VOLUME II THE BRAIN BODY CONNECTION EXPLAINED&

THE BRAIN IS AN ORGAN.

Organs are made of organized the brain and all the nerves that is constantly using energy, it groups of cells. Organs cannot emanate from the brain into the relies heavily on the Digestive, survive without other body. The Nervous System is Circulatory, and Metabolic organs. Organs interact to form hungry for nutrients because systems for nutrients and systems. Our body systems the brain and nerves constantly fuel.2- 4 The Digestive, Circulatory, include, among others, the require energy. and Metabolic Systems are Nervous, Digestive, Circulatory, responsible for absorbing, and Metabolic Systems. This energy is necessary to transporting, and metabolizing maintain an electrical gradient nutrients. The Digestive System OUR BODY with potential for sending includes not only our stomach SYSTEMS WORK chemical messages. The energy and other digestive organs, but IN HARMONY also fuels the creation of new also all the millions of bacteria neural connections that happen TO FORM that inhabit our intestines. The when we live and grow, every day, Circulatory System includes ONE LIVING, in response to our environment. not only our heart, but also the BREATHING In fact, our brains burn calories tiny blood vessels that feed the WHOLE. even when we are at rest! innermost parts of our brains. The Metabolic System is the The Nervous System is the most Our brains use about 20% of our sum of all processes involved in energy-hungry organ system.1 energy from food each day. the cellular breakdown of food The Nervous system includes Because the Nervous System into building blocks and energy.

METABOLISM OCCURS NOT ONLY IN EVERY BODY CELL, BUT ALSO IN EVERY BRAIN CELL.

Nutrients from food must pass through several body systems before To get closer to your reaching the brain. The Digestive System absorbs nutrients into our targets, you may be happy to Circulatory System with help from friendly bacteria within our intestines.5 know that you can eat the HB From there, the heart pumps these nutrients throughout the body, and Five Food Groups (legumes, also through a meshwork of capillaries known as the blood brain barrier. whole grains, fruits, vegetables, Once past the blood brain barrier, nutrients have direct access to the omega 3s) plus Good inside of brain cells. Brain cells use nutrients for energy and also for Garnishings (herbs, spices, cellular building blocks. For example, fats from our diet absorb directly fermented foods, and colorful into brain cell membranes.6 Folate from our food is the precursor to the sweeteners from nature such neurotransmitters (e.g. dopamine, serotonin and neurepinephrine) that as raw honey) on a daily basis. make us feel good.7 When the brain has enough energy, it is able to keep its These foods have the essential internal connections strong.8 Having a tightly-connected brain is important nutrients, including color because strong brain connections keep the brain young.9 pigments, healthy fats, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins, BECAUSE THE have healthy arteries (besides that improve the health of BRAIN DEPENDS having a systolic blood pressure your Digestive, Circulatory, and Metabolic body systems.13-14 ON THE BODY, below 120) is to check your homocysteine level. For a YOU CAN HELP healthy brain for life, your YOUR BRAIN homocysteine level should THESE GOOD BY OPTIMIZING be 10 or below.10 Metabolic FOODS NOURISH YOUR DIGESTIVE, health means having efficient AND PROTECT CIRCULATORY, use of insulin, which is the main hormone for breaking BOTH YOUR AND METABOLIC down nutrients. One way to BODY AND HEALTH. know whether you have an BRAIN SO THEY Digestive health means having efficient metabolism is to CAN WORK healthy bacteria flora. Scientists check your fasting blood sugar are still working on easy ways to level. For a healthy brain for TOGETHER, AS determine whether you have life, your fasting blood sugar THEY SHOULD, a healthy flora. Circulatory level should be below 90. Even FOR LIFE. health means having smooth, small improvements in your inflammation-free arteries. metabolism can translate into a One way to know whether you bigger brain over time.11-12 REFERENCES

1. A cellular perspective on brain 6. The science behind dietary ome- 12. Blood glucose levels and cortical energy metabolism and functional ga-3 fatty acids. Marc E. Surette. thinning in cognitively normal, imaging. Magistretti PJ, Allaman I. CMAJ. 2008 Jan 15; 178(2): middle-aged adults Alexandra M.V. Neuron. 2015 May 20;86(4):883- 177–180. Wennberg, Adam P. Spira, Corinne 901. Pettigrew, Anja Soldan, Vadim 7. The methylation, neurotransmit- Zipunnikov, George W. Rebok, 2. Human brain responses to gas- ter, and antioxidant connections Allen D. Roses, Michael W. Lutz, trointestinal nutrients and gut between folate and depression. Michael M. Miller, Madhav Tham- hormones. McLaughlin JT, McKie Miller AL. Altern Med Rev. 2008 bisetty, Marilyn S. Albert. J Neurol S. Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2016 Sep;13(3):216-26. Review. Sci. J Neurol Sci. 2016 Jun 15; 365: Dec;31:8-12. 89–95. 8. A distribution model of functional 3. André Schmoller, Torben Hass, connectome based on criticality 13. Effects of nutrients (in food) on Olga Strugovshchikova, Uwe H and energy constraints. Kosuke the structure and function of Melchert, Harald G Scholand-En- Takagi. PLoS One. 2017; 12(5): the Nervous System: update on gler, Achim Peters, Ulrich Sch- e0177446. dietary requirements for brain. weiger, Fritz Hohagen, Kerstin M Part 2 : macronutrients. Bourre JM. Oltmanns. J Cereb Blood Flow 9. Brain and cognitive reserve: J Nutr Health Aging. 2006 Sep- Metab. 2010 Jul; 30(7): 1403–1410. Translation via network control Oct;10(5):386-99. theory. Medaglia JD, Pasqualetti 4. Defining Optimal Brain Health in F, Hamilton RH, Thompson-Schill 14. Effects of nutrients (in food) on Adults: A Presidential Advisory SL, Bassett DS. Neurosci Biobehav the structure and function of From the American Heart Asso- Rev. 2017 Apr;75:53-64. the Nervous System: update on ciation/American Stroke Associ- dietary requirements for brain. ation. Philip B. Gorelick, Karen L. 10. Critical levels of brain atrophy Part 1: micronutrients. Bourre JM. Furie, Costantino Iadecola, Eric E. associated with homocysteine J Nutr Health Aging. 2006 Sep- Smith, Salina P. Waddy, Donald M. and cognitive decline. de Jager Oct;10(5):377-85. Review. Lloyd-Jones, Hee-Joon Bae, Mary CA. Neurobiol Aging. 2014 Sep;35 Ann Bauman, Martin Dichgans, Suppl 2:S35-9. Pamela W. Duncan, Meighan Gir- gus, Virginia J. Howard, Ronald M. 11. Glucose indices are associated Lazar, Sudha Seshadri, Fernando D. with cognitive and structural brain Testai, Stephen van Gaal, Kristine measures in young adults. Galit Yaffe, Hank Wasiak, Charlotte Weinstein, Pauline Maillard, Jayan- Zerna. Stroke. 2017 Oct; 48(10): dra J. Himali, Alexa S. Beiser, Rhoda e284–e303. Au, Philip A. Wolf, Sudha Seshadri, Charles DeCarli. Neurology. 2015 5. The Microbiome-Gut-Brain Axis Jun 9; 84(23): 2329–2337. in Health and Disease. Dinan TG, Cryan JF. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2017 Mar;46(1):77-89.