Eating Less Keeps Your Brain Young
Did you make a resolution to lost weight or eat healthier in 2012? If so, what you may not know is that eating less will benefit more than just your weight.
Overeating and obesity can lead to early aging in the brain and make you more susceptible to developing Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. Eating a strict diet with fewer calories can actually help keep your brain young!
When the theory was tested on animals, animals that were put on a strict diet lived longer, had greater cognitive abilities and were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Testing this on humans however is more difficult, as it would take an entire lifespan to determine if humans actually live longer when they eat less.
Italian researchers made a breakthrough when they discovered a molecule in the human brain that responds positively to caloric restriction. The molecule, CREB1, regulates memory, learning, anxiety control and other brain functions. It also activates genes that are linked to longevity and efficient functioning of the brain. This molecule is essentially turned on by a restricted diet.
So far, researchers have found that it requires an extremely restricted diet to see the benefits at work in the brain. It may be difficult for many people to reduce daily caloric intake to the extreme. But what is important to note about this news is that our bodies are designed to respond well to healthy, natural diets. Our ancestors may have lived longer because they didn’t have access to so much high-calorie, processed foods.
When you find yourself struggling to maintain your New Year’s Resolution to lose weight this year, remember you could actually be extending not only your life but also the overall health of your brain. A healthy lifestyle could help prevent not only heart disease but diseases of the brain as well. Find motivation in these new, additional benefits!
Heidi Iratcabal, ND, PhD is a naturopathic practitioner. She is board certified by the American Alternative Medical Association and a member of both the American Holistic Health Association and the National Association of Laser Therapy. A former athlete and teacher, she opened the Center of Health in 1994. She focuses on the treatment of chronic disease and pain, functional endocrinology, hormone balancing and athletic performance, and the slow breakdown of the body systems. Learn more at www.centerofhealthdallas.com.
