The summer holidays can be a great time to get kids into the kitchen and kick-start long-term healthy eating habits. We’ve picked three easy recipes that you can have fun recreating at home with the little ones. Our Head of Nutrition, Alice, also shares her thoughts on their brain-boosting properties. Post your best creations on Instagram and tag us @foodforthebrainfoundation.

Sweet Potato Quiche

Ingredients:

4 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into thin rounds (the rounds should be thin enough to bend easily)

5 eggs, beaten

2 cups fresh spinach

10 slices of sundried tomato, chopped

1 red onion, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tbsp fresh chives

Olive oil

Method:

Preheat your oven to 200°C. Arrange the potato slices in a pie dish in a circular pattern to form a “crust” for the quiche. Drizzle the sweet potatoes with olive oil and season to taste. Place in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Warm some olive oil in a skillet over a medium heat and add the garlic and onion. Cook until the onion and garlic are soft and fragrant, around 5 minutes.

Add in the spinach. Sauté until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes, and set aside to cool down. When the sweet potatoes are done, lower the oven heat to 375 F.

In a bowl, combine the beaten eggs with the spinach mixture, sundried tomato and chives.

Pour over the sweet potato crust, and place in the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the eggs are set; serve warm.

Alice adds: Sweet potatoes, spinach and red onion are a rich source of antioxidants, which may help to support brain health by reducing the effects of oxidative stress on the brain. Eggs are great for increasing protein and are also a good source of vitamins B6 and B12, folate and choline, which are essential for keeping tiny brains energised throughout the day, as well as supporting a biochemical process called methylation, which is vital for mental and neurological wellbeing. 

Chocolate Crunchies

Ingredients:

100g good quality dark chocolate, broken into rough chunks

2 tbsp tahini or unsalted hazelnut butter (from health-food stores)

2 tsp ground cinnamon

50g oats

50g mixed unsalted nuts, roughly chopped

50g desiccated coconut

50g pumpkin seeds

A good tbsp of ground or cracked flaxseeds (linseeds)

Method:

Melt the chocolate then stir in the tahini. Place ten paper cake cases on a baking sheet. Mix in the dry ingredients until evenly coated then spoon into the cake cases and chill until set.

Alice adds: Kids love chocolate and the above recipe is a luxurious chocolate fix, which also packs a nutritional punch. Pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc, which is important for increasing levels of GABA and modulating dopamine and adrenaline. Cacao is a rich source of magnesium, which similarly to zinc also works to reduce excitability of neurons, as well as reducing levels of oxidative stress in the brain. Flaxseeds are a source of dietary fibre and also contain ALA, a vegan source of omega 3 fatty acids, which are essential for brain health.

Big Baked Beans

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

2 red onions, peeled and finely chopped

2 x 400g cans butter beans, rinsed and drained

2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

A little salt, or 1 tsp Marigold Reduced Salt Vegetable Bouillon powder

Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the onions for 2 minutes to soften. Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer for 2 minutes, then taste to check the seasoning. Serve on wholemeal or rye toast. Tip: You can also purée the mixture before adding the beans to make a smooth sauce like the canned versions.

Alice adds: These baked beans contain no added sugar and are low in salt. Consuming high levels of sugar and refined foods has been indicated to increase hyperactivity and neurocognitive deficits in some studies. Swapping store cupboard staples such as baked beans for low sugar and low salt alternatives, or making your own using the recipe above, is a great way of reducing sugar and salt intake whilst keeping little tummies happy. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought much disruption, fear and anxiety, and this is particularly true amongst children and teens who have been affected by school closures, physical distancing and new routines. It is no surprise, then, that many children have been feeling more anxious or exhibiting signs of anxiety, and that related conditions such as OCD, social anxiety and disordered eating appear to be on the rise. Witnessing this in a child can be very worrying and stressful for parents.

At Food for the Brain, we’re passionate about sharing the science and nutritional strategies that promote good brain health and mental wellbeing at every life stage. Nurturing healthy brains in children is particularly important given the growing body of evidence connecting diet and mental health. 

Diet and Mental Health

We all know that diet plays a huge part in our health, but recently we have started to understand more about its connection to mental health. Unhealthy dietary patterns have been associated with poorer mental health in children and adolescents. Furthermore, a 2017 paper published in Public Health Nutrition found the UK to have the most ‘ultra-processed’ diet in Europe, as measured by family food purchases. British children were found to be eating “exceptionally high” proportions of ultra-processed foods*, which is likely to be contributing to health problems.

Specific Nutrients for Mental Health

The brain is the most energy-hungry organ in the body, stealing roughly 25% of the body’s energy requirements. In addition, there are specific nutrients that play a role in mental wellbeing. Ensuring good levels of these nutrients can support your child’s brain and mental health. 

Zinc

Zinc is a mineral found in higher concentrations in seafood, organ meat, chickpeas, lentils and pumpkin seeds – not foods that tend to be loved by children. Zinc can also be found in other foods such as the dark meat of chicken, yogurt, almonds and peas, but it may be harder to obtain the amounts children need from these sources.

Zinc is believed to interact with an important anti-anxiety brain chemical called GABA. GABA is the body’s main inhibitory neurotransmitter, meaning that it prevents excitatory neurotransmitters like dopamine and noradrenaline from over-stimulating the brain. This relaxes us and promotes feelings of calm, as well as helping to slow down our heart rate and breathing. In those who are deficient in GABA, feelings of anxiety and stress can be common symptoms.

Although zinc has not been as well researched as other nutrients, it has been connected in research to both ‘mood disorders’ and depression. Zinc supplementation may even reduce anger and lessen depression.

If your child does not eat seafood, chickpeas or chicken, you could encourage them to eat extra almonds, cashews and pumpkin seeds, to make up for any potential shortfalls. You could try making things like energy balls with nuts and seeds, adding raisins or dried apricots, which are also high in iron. 

Vitamin B6

B6 is really important for our mental wellbeing because the body uses it to make brain chemicals like GABA and serotonin, which make us feel calm, focussed and happy.

This vitamin is found in a wide range of foods such as meat, fish, chickpeas, vegetables and wholegrains. However, if your child’s diet mostly comprises refined, white foods such as bread and pasta, they may be losing out on important sources of this vitamin. Wholegrains and wholefoods should be the focus, keeping refined white flour to a minimum to help achieve good B6 levels. 

Iron

According to the World Health Organization, iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency. Iron deficiency in children is known to affect behaviour and learning, and has also been associated with increased anxiety and social problems. 

The best sources of iron are red meat, seafood and the dark meat of chicken. Plant foods also contain a lot of iron, such as beans, lentils, kale, cabbage and broccoli. Eggs and dairy contain iron in smaller amounts and may be a good source if your child will not eat plant or meat sources. An emphasis on green vegetables, however, is always recommended for overall good health.

What if my child doesn’t like these foods?

The biggest challenge for parents tends to be picky eaters, and time restraints. A picky eater may exclude whole food groups, such as animal protein or plant foods such as beans or greens. This may cause children to struggle to get the nutrition they need for good mental health.

Top Tips: It’s not easy coaxing a fussy child to eat something they don’t like, but disguising the food within something they do like can be a good trick. For example, making a well seasoned vegan burger using chickpeas. Or a creamy soup, sneaking in mixed vegetables, then blending until smooth for children who don’t like lumps. Shredding onion and celery into tomato sauce also disguises them well. Follow us on social media for additional tips this month on preparing meals for picky eaters.

* This report by The Soil Association provides useful information on ultra-processed foods and how to spot them.

With thanks to our volunteer, Linda Albinsson at Thrive Kids Clinic, for this article.

The brain is the most energy-hungry organ in the body. Despite weighing just 1.5kg, it steals roughly 25% of the body’s energy requirements. Much like a performance car, the brain functions best when it runs on premium fuel, provided by the food we eat.

Nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, phospholipids and plant antioxidants have all been demonstrated to support brain cell integrity and cognitive function.

In honour of our 15th birthday this month, we’ve selected 15 foods that may help support optimal brain health.

1. Oily fish, particularly salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and herring

Provides DHA and EPA, types of omega-3 fatty acids essential for brain function

2. Monounsaturated fats like avocado and extra virgin olive oil

Increases the production and release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which plays an important role in learning and memory

3. Wholegrains including oats, quinoa and buckwheat  

Feed your gut microbes, creating short-chain fatty acids and important neurotransmitters 

4. Good quality meat and fish

Provides B12 needed for methylation, a process involved in neurotransmitter production, and iron, needed for oxygen transport to the brain

5. Chia seeds, flaxseeds and walnuts

Good vegan sources of omega-3 

6. Green vegetables including spinach, swiss chard, broccoli and kale

Excellent source of magnesium, a vital mineral that protects the brain against stress and aids relaxation in preparation for sleep

7. Fermented food like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir and kombucha 

Support your microbiome, strengthening your gut/brain connection 

8. Dark chocolate (with a cacao percentage of >85%)

Contains flavonols, which increase brain derived neurotrophic factor 

9. Beans and Lentils

High in folate, an important B vitamin needed for methylation, and fibre 

10. Eggs

Great source of phospholipids, a vital component of brain cell membranes, and choline, which the body uses to make acetylcholine

11. Almonds and sunflower seeds

Rich sources of the antioxidant vitamin E 

12. Bell peppers and other rich sources of vitamin C

Helps combat free radicals that can damage brain cells

13. Turmeric

Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and can cross the blood brain barrier 

14. Pumpkin and sesame seeds

High in zinc, which helps regulate communication between brain cells

15. Berries including blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries

Rich source of antioxidants that help protect brain cells from damage

Food for the Brain is crowdfunding to support the upgrade of its Cognitive Function Test, already taken by 360,000 people around the world.

COG-NITION® is a personalised and interactive ‘brain upgrade’ programme designed to help people make positive changes step by step, with the support of an engaging and encouraging community. It has been created in collaboration with leading dementia experts including Professors David Smith and Jin-Tai Yu.

By supporting our crowdfunding campaign, you can help us launch COG-NITION® this autumn. The ultimate goal is to save a third of people from getting dementia, which means a 100,000 fewer cases a year in the UK alone.

As a charitable foundation, we rely on donations to continue our vital work in this area. Please give whatever you can – every £1 you give helps someone somewhere make the changes to prevent dementia.

Thank you for your support.

Today, the US FDA has licenced aducanumab, an amyloid protein drug developed for dementia treatment. It has already failed in clinical trials, adding to the 300 studies that have failed. In a normal world, if you test a theory 300 times and it fails 300 times you discard the theory – that amyloid plaques in the brain are what causes Alzheimer’s.

While aducanumab has been demonstrated to reduce brain amyloid, it hasn’t been shown to deliver any meaningful improvement in cognition. A recent meta-analysis of 14 anti-amyloid drug trials found no significant slowing of cognitive decline despite lowering of amyloid. Nor has it been shown to reduce the rate of brain shrinkage.

In contrast, the combination of B vitamins and sufficient omega-3 has been shown to reduce brain shrinkage by 68% over the period of one year in research by Professor David Smith and colleagues at Oxford University. No drugs have shown such a positive effect on brain shrinkage. What’s more, memory loss was not observed to decline further and 70% of participants were classified with a Clinical Dementia Rating of zero.

In many cases dementia may be preventable – not with drugs but with nutrition and lifestyle changes.

Omega-3 and B vitamins are a Dynamic Duo

B vitamins and omega-3 are so important for mental health because the membrane through which brain signals are passed is made out of an omega-3 fat called DHA, which attaches to a phospholipid. DHA is 98% of the structural fat of the brain. Seafood is a rich source of DHA and phospholipids, and phospholipids can also be found in eggs.

These two vital components of brain cells are actively bound together by a process called methylation. Methylation is dependent on B vitamins, especially B12, folate and B6. Zinc also has a vital role to play. If these nutrients are low a toxic amino acid called homocysteine starts to accumulate in the blood stream. More often than not the critical deficiency is vitamin B12, found in fish, eggs, milk and meat. The ‘deficiency’ may be due to dietary deficiency, but also may be due to malabsorption triggered by a lack of stomach acid, potentially exacerbated by certain drugs.

Putting Prevention into Action

Scientific research shows that the following factors are key in the prevention of dementia:

·     Sufficient intake and absorption of B vitamins
·     Sufficient intake of omega-3
·     Sufficient intake of antioxidants including Vitamin C
·     A low sugar diet
·     Good digestion
·     Having an active mind and social life
·     Regular physical activity
·     Good sleep and reducing stress

These are all areas in which you can make simple changes to support your brain health. Take our popular Cognitive Function Test today to discover the actions you can take that will make the biggest difference. We encourage everyone over 40 to take this test.

Like our Cognitive Function Test? Help us Upgrade It

Food for the Brain is crowdfunding to support the upgrade of its Cognitive Function Test, already taken by 360,000 people around the world.

COG-NITION® is a personalised and interactive ‘brain upgrade’ programme designed to help people make positive changes step by step, with the support of an engaging and encouraging community. It has been created in collaboration with leading dementia experts including Professors David Smith and Jin-Tai Yu.

By supporting our crowdfunding campaign, you can help us launch COG-NITION® this autumn. The ultimate goal is to save a third of people from getting dementia, which means a 100,000 fewer cases a year in the UK alone.

As a charitable foundation, we rely on donations to continue our vital work in this area. Please give whatever you can – every £1 you give helps someone somewhere make the changes to prevent dementia.

Thank you for your support.

According to Dr Vivette Glover, Director of the Foetal and Neonatal Stress and Research Centre: “at any one time during pregnancy, one in every ten women will suffer with depression and around one in every thirty will be depressed both during pregnancy and the postnatal period.”

It is not yet understood exactly what causes the symptoms associated with depression during and after pregnancy. However, several factors play a significant role in how the body deals with stress:

large changes that the body undergoes due to the demands of the growing foetus

breastfeeding

potential sleep deprivation

It is during this period of time that our bodies require more nourishment from food than ever and it can also be at exactly this time when we perhaps struggle to prioritise nutrition due to lack of energy, loss of appetite or sickness. 

Pre and Post-Natal Depression are both complex conditions that can have multifactorial underlying drivers, including genetic and environmental influences. These are currently poorly investigated and the gold standard of treatment is often medication to help stabilise mood. Whilst SSRIs and other types of antidepressants have proven to be helpful for many, they do not address potential causes or drivers of poor mental health and can often mask symptoms. Medication for depression (ie antidepressants) are also not regularly recommended during pregnancy, which is why being more mindful of nutrition and lifestyle habits can be a safer option for you and your baby. There are some natural, evidence-based steps you can take to help support optimal mental wellbeing:

Eat Foods to Support Energy Depletion:

Common issues such as poor sleep during pregnancy and sleep deprivation following the birth can often heighten cravings for stimulants and sugary foods, which may seem like a good option for quick sources of energy, however, these foods can often cause further issues with energy and lead to fatigue and low mood. Eating foods that are high in refined sugar and refined grains such as commercial white bread, pastries, cakes and biscuits, give us an unsustainable source of energy. 

The brain is a very metabolically active organ; despite it only being 7% of the body’s weight, it can take up to 20% of the body’s metabolic needs, meaning that it is very energy hungry. This is why it is important to nourish the brain with foods that are nutrient rich, providing the body the building blocks to produce neurotransmitters, as well as a sustainable source of energy. The best options are fresh, unprocessed foods such as wholegrains (brown bread, brown rice, quinoa, rye and oats), pulses, vegetables, good quality sources of protein (meat, poultry and fish) and healthy fats such as those found in olive oil, coconut oil, avocados and oily fish. 

Just like throughout pregnancy, nutritional needs after birth, especially if breastfeeding, are incredibly important. The healthier the diet, the easier it will be to sustain the energy needed to take care of a newborn. Research shows that a breastfeeding mother needs an extra 300-500 calories a day, from food that is rich in the right macro and micronutrients to nourish both mother and baby. For example, nutrients such as B vitamins have shown to be important in supporting the mother in ensuring she has enough energy to meet the demands of lactation. These nutrients can be found in green leafy vegetables, wholegrains and good sources of animal protein. 

Protect yourself from Oxidative Stress:

Oxidative stress refers to a biochemical process that occurs as a result of an accumulative everyday exposure to toxic burdens. These include such things as chemicals in cosmetics, furniture, paints, cars, and pollution.

Our body has its own way of armouring itself from the damage that exposure to toxins can create through its production of endogenous antioxidants. This is nature’s way of neutralising oxidative stress. Although we have our own production of these wonder molecules, when we are continuously overloaded with toxins in our environment and have problems detoxifying, the liver can become overwhelmed.

Research shows that over time oxidative stress can lead to an increase in inflammatory molecules such as cytokines, which have been shown to correlate with depression. This is why it is important to have a high intake of nutrients that support the liver in metabolising and removing toxins from the body, as well as regulating the inflammatory response.

There are a few things we can change in our diet to support this area, for example eating foods such as the cruciferous family of vegetables which includes kale, cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage. These are particularly effective at supporting the liver in ushering out toxins as they all share an antioxidant compound called indole-3 Carbinol, which plays an important role in liver health. In addition, bitter greens such as collard greens, rocket, chicory and swiss chard are also great for supporting the liver’s own antioxidant defence system.

Increase intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids:

During pregnancy and after pregnancy there is often a concern for the potential depletion of the maternal nutrient reservoir due to the needs of the growing foetus.

A nutrient that is particularly important for mental wellbeing and is also essential for the growth of the foetus’s brain, is DHA. This is an omega 3 fatty acid that is found in oily fish and is the primary structural component of brain tissue. It also plays a crucial role in the maintenance of brain cells and neurotransmitter metabolism. Our body can also convert plant sources of omegas 3’s into DHA, such as those found in flaxseeds or chia seeds into DHA, but the conversion can often very poor.

Deficiency in this nutrient during pregnancy is common, mainly due to higher requirements during foetal growth, which can lead to depletion. Another contributor is a lack of seafood intake (the most bioavailable source of DHA) due to concerns of mercury levels in fish during pregnancy.

DHA plays an important role in neurotransmitter metabolism, so deficiency in this nutrient has been correlated to symptoms of depression during pregnancy.

In order to support your intake of omega 3, aim to have 3 portions of oily fish a week from sources that are low in mercury. These are mainly small fish that have a short life-span such as sardines, mackerel and herring.

If you are vegetarian or vegan, although omega 3 is less readily available, it is still possible to get this nutrient from your diet through flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts and seaweed.

If you feel you may not be getting enough through your diet, you may want to consider using a good quality fish oil supplement (or algae based supplement if vegan) as an option. With fish oils, aim to choose a supplement that has been filtered for heavy metals and other pollutants to make sure you’re getting the full benefits of the omega 3 oils.

Exercise and Personalised Nutritional Therapy:

In addition to diet, there are many other things you can also do to alleviate depression in pregnancy related to lifestyle, such as stress management through mindfulness or gentle movement such as pre or post natal yoga, which have both shown to be incredibly helpful in encouraging mental wellbeing. If you feel you need extra support, personalised nutritional therapy can be very helpful as there can often be other drivers such as nutrient deficiencies and digestive complaints that can play a significant role in mental health and will need to be addressed in a way that is tailored to the individual. 

BANT (British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy), have a large network of therapists you can use to find a therapist suitable for you.For wider help and information, you might want to contact the PANDAS Foundation, a charity who offer pre and post natal advice and support.

Stress is part and parcel of life and in balance can actually be healthy. It keeps us motivated, helps us get out of bed in the morning and can be a good warning sign that things aren’t working for us in our current everyday lives, and encourages us to make positive changes. 

However, what happens when we simply can’t turn that switch off and stress turns into something chronic? 

Our body has a very efficient way of dealing with stress. We release hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which raise our blood pressure and heart rate and shift glucose from the liver into our bloodstream, ready for our muscles to use. This is also known as the “flight or fight” response in our nervous system, which gears us up for exactly that: fight or flight. It’s the opposite to the “rest and digest”, which is associated with metabolising and assimilating the nutrients in the food we eat, as well as regenerating and repairing cells. 

Our prehistoric bodies aren’t made for chronic stress

Despite this intelligent stress response, our prehistoric bodies are not used to being in a constant state of stress, which depletes our body of vital nutrients, such as B vitamins and magnesium, that are necessary for optimal health. The constant elevation of cortisol and adrenaline, our body’s stress hormones, can lead to prolonged levels of inflammation, as well as weakening of the immune system’s defences. 

Poor dietary habits are also sources of stress

In addition, our nutrition and diet also contributes to increased stress levels and illness. While simple carbohydrates, sugar and caffeine give us energy in the short term, in the longer term they lead to constant adrenal overload, i.e stress. As a consequence of chronic stress and poor dietary choices, a growing number of people are suffering from anxiety disorders, panic attacks, low mood, insomnia, chronic fatigue and stress-related weight gain.  

How stressed are you?

There are some key dietary strategies we recommend anyone undergoing chronic stress tries. But first, we have a simple test you can take for you to get an idea of your stress levels:

• Is your energy less now than it used to be?
• Do you feel guilty when relaxing?
• Do you have a persistent need for achievement?
• Are you unclear about your goals in life?
• Are you especially competitive?
• Do you work harder than most people?
• Do you become angry easily?
• Do challenging situations trigger anxiety or panic?
• Do you find it hard to think straight under pressure?
• Do you often try to do two or three tasks simultaneously?
• Do you find it hard to relax or switch off?
• Do you avoid exercise because you feel too tired?
• Do you get impatient if people or situations hold you up?
• Do you have difficulty getting to sleep, or staying asleep?
• Do you wake up feeling tired?

If you answer yes to five or more, that’s a fair indication you’re highly stressed. The higher your score, the greater the negative impact of stress on your life. 

We know that chronic stress has dire long-term health consequences, increasing risk for heart disease by five times and doubling the risk for obesity, dementia and diabetes. 

So it’s not something we can ignore or let take over our lives. 

Dietary recommendations to improve stress management

There are also some simple dietary changes you can follow to support stress levels; of upmost importance is to eat correctly in order to keep blood sugar levels balanced, as dips can trigger production of stress hormones and lead to an energy deficit in the brain.

The brain requires steady blood sugar levels

The human brain weighs just 2% of an average body’s weight, however it is the organ that demands the most energy in the human body. The brain’s preferred source of energy is glucose, a simple sugar that most of our food gets broken down into to create a sort of energy currency in our body. 

A whole 20% of the glucose traveling round our body gets directed to the brain and its functions. 

So now you can imagine why our brain is so sensitive to fluctuations in our blood sugar levels, and this gets even worse when chronic stress is in the picture. 

Chronically elevated cortisol levels due to poorly managed stress, triggers an increase in blood sugar levels as our body prepares itself for “fight or flight”. This is why it’s even more important to stabilise our blood sugar levels when we are chronically stressed to avoid further anxiety and mood swings. 

Below are a few top tips to eat for less stress and to balance blood sugar:

• Eat three meals a day and never skip breakfast – This helps you keep your blood sugar even. Blood sugar dips either from not eating or as a rebound after eating something too sweet or starchy, which triggers adrenaline release, and hence stress.
• Eat protein with every meal – For example, eggs, plain natural yoghurt, smoked salmon or kippers with your breakfast; and meat, fish, eggs, dairy foods, or pulses combined with wholegrains for your lunch and supper. This will help to sustain your energy levels.
• Choose slow-releasing carbohydrates rather than refined foods Opt for brown rice, whole grain bread, quinoa and oatcakes (avoid processed and white equivalents)
• Reduce your dependence on stimulants – ie. coffee, tea, energy drinks and cigarettes. Rather than giving you energy, these deplete energy over time, and contribute to blood sugar imbalances.
• Snack preemptively – if you know you have an energy dip before lunch and around 4pm, have a snack mid-morning and again mid-afternoon. Avoid sugar-loaded treats and instead opt for energy-sustaining fresh fruit and nuts, an oatcake with some cheese, nut butter, paté or hummus.

We hope you find these tips useful. However, if you’re experiencing frequent panic attacks, chronic anxiety and depression, it may be worth seeking some personalised support with an integrative mental health practitioner that can also advise you on your diet. 

Please head to our ‘Seeking Help’ page for more information on organisations and networks you can reach out to. 

Methylation and mental health are intricately related. We take a deeper look into the association and why it is important.

—

What is methylation? 

Methylation has been a buzzword in the integrative health sphere for some time now. This is unsurprising considering its importance to our overall health and wellbeing. You may have heard of it before – or even googled it… Were you then promptly turned off by it after just one glance at its complexity?

We don’t blame you, understanding methylation is not for the faint-hearted. 

However, let us break it down for you into bite sized chunks. Hopefully you can finally make sense of it and apply this knowledge to your everyday life. 

Think of it as a biological switch

Methylation is a critical biochemical process that happens billions of times in every single cell of the human body. It’s responsible for a vast range of biological functions such as: 

Detoxification
DNA expression
Neurotransmitter production
Hormone regulation

Whilst it can be complex in nature, the process of methylation simply entails the transfer of four atoms: one carbon atom and three hydrogen atoms. These are transferred from one substance to another.  

Let’s say that methylation is a type of biological switch that turns on and off to help keep our health in check. 

How does methylation impact mental health?

While we know that methylation plays an intrinsic role in many important body functions, for the purpose of this article, we will focus on its role in mental well-being and brain health. 

Put simply, methylation helps us make neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline, norepinephrine and melatonin. 

—

Methylation does this in a number of ways. It helps:

Convert tryptophan (building block for serotonin) to 5-HTP (precursor to serotonin) 
Transport dopamine, norepinephrine and adrenaline
Convert norepinephrine to adrenaline (important for focus and attention)
Lastly, convert serotonin to melatonin (sleep neurohormone) 

So as you can see, it’s pretty vital to a balanced mood and overall brain health. 

What impacts methylation? 

Unfortunately there are many things that can negatively impact methylation, such as our diet, exposure to environmental toxins, genetic factors and lifestyle habits. 

Let’s look at this in a little more detail. 

—

—

Anything that triggers oxidative stress can have a negative effect on methylation

Oxidative stress is a natural biological process that’s usually offset by our body’s own endogenous antioxidant production. But when there’s an imbalance between the two, and factors in our environment generating oxidative stress are tipping the scale in their favour, that’s when we can see prolonged inflammation and problems with methylation. 

What specific environmental factors can impact methylation?

Our modern environment is plagued with reactive oxygen species ROS that generate oxidative stress in the body. Key examples are environmental endocrine disruptors, like PCBs, herbicides, pesticides and plastisizers, as well as air pollution. 

Whilst we can’t necessarily fully control these aspects in our environment, we can control our defence against them, as well as making wise dietary choices that will have less of these substances in them. 

But first, let’s talk about what else can impact methylation.

—

If you want to dive deeper into Methylation then you can get instant access to this expert webinar here.

—

Dietary factors and methylation

What you eat can impact how well you methylate – especially intake of processed foods and sugars, which has been shown to play a negative role in methylation.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, research shows that eating a wholefood diet that includes wholemeal cereals, fish, legumes, fruits and vegetables can have a positive effect on methylation. 

Aside from dietary factors, there are a few nutrients that play a critical role in methylation. 

Folate

Perhaps the most important nutrient is folate or B9. Methylation is almost entirely dependent on the availability of folate in the diet. It uses this nutrient to create the methyl donors – SAMe and methionine – to spark enzymatic reactions that are required for neurotransmitter production and transport. 

A large body of research confirms that folate deficiency – something that is incredibly common – is frequently seen in those with depression, and is remediated with the supplementation of this nutrient.

When we consider the role that optimal methylation plays in producing serotonin and other neurotransmitters, it’s easy to see why folate is so important. 

Be mindful with folic acid

Many are drawn to supplementing folate in the form of folic acid – the synthetic version of this nutrient. You can often find folic acid in fortified foods such as breakfast cereals and breads. 

However, what people don’t realise is that this version of folate needs to be converted in the body to l-methylfolate and many people lack the ability to do this efficiently due to gene variations. 

This means the body is unable to utilise the folic acid properly. 

We go into gene variants in a little more depth further down, so hold on for more information. 

Where can we get folate in our diet? 

Green leafy vegetables and legumes are perhaps the most rich sources of folate, so be sure to be getting these in your diet frequently.  

B12

Whereas folate is important to initiate the methylation cycle, B12 is required for the activation of folate from dietary folate to  5-methyltetrahydrofolate, so that it can go on to create the methyl groups – SAMe and methionine.  

If there isn’t enough B12 in the diet, folate can get stuck in the cycle, which halts methylation. 

Where can we get B12 in our diet? 

B12 is a nutrient that’s found in animal foods, such as meats, fishes, eggs, poultry and dairy products. This means that if you’re vegan or vegetarian, you will likely need to supplement your B12 and consider eating fortified foods, such as plant milks. 

Choline

Choline plays an important role in various junctions in the methylation cycle. It is widely known that when folate is low, the body uses choline as its back up methyl donor to help keep methylation ticking along. 

Choline helps with activation of folate, as well as the recycling of homocysteine to methionine – a critical step in methylation. 

Having high homocysteine is a key way of indicating whether your methylation is struggling and whether this recycling process isn’t functioning properly. 

What’s wrong with homocysteine?

We don’t want accumulating levels of homocysteine as it is a neurotoxin that has been linked to psychiatric disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar and Alzheimer’s disease. 

This is why if mental health is a concern, testing for homocysteine is a great way to find out whether you may have issues methylating. 

Here’s a little more information on testing and further ways to check your methylation.

You can order and test your homocysteine level accurately from the comfort of your own home. Join our research and order your homocysteine test here.

—

Testing methylation

In addition to homocysteine, which is explained in further detail below, you can also take a DNA test to see whether you have any mutations on the MTHFR gene – the primary gene that is responsible for folate activation and homocysteine recycling – both of which are necessary for optimal methylation and therefore neurotransmitter production.

Testing for MTHFR

Variants or mutations on the MTHFR gene are inherited from your parents and can either be heterozygous (meaning you have one mutation) or homozygous (two mutations). 

It’s well known that having a homozygous mutation is more likely to cause health problems and having a heterozygous mutation is unlikely to cause issues. 

Common variants are:

C677T 
A1298C

Testing for these variants is done by a simple saliva test and is usually done privately. Here in the UK, there are various providers such as Lifecode GX, however, if you’re not based in the UK there are likely many more providers globally. 

Testing homocysteine

Testing homocysteine levels is a little more invasive, as it requires a blood draw. 

Bear in mind that levels are not static and can change based on how well you’re methylating, as well as certain dietary factors, such as caffeine and alcohol consumption, which have been shown in some cases to tax methylation.

You can test your homocysteine here at Food for the Brain. Find details in our easy-to-order and simple pin-prick test here.  

How do we optimise methylation?

As well as eating a wholefood diet that is devoid of sugar and processed foods, if you suspect methylation may be an issue for you, it’s important to take the environmental factors listed above into consideration. 

In order to avoid toxins and pollutants you can:

Eat organic produce as much as possible
Drink filtered water
Buy toxin free cosmetics that don’t include typical endocrine disruptors such as parabens, benzophenones, bisphenols, and phthalates
Avoid plastics (bottled water, cling film, plastic tupperware etc)
If you smoke or vape – stop. 

Supplementation might also be considered, you can find out more about supplementation and brain health here.

Work with a nutritionist

Working with a registered nutritionist is crucial for supporting the right supplementation programme in accordance with individual needs.  You can find a practitioner at our Brain Bio Centre and via BANT.

— 

—

Key takeaway: genes load the gun, but it’s the environment that pulls the trigger 

Eating a healthy, balanced diet, as well as engaging in healthy lifestyle practices as we outline in our COGNITION Program, is key. We cannot change our genes but we can create the right environment for them.

When you become a FRIEND and get access to your personalised 6-month COGNITION programme you will learn how to create the right environment in which your brain ‘upgrades’. 

This is good news as it means that you are in control of your health and can start taking the right steps today to help support your methylation and overall brain health and mental wellbeing. 

Enjoyed this article? Check out our blog for other deep dives into various aspects of nutrition, lifestyle and brain health. 

—

—

Actions:

Order your homocysteine test here.
Dive deeper into the topic with our expert-led Methylation Webinar – you can get instant access here.
Complete the Cognitive Function Test here to get a personalised plan of action for upgrading your brain and to contribute to our research.
Become a FRIEND here

One in three of us are addicted

According to the charity Action on Addiction, one in three of us are addicted to something, whether it be a substance such as caffeine, cocaine or alcohol, or whether it is in the grips of a particular habit that is preventing someone from living their lives in the way in which they’d like.  Addiction emcompasses a wide range of behaviours and dependencies and can range from substance misuse to an addiction to gambling, shopping or food. 

In the US, research carried out over a 12 month period, demonstrated that it was quite plausible that 47% of the U.S. adult population suffers from maladaptive signs of an addictive disorder. Despite the variations of addictions and the behaviours that are entailed, it is increasingly recognised that common underlying neurochemical imbalances can be found amongst all of them. 

It’s down to an addiction to ‘feel-good’ neurochemicals

The addicted brain has essentially become dependent on a substance or habit to produce feel-good chemicals; neurotransmitters that are associated with feelings of reward, pleasure, satisfaction and relief. When neurotransmitter balance in the brain is out of kilter due to either genetics, chronic stress or a poor diet, for example, we are more susceptible to turning to substances such as alcohol or caffeine. These substances bring us back to balance, as our brain instinctively craves what we are deficient in. In order to reach a more comfortable state, vulnerable individuals attempt to continuously manipulate their neurobiological circuitry by repeatedly using substances such as a drug or engaging in a behaviour such as gambling. The challenge with this is that these are often substances or habits that can leave us in a vicious cycle of needing more to produce the same effect. 

How we become addicted

A simple way of describing this is with caffeine, for example. A large majority of us struggle to start our day without our first cup of coffee in the morning. This is often related to having a poor circadian rhythm, whereby cortisol (a hormone that helps us wake up), which is normally supposed to peak in the morning, is abnormally low. Caffeine helps to stimulate the release of cortisol, adrenaline and the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine. All together, the effect helps to enliven, motivate and stimulate us to get up and go. As our brain strives for balance after drinking a cup of coffee, or any other substance that’s mood-altering, the receptors to the neurotransmitters that have been stimulated, consequently dampen in order to avoid over-saturating our brain. 

We become ‘reward deficient’ 

This means that we begin to build tolerance and therefore need increasing amounts of the chosen substance to produce the same rewarding effects. Eventually, this can lead us to what has been labelled as ‘reward deficient’, whereby our brain has become dependent on a substance or a habit to produce neurochemicals that lead to the ‘reward’ that it is seeking, which are in most cases feelings of pleasure, stimulation and satisfaction. 

Why it’s so difficult to give up

Giving up an addiction can be incredibly difficult, as the dependency is hardwired into the limbic system, an area of the brain that is only concerned with meeting our basic needs and survival. In addiction, obtaining the substance or engaging in a behaviour is a matter of survival to this part of the brain. The symptoms caused by abstinence, when the addictive substance or habit is removed, can be debilitating and can include anxiety, fatigue, hypersensitivity to stress or pain, problems sleeping and extreme mood swings.  These symptoms can continue for long periods of time and can therefore be a negative influence in relapse. 

Nutrition, alongside lifestyle changes such as exercise, improved sleep patterns and relieving stress, can play an essential role in helping to support the brain back to health. By supporting the optimal functioning of brain cells and neural networks, as well as helping to stimulate the brain’s intrinsic regenerative functions, we can help to attenuate cravings and therefore prevent the chance of relapse. 

Here are  4 dietary tools to support your brain:

1. Blood sugar rollercoaster = cravings = relapse 

Eating a diet low in glycemic load can be an effective nutrition tool in reducing cravings and supporting brain and body health. This means eating foods that will have as little impact on blood sugar levels as possible, helping to keep them stabilised, which can have a positive impact on stress levels. This is due to the intimate relationship between blood sugar, cortisol and adrenaline – our stress hormones. When we eat foods high in glycemic load, sugar is released too quickly into our blood and insulin levels peak in order to rapidly remove the sugar from the blood into our cells. The result is that we are then left with lower than necessary blood sugar levels, which can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, mood swings, irritability, headaches and dizziness. Cortisol and adrenaline release are also stimulated, as they trigger the mobilisation of glucose from storage into the blood for use as quick energy. As you can see, these kinds of symptoms are not so different from abstinence symptoms, which can leave us vulnerable to relapse. 

We also know that neurotransmitter production and transmission can only happen when there is a consistent supply of glucose to the brain, which is provided by the food that we eat. When blood sugar levels are rollercoastering due to a diet high in sugars, refined carbohydrates and processed foods, neurotransmitter transmission cannot happen optimally, leaving the brain deficient in inhibitory neurotransmitters that are essential for preventing anxiety, panic and irritability. 

How to eat a low GL diet

In order to eat a low glycemic load diet, it is important to eat foods that will release sugar slowly from food. Switching from refined grains such as white bread and white rice to wholemeal is important, as well as avoiding processed foods such as biscuits, cakes, fizzy drinks, confectionary and even seemingly healthy foods such as fruit juices. These do not provide the body with sustainable sources of energy, as blood sugar levels rise and fall rapidly, leaving us susceptible to cravings.

Instead, replacing these foods with good sources of protein, fat and fibre with every meal will stabilise blood sugar levels and therefore help to avoid the symptoms associated with blood sugar crashes. Lean meats, oily fish, pulses and nuts and seeds and avocados are all examples of healthy sources of protein and fat.

It’s all about the prebiotics

We’ve all heard about probiotics, but what about prebiotics? The gut contains approximately a trillion bacteria of varying strains, which thrive on the fibre from the food that you eat, or in other words prebiotics. This helps keep them nourished and continue performing all the wonderful things that they do, one of which is producing neurochemicals that literally ‘speak’ to our brain and help keep your brain healthy.

Which foods provide good sources of probiotics? 

Foods that are rich in fibre, such as wholemeal grains, root vegetables, pulses, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds, are all examples of foods that we can increase on to help nourish our gut bacteria and therefore our brain. In addition to supporting gut bacteria, these foods also help to stabilise blood sugar levels, so it’s a win-win conclusion.

Latest research is showing just how important gut bacteria composition is for our mental health. In particular, it’s the metabolites that bacteria produce, such as short chain fatty acids, which can help regulate and prevent neuroinflammation, that are so interesting when looking through the lens of how diet can influence brain health. These short-chain fatty acids, such as butyrate, propionate and acetate help to leverage communication between the gut and the brain, having a direct impact on our neurotransmitters. 

How to increase prebiotics in the diet

Research shows that the average adult is not getting 30g of daily fibre, which is the minimum we need to be consuming for optimal health. Ideally we need more. A quick way of hitting that target is making your meals as colourful as possible with a wide range of plant foods, such as vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. Dedicating half of your plate to these foods in variation and rotating them as much as possible, will help you exceed the target of 30g of fibre per day.

3. The brain is dependent on essential fats 

The essential fatty acid, omega 3, can be incredibly therapeutic in helping to optimise the function of our brain cells. Omega 3 is composed of two elements, EPA and DHA, which play an important role in regulating inflammatory responses, as well as nourishing the membrane of our cells. This is the part of our cells that is involved in receiving and transmitting neurotransmitter signals, as well as controlling nutrient intake and waste removal. 

This is important when considering the process of recovery from an addiction, due to the long-term impact that habits such as alcoholism, smoking, food addictions etc. can have on the brain and its ability to maintain optimal neurotransmission. Quite often what can happen in the event of long-term addictions is both a lack of integrity in brain cells and upregulated inflammation, all of which can continue to perpetuate addictive habits and dependency on certain substances. Increasing omega 3 rich foods, will therefore help to provide the brain with the building blocks it needs to repair and thrive. 

Maintaining a healthy ratio between omega 3 and 6

Both omega 3 and omega 6 are essential in the diet as we cannot manufacture them in our body. Our brain needs both for optimal functioning, however, they need to be in the right ratio. 

Anthropological evidence of hunter-gatherer diets suggests that our ancestors evolved on a diet that was roughly 1:1, while the ratio today is actually 16:1 (omega 6 : omega 3). Our intake of omega 6 diets has increased by incredible amounts due to the industrialization of agriculture and the introduction of seed oils and grains in our diet. 

Why is this a problem? 

Omega 6 is pro-inflammatory. Whilst we need inflammation – it’s necessary for tissue repair and for fighting against infections – too much of it can cause problems. Especially for the brain. Increased neuroinflammation is the hallmark of poor mental health and symptoms of low mood, brain fog and anxiety. This is why it’s key to support the brain by increasing omega 3 rich foods and avoiding seed oils such as rapeseed and sunflower oil.

How to increase omega 3 foods

The best sources of omega 3 are small oily fish such as sardines, anchovies, mackerel and herring. Enjoying these sources of omega 3 foods in your diet 3-4 times a week helps to provide the brain and body with optimal levels of omega 3. 

If you’re vegetarian, plant-based sources include walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds and hemp seeds. However, we recommend eating these foods on a daily basis as levels of omega 3 are much lower and only contain the precursor form of omega 3, which then needs to be converted in the body through an enzymatic process.

4. Consider amino acid therapy

Amino acids – the building blocks of protein – also provide the building blocks for neurotransmitters, as well as helping to support the cells in our brain and their energy-producing pathways. Depending on the substance or habit to which someone is addicted, supplementing with the right nutrients to address certain imbalances can be effective in improving abstinence symptoms, without causing side effects or dependency on medication. 

Amino acids can help restore brain chemistry

Amino acid therapy, whereby specific amino acids are supplemented to help restore normal brain chemistry, has been shown to be an effective way of helping the brain to recover from its ‘reward deficiency’ and rebuild its own built in mechanism for producing a natural high. Every cell in our body is dependent on amino acids, which are the components that make up proteins, to ensure reproduction and growth. Amino acid therapy has shown to help increase receptor sensitivity to neurotransmitters such as GABA, serotonin and dopamine, as well as improve glucose metabolism, which also helps to support energy-production pathways in the cells. 

Working with a professional

However, the process of figuring out the right combination of amino acids is a complicated one. This is why it is important to work with a specialist in this area that is able to assess the symptoms and analyse test results to build the right personalised nutrition and supplement programme for an individual. If you’re interested in working with a professional practitioner in this area that can guide you through a tailor-made nutritional programme to suit your needs, you can search online via BANT (British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy). 

Estimated reading time: 4mins

Despite the festivities and joy that Christmas celebrations can bring for some, for many, it can be a particularly painful time with heightened feelings of loneliness and despair. This may be especially true for those who are isolated or disconnected from their loved ones. With the extra pressures that this year brings, it’s important to have some strategies in place to help us find a sense of connection. 

An interesting recent study, offers some key information on how the brain is wired to seek social connection as if our survival depended on it, which helps us to understand why many of us feel such despair when we’re lonely. Neuroscientists at the University of Cambridge observed 40 participants in complete isolation for 10 hours, after which they were shown images of people socialising or playing sport. In response to these images, neurons in the midbrain – which is the part of the brain that is responsible for producing dopamine, our reward neurotransmitter – were stimulated. Interestingly, the same thing happened when these same participants – on a different day – were made to fast for 10 hours and then shown images of appetising food, like pizza and cake. This demonstrates how when we are lonely, we crave social connection in the same way that we crave food when we’re hungry. 

Connection to others is just as much of a necessity to survive as it is to eat, and it’s not the first time that science is showing this. For example, we know that loneliness is a significant risk factor for poorer cognitive health, as well as depression and mortality. So, in light of this, and with the added pressures of the pandemic, how can we nurture our connection with

others to help us thrive throughout the festive season? Here are a few tips that can help to boost our sense of connectedness:

1. Review which kinds of social interactions energise you the most 

This may be a time to reflect on which relationships/social circles you value the most and which ones may be leaving you a little drained. It is possible to feel lonely or disconnected, even when you’re with friends or family. Once you’ve determined those that you value the most, find time to nurture those connections away from distractions, such as phones or TV. Getting out in nature by finding a new park or green space you’ve never been to before and arranging a walk with a friend, or cooking a new recipe with your loved one and having a romantic dinner. The list is endless, but the most important thing is that it works for you. 

2. Find a volunteering opportunity

Science shows that altruistic behaviour, kindness and compassion, increase levels of endorphins and oxytocin, as well as creating new neural connections. Find a local food bank distribution venue or another cause that you resonate with where you can meet new people and help support others. 

3. Get creative

Getting involved in creative expression of any kind, from drawing and cooking, to gardening or dancing, can help to increase a sense of connection to ourselves and others. For example, making something creative with a friend or giving something creative as a gift, can be very therapeutic and rewarding, and has the added bonus of not requiring technology.

Final words…

It’s worth reiterating that loneliness can be a subjective experience, meaning that we can still be lonely despite having many loved ones around us. This highlights the need to take time to reflect and identify what makes each of us as individuals feel connected.