4 Pillars of Brain Health for Everyone

Every day we hear about the importance of nutrition, sleep, regular exercise, and avoiding harmful chemicals. For those with neurological impairments, neurodegenerative diseases, or recovering from a brain injury these tools become especially effective tools in an otherwise limited treatment toolbox.

Although we are still learning a great deal about the body, significant strides are revealing underlying mechanisms contributing to brain health. One revolutionary discovery is the “gut-brain connection” between helpful intestinal microbes and our brain1. This two-way communication occurs via an intricate neural network, the immune system, and hormones. While the strategies below are important for cradle to grave brain health, they can be particularly beneficial for neurological conditions or recovery from a brain injury. Although each foundational pillar is independently important, each plays off the other and influences their balance.

1. Habitual rider on the red, swollen, hot mess express

Mitochondria are the powerhouses for nearly every cell in our body and create cellular energy from our food. If this process’s natural waste isn’t removed, it damages mitochondria and surrounding cells, triggersinflammation, and ultimately leads to cell death2. Chronic accumulation of metabolic waste and neuroinflammation can lead to neurodegeneration3. Many factors contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction, but inflammation is major.

Inflammation persists well after an initial brain injury and can be a long-term consequence of neurological conditions (cerebral palsy4, stroke5,6, concussion7,8) or autoimmune disease3,9. Inflammatory foods trigger neuro-inflammation and inflammatory brain signals contribute to gut dysbiosis10. Controlling neuro-inflammation through the gut microbiome is an effective strategy for healing from a brain injury, slowing progression of neurodegenerative disease, rebalancing the immune system, and maintaining brain health with age.

• Brain Problem: Whether originating from foods or gut dysbiosis from neurological damage, inflammation sets off many ouroboros processes that damages mitochondria and neurons.

• Gut Solutions:

  • Eating 30 plant-based foods per week11 for a diverse, healthy gut microbiome, beneficial mitochondria function12 and neuroprotective nutrients.

  • Avoid known allergens (gluten) and limit foods that cause systemic inflammation (sugar, alcohol, processed and fried foods).

  • Ketogenic diet or intermittent fasting provides ketones, an alternative energy source for your brain, and gives your mitochondria a break13. 

  • Eating 3-5 fermented foods/week feeds your gut microbes essential nutrients14.

2. Stop training for gold in the eyelid Olympics

Our brain removes metabolic waste, consolidates information, and makes repairs15 during sleep. When we don’t get enough sleep to allow our brain to do all these critical tasks, this sends signals of stress to the body and starves our brain of this essential nutrient. Our brain’s glymphatic system (you’re welcome, Scrabble® players) is most active during sleep and one of its primary functions is to clear waste so the brain can return to a more balanced state. Aside from sleep disturbance occurring in several neurodegenerative diseases16, insomnia after a concussion can also impair glymphatic function17. Gut centered sleep hygiene strategies can help regulate and improve our sleep-wake cycle.

• Brain Problem: Poor sleep quality and quantity limits the brain’s ability to remove metabolic waste and repair itself.

• Gut Solutions:

  • Finishing your last meal (ideally lighter in carbs and fats) ~3hours before bedtime, helps with your sleep-wake cycle and quality18,19.

  • Eating foods rich in melatonin (mushrooms, nuts, eggs, fish, goji berries) and magnesium (pumpkin seeds, dark leafy greens, avocados, blackberries, tofu, chicken, salmon) helps the body regulate sleep-wake cycle and calms the brain20.

3. Bring in the good groceries and take out the trash

Dr. Roger Sperry, 1981 Nobel Prize winner for brain research, astutely noted “90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated by movement of the spine”. Without daily movement, the removal of neurological waste and circulation of essential nutrients to the brain is far from optimal. Exercise promotes a healthy gut-brain relationship because it stimulates gut motility to carry away waste, promotes circulationto bring nutrients from our gut into the rest of the body, and encourages a healthy, diverse microbe that produces neuroprotective nutrients and reduces inflammatory signaling.

Numerous studies show the vast benefits of exercise for a wide range of neurological populations: neurodegenerative, post-concussion, depression, anxiety, and dementia. Not only is exercise helpful for basic gut-brain function, but it promotes the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)21. This protein is critical for the development, maintenance, and survival of nerve cells. Low levels of BDNF have been found in many neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, ALS, multiple sclerosis, spinocerebellar ataxia)21,22 and after brain injury (stroke, concussion)23,24.

• Brain Problem: Flawed thinking that there’s no long-term consequences to the brain for skipping exercising daily and movement.

• Gut Solutions:

  • Find ways to include more activity throughout your day: taking movement breaks, walking meetings, park farther way, walk while brushing your teeth, taking the stairs, unload the car in multiple trips vs. one, step/activity tracker, and investing in 30-60min of exercise/day.

  • Foods rich in BDNF and neuroprotectives25: green tea26, turmeric/curcumin27, blueberries, grapes, fatty fish, and red grapes.

4. Think small to think BIG

The pervasiveness of environmental toxins like “forever chemicals” and “microplastics” in our food and water can feeling daunting to avoid them. Furthermore, it can easily be forgotten that these tiny toxins enter our body through our digestive tract. Fortunately, several gut-based strategies can reduce your brain’s exposure.

Science is still discovering the health effects of microplastics, but one study found microplastics from some drinking water sources accumulates in the brain and resulted in neuron changes akin to dementia28. Our immune system responds to foreign materials and it’s hypothesized this can trigger inflammation29, which we know is harmful to the brain and can lead to symptoms impairing our thinking and cognitive function (“brain fog”, fatigue) 30.

Many of food containers still have chemicals and plastics in their linings to prevent breakdown (cardboard, aluminum cans), leaking (plastic bottle caps), and offer convenience (frozen meals, to-go boxes). Even small doses can have a big impact on the brain because accumulation over time is neurotoxic and can lead to neurodegenerative diseases30. While these chemicals can cross the protective barrier into the brain, they might not be easily removed and are best avoided.

• Brain Problem:

  • Toxins from single-use food packaging and water bottles can cause inflammation in the brain.

• Gut Solutions:

  • Choose fresh produce over packaged foods, bring a reusable container for left overs, and use a glass or stainless-steel water bottle and non-plastic cap.

  • The average American spends $5/week ($260/year) on plastic water bottles31, yet many home water filtration systems that remove most toxins can be purchased once for that amount or less. Not only does avoiding single use containers and plastics help the planet and your brain, but it’s also lighter on your wallet.

Key Take-aways

1.     Prevent brain tissue tantrums: Limit or remove inflammatory foods from your diet and eat for a neuroprotective, diverse microbiome.

2.     Avoid low battery mode as your default mode: Allow your brain to recharge by adding gut-based sleep hygiene strategies to your routine.

3.     Daily sweat-fest for a swole brain: Exercise promotes a healthy gut microbiome, which produces neuroprotective factors.

4.     Don’t forget the little things: Making simple, affordable swaps to reduce exposure to harmful neurotoxins.

References

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2.      Meyer JN, Hartman JH, Mello DF. Mitochondrial Toxicity. Toxicol Sci. 2018 Mar 1;162(1):15-23.

3.      Degan D, Ornello R, Tiseo C, et al The Role of Inflammation in Neurological Disorders. Curr Pharm Des. 2018;24(14):1485-1501.

4.      Paton MCB, Finch-Edmondson M, Dale RC, et al. Persistent Inflammation in Cerebral Palsy: Pathogenic Mediator or Comorbidity? A Scoping Review. J Clin Med. 2022 Dec 12;11(24):7368.

5.      Simats A, Liesz A. Systemic inflammation after stroke: implications for post-stroke comorbidities. EMBO Mol Med. 2022 Sep 7;14(9):e16269.

6.      Olmez I, Ozyurt H. Reactive oxygen species and ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Neurochem Int. 2012 Jan;60(2):208-12.

7.      Soriano S, Curry K, Sadrameli SS, et al. Alterations to the gut microbiome after sport-related concussion in a collegiate football players cohort: A pilot study. Brain Behav Immun Health. 2022 Mar 1;21:100438.

8.      Giza CC, Hovda DA. The Neurometabolic Cascade of Concussion. J Athl Train. 2001 Sep;36(3):228-235.

9.      DiSabato DJ, Quan N, Godbout JP. Neuroinflammation: the devil is in the details. J Neurochem. 2016 Oct;139 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):136-153.

10.    Ullah H, Arbab S, Tian Y, et al. The gut microbiota-brain axis in neurological disorder. Front Neurosci. 2023 Aug 4;17:1225875.

11.    Wang DD, Li Y, Bhupathiraju SN, et al. Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mortality: Results From 2 Prospective Cohort Studies of US Men and Women and a Meta-Analysis of 26 Cohort Studies. Circulation. 2021 Apr 27;143(17):1642-1654.

12.    Jackson DN, Theiss AL. Gut bacteria signaling to mitochondria in intestinal inflammation and cancer. Gut Microbes. 2020 May 3;11(3):285-304.

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14.    Taylor BC, Lejzerowicz F, Poirel M, et al. Consumption of Fermented Foods Is Associated with Systematic Differences in the Gut Microbiome and Metabolome. mSystems. 2020 Mar 17;5(2):e00901-19.

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17.    Kureshi S, Stowe C, Francis J, Djalilian H. Circadian therapy interventions for glymphatic dysfunction in concussions injuries: A narrative review. Sci Prog. 2023 Jul-Sep;106(3):368504231189536.

18.    Iao SI, Jansen E, Shedden K, et al. Associations between bedtime eating or drinking, sleep duration and wake after sleep onset: findings from the American time use survey. Br J Nutr. 2021 Sep 13;127(12):1-10.

19.    Nogueira LFR, Pellegrino P, Cipolla-Neto J, et al Timing and Composition of Last Meal before Bedtime Affect Sleep Parameters of Night Workers. Clocks Sleep. 2021 Oct 14;3(4):536-546.

20.    Fawcett WJ, Haxby EJ, Male DA. Magnesium: physiology and pharmacology. Br J Anaesth. 1999 Aug;83(2):302-20. doi: 10.1093/bja/83.2.302. PMID: 10618948.

21.    Ibrahim AM, Chauhan L, Bhardwaj A, et al. Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor in Neurodegenerative Disorders. Biomedicines. 2022 May 16;10(5):1143.

22.    Rosa JG, Hamel K, Soles A, et al. BDNF is altered in a brain-region specific manner and rescues deficits in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1. Neurobiol Dis. 2023 Mar;178:106023.

23.    Treble-Barna A, Petersen BA, Stec Z, et al. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury and Recovery. Biomolecules. 2024 Feb 4;14(2):191.

24.    Korley FK, Diaz-Arrastia R, Wu AH, et al. Circulating Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Has Diagnostic and Prognostic Value in Traumatic Brain Injury. J Neurotrauma. 2016 Jan 15;33(2):215-25.

25.    Luthra R, Roy A. Role of Medicinal Plants against Neurodegenerative Diseases. Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2022;23(1):123-139.

26.    Ding ML, Ma H, et al. Protective effects of a green tea polyphenol, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, against sevoflurane-induced neuronal apoptosis involve regulation of CREB/BDNF/TrkB and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathways in neonatal mice. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2017 Dec;95(12):1396-1405.

27.    Sarraf P, Parohan M, Javanbakht MH, et al. Short-term curcumin supplementation enhances serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in adult men and women: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutr Res. 2019 Sep;69:1-8.

28.    Gaspar L, Bartman S, et al. Acute Exposure to Microplastics Induced Changes in Behavior and Inflammation in Young and Old Mice. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Aug 1;24(15):12308.

29.    Sarkar S, Rangaraju S, et al. Editorial: Environmental effect on neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, volume II. Front Cell Neurosci. 2023 Aug 11;17:1269180.

30.    Starnes HM, Rock KD, et al. A Critical Review and Meta-Analysis of Impacts of Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances on the Brain and Behavior. Front Toxicol. 2022 Apr 11;4:881584.

31.    Holliday C. Making the Switch to Reusable Bottles. Office of Energy & Sustainability. Case Western Reserve University. February 20, 2016. Accessed December 10, 2024. https://case.edu/sustainability/news/making-switch-reusable-bottles