Nutritional Neuroscience

  It seems like every year there is a new miracle food. From kale to acai bowls, it seems as if the latest trends turn out to be just merely fads. Fear not, kombucha is here to stay.  For those of you unfamiliar with kombucha, it is essentially a fermented tea. First brewed in China in about 220 B.C. , it was used mainly for energizing and detoxifying. As trade routes expanded, kombucha spread to Russia, and then to Europe, North Africa, and finally to the United States.  Kombucha is composed of black tea, sugar, and symbiotic culture of acetic acid bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). Utilizing the process of fermentation, energy is produced.  In terms of health benefits, black tea in kombucha contains polyphenols that can prevent cancers and other diseases by defending against UV radiation and pathogens. By binding to free radicals, polyphenols reduce this risk of cancer. The SCOBY in kombucha promotes healthy gut flora which as you may remember acts as the second brain of ...

  My high school Advanced Algebra and Trigonometry teacher always joked about eating blueberries before his test days, but I never really understood why. Turns out, he was right.  It wasn't until my time at Vanderbilt studying Neuroscience that I learned about the amazing benefits to memory capacity and function that blueberries enhanced. In fact, grabbing a handful of blueberries has been demonstrated to help fight dementia. In addition, blueberries fight off the harmful effects of free radicals, keep blood vessels clear of plaque, and may help lower blood pressure. Because of the interconnectedness of the human body, these benefits enhance brain function.  As early as 1999, studies found that giving blueberries to older rats helped them to navigate mazes more efficiently. Since then, over 200 studies have been conducted demonstrating the efficacy of blueberries for slowing the progression of Alzheimer's, boosting memory, and lowering inflammation.  One research stu...

  I started using Elderberry juice during my junior year of college to protect myself against the seasonal flu. However, elderberry juice also provides some very interesting cognitive benefits.  As one of the most commonly used medicinal plants in the world, elderberry has been used to treat infections, burns, acne, and viruses.  Elderberries are a low-calorie food packed with antioxidants. 100 grams of fresh berries contain just 73 calories. They are also high in vitamin C, dietary fiber, phenolic acids, and a good source of flavonols.. In sum, these berries produce a profound antioxidant effect.  A 2016 study evaluated the effects of low dosage of elderberry juice on patients at high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The study concluded that consuming elderberry juice three times daily for three months yield decreases in inflammation and enhanced cognitive function. In fact, elderberry juice consumption appeared to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's di...

  Like me, you may have believed that all alcohol-containing drinks are culprits for inflammation and increased risk of disease. I believed this sentiment until I learned of the benefits of resveratrol which is found in red wine. Since then, red wine has become my alcoholic beverage of choice.  Resveratrol, a plant compound, has health-boosting faculties which include protecting brain function and lowering blood pressure. Essentially, resveratrol acts as an antioxidant.  A 2015 review paper concluded that high doses of resveratrol may help reduce the pressure exerted on artery walls when the heartbeats. This does not mean that drinking vast quantities of wine will have this effect, but in fact, may do more harm than good due to the other components of wine. Rather, resveratrol can be found in other foods such as berries and peanuts. However, in comparison to other alcoholic beverages, red wine has the potential to impact health positively,  Additionally, resveratrol ...

  As a young adult who has experienced non-celiac gluten sensitivity for nine years, I have understood firsthand the connection between gut symbiosis and cognitive function. However, it wasn't until my undergraduate years that I began to grasp the detrimental effects of a gut-brain axis that is off-kilter.  For me, inflammation in my gut which created gut dysbiosis began to wreak havoc on my cognitive capacities. Besides physical manifestations of this inflammation such as migraines, I experienced brain fog, memory impairment, and many other cognitive deficits.  The consumption of gluten in my diet was the primary culprit for inflammation in my gut which translated to cognitive deficits, but gut dysbiosis can occur in a myriad of other forms. Abuse of alcohol, prescription drugs, and refined foods can also contribute to a compromised gut-brain axis.  So what is the gut-brain axis? Essentially, it is the bidirectional link between the central nervous system and the en...

Recently, I reached my 9-year milestone of strictly following a gluten-free diet. I'm not going to lie, "going gluten-free" has been incredibly challenging and has necessitated a great deal of self-control when it comes to making healthy and sustainable food choices.  Like many others in the United States, I needed to "go gluten-free" because of the inflammatory reaction that my body experienced every time I ate a baked good, pizza, or sandwich. Daily, I experienced the neurological repercussions of consuming gluten from a wheat source that has been hijacked.  In the United States, in an effort to produce wheat products at a low cost, many chemicals and pesticides are sprayed on wheat to increase the viability of wheat stock. There is actually a specific process in which wheat becomes fortified by killing the wheat so it can soak up as many nutrients from the ground as possible. Unfortunately, the wheat soaks up glyphosate which are cancer-causing agents.  So, w...