A few years ago, a woman in her early 60s sat across from me, eyes brimming with worry. Her mother had Alzheimer’s. Her older sister was beginning to forget names.
“I feel like I’m just waiting for the same thing to happen to me,” she said quietly.

What struck me most was not her fear, but her sense of helplessness. And she’s not alone.

We live in a time when brain-degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS loom large in our collective consciousness. Headlines promise breakthroughs, yet meaningful pharmaceutical solutions remain frustratingly elusive. There is no pill that restores memory, rewinds neurodegeneration, or guarantees protection.

The Scale of the Crisis

It’s no wonder so many of us are worried. More than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, with that number projected to grow to 13.8 million by 2060. Parkinson’s affects over one million Americans, with a new diagnosis made every six minutes. And ALS, while less common, is fatally progressive.

The human toll extends far beyond the patients themselves. Nearly 13 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias, and between 40% and 70% of those caregivers report clinical symptoms of depression.

The financial burden on the healthcare system is reaching a breaking point. The total economic burden of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias reached $781 billion in 2025 in the U.S., taking into account medical expenses, unpaid caregiving, lost earnings, and declines in quality of life. 

Perhaps most troubling is the trajectory. While deaths from heart disease, stroke, and HIV declined between 2000 and 2022, deaths from Alzheimer’s increased by more than 142% over the same period. Brain degeneration is not receding. It is accelerating.

A More Empowering Truth

It’s understandable if all of this feels overwhelming. But this is not a gloom-and-doom article. There’s a more empowering truth that puts much of the power back in your hands: Your lifestyle choices profoundly influence your brain’s destiny. You are not a passive observer of your future brain. You are its architect.

Neurodegenerative diseases don’t just “happen” one day when neurons start failing. They develop, under the radar, over decades, driven by chronic inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and immune signaling — factors that are deeply influenced by how you eat, move, sleep, think, and connect.

Your brain contains immune cells called microglia. Think of them as the brain’s gardeners. When conditions are supportive, they prune, protect, and repair. But when the internal environment turns hostile — driven by inflammation, oxidative stress, or metabolic imbalance — microglia can shift into a destructive mode, causing brain tissue to inflame. This shift underlies every major neurodegenerative disease we know.

Here’s the hopeful part: Microglia are exquisitely responsive to lifestyle signals. In other words:

Your Brain Is Listening to Your Daily Choices

Every one of your daily habits communicates important information to your nervous system. What you eat today. How you sleep tonight. Whether you calm your nervous system or keep it on high alert.

These signals shape whether your brain moves toward resilience or vulnerability. This insight sits at the heart of my new book, Brain Defenders, and it’s where fear gives way to agency.

And food, it turns out, is one of the most significant sources of information. Every bite sends instructions that either calm inflammation or amplify it. And inflammation anywhere in the body can push microglia toward their destructive M1 state.

A plant-forward, nutrient-dense diet supports mitochondrial function, helps stabilize blood sugar, and nourishes the microbiome — all factors that may contribute to healthier microglial function in the brain.

Don’t panic: Optimizing your brain health does not require an all-or-nothing approach or a flawless plate. Rather than chasing perfection, focus on pattern and consistency.

So what are the foods that most powerfully contribute to happy, supportive microglia in the M2 state?

Leafy greens like spinach, arugula, and kale provide folate, magnesium, and polyphenols — compounds that help modulate inflammatory signaling. Cruciferous vegetables, especially broccoli sprouts, activate detoxification pathways and support antioxidant defenses at the cellular level. 

Berries deliver powerful compounds that reduce oxidative stress. Extra-virgin olive oil stabilizes cell membranes and calms inflammatory cascades. Nuts, seeds, and legumes, including lentils, provide fiber, minerals, and plant-based fats that regulate metabolism and nourish the gut-brain axis.

These foods don’t merely “fuel” the body. They help create the conditions in which the brain can heal and defend itself.

Brain-Protective Recipes

These are not “diet recipes.” They are information-rich meals that speak directly to your brain’s biology, and these three recipes are sending the best kind of message. Each one leans on the very foods shown to support calm, resilient microglia and a thriving gut-brain connection, all while being simple enough for a busy weeknight.

Mediterranean Lentil Bowl Serves 2 | ~30 minutes

The Mediterranean Lentil Bowl brings together tender green lentils, peppery arugula, and juicy cherry tomatoes for a dish that’s as satisfying as it is nourishing. A scattering of walnuts adds richness and plant-based fats, while a bright lemon-garlic dressing ties it all together. Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s a wonderful lunch or light dinner full of the kind of whole, simple ingredients your brain loves.

Ingredients

• 1 cup green lentils
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 cups baby arugula
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¼ cup raw walnuts, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil*
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• Optional: kalamata olives, za’atar

*For oil-free, omit the oil or use 1 tablespoon tahini mixed with 2–4 tablespoons of water.

Directions 

Cook lentils in vegetable broth until just tender, about 20 minutes — you want them firm, not mushy. While still warm, toss with arugula, cherry tomatoes, walnuts, and parsley. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper, and drizzle generously over the bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Broccoli Sprout Pesto Makes ~1 cup | ~10 minutes

For something with a little more punch, the Broccoli Sprout Pesto puts one of the most powerful brain-supportive ingredients front and center. Broccoli sprouts blend beautifully with fresh basil, walnuts, and good olive oil to create a vibrant, versatile sauce. Spoon it over roasted vegetables, stir it into white beans, or toss it with farro. However you use it, you’re getting a concentrated boost of the compounds that help activate your body’s natural detoxification pathways.

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh broccoli sprouts
• 1 cup fresh basil
• ⅓ cup raw walnuts
• 2 garlic cloves
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil*
• Pinch of sea salt

Directions 

Combine sprouts, basil, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until roughly combined, then stream in olive oil and blend to your preferred consistency. Spoon over roasted vegetables, stir into white beans, or serve over cooked farro. Keep refrigerated for up to 4 days with a thin layer of olive oil on top to preserve color. 

* For oil-free, omit the oil or use one tablespoon of tahini mixed with 2–4 tablespoons of water.

Berry-Chia Breakfast Bowl Serves 1 | ~5 minutes (+ optional overnight soak)

When you want something sweet that still works hard for you, the Berry-Chia Breakfast Bowl is the answer. Creamy plant-based yogurt meets chia and flaxseed for a dose of fiber and omega-3s, while fresh berries add natural sweetness and antioxidant power. Make it in the morning for a quick breakfast, or prep it the night before for a thicker, pudding-like texture you can grab on your way out the door.

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsweetened plant-based yogurt (coconut or almond)
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• ½ cup mixed berries, fresh or thawed
• A small handful of crushed walnuts
• Optional: drizzle of the sweetener of your choice, pinch of cinnamon

Directions 

Combine yogurt, chia seeds, and ground flaxseed in a bowl. Stir and let sit a few minutes to thicken — or prep the night before for a denser, pudding-like texture. Top with berries, crushed walnuts, and any optional add-ins. The chia and flax deliver omega-3s and fiber in every bite.

Genes Load the Gun, but Lifestyle Pulls the Trigger

Even genetic risk factors like the APOE4 allele — a common variant that can impair how your body transports lipids and is closely linked to the development of dementia — are not destiny. Carrying the E4 variant is a predisposition, not a diagnosis. Your genes are simply the starting point; your daily lifestyle choices are the primary drivers of how they are expressed. This is the power of epigenetics.

Here are a few small, consistent practices that can reshape your brain over time:

• Regular movement, especially walking outdoors, boosts blood flow, supports neuroplasticity, and reduces inflammatory signaling. 
• Sleep is not downtime; it is the brain’s most powerful repair window, when waste products are cleared and memory circuits are reinforced. 
• Slow breathing, meditation, and nervous-system regulation send a powerful signal of safety that directly influences immune balance in the brain. 
• Social connection is linked to reduced inflammatory stress responses, while lifelong learning may build cognitive resilience against age-related decline.

None of these require perfection, but they do require intention.

Intention is simply a decision made ahead of time. It looks like setting a water glass on your bedside table the night before so it’s the first thing you reach for in the morning. It means putting the berries into a bowl right when you bring them home from the grocery store so they are the easiest snack to grab when you are tired.

You generate intention by lowering the friction between yourself and the choice you want to make. You don’t have to reinvent your entire life tomorrow. You just have to look at your day and clear a slightly smoother path for your future self to walk.

And the payoff for these small, daily investments in your health can be huge. 

A calm nervous system, stable metabolism, restorative sleep, and meaningful connection reinforce microglia’s protective role, day after day.

We may not yet have the pharmaceutical answers we hope for. But we already possess something profoundly powerful: the ability to influence our brain’s future every single day.

This is not about fear. It’s about understanding that the brain is dynamic, responsive, and deeply shaped by how you live.

You do not have to wait around for your future to happen to you.

You can build it, one choice at a time.

And that may be the most hopeful message of all.

Tell us in the comments:

• What’s your biggest concern when it comes to brain health?
• Which of the brain-protective foods or habits in this article are you already practicing, and which would you most like to add?
• Have you tried any of these recipes, or do you have a favorite brain-friendly meal of your own?

Read Next:

• Exercise and Dementia: How Staying Active Can Protect Your Cognitive Health
• The NEURO 9: Top Brain-Healthy Foods and Recipes for Optimal Health

The post Be the Architect of Your Brain’s Future appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

But then things started getting messy. When researchers began to realize that vitamin B was actually an entire family of substances, similar in form and function, but unique in the roles they play in human health. Instead of adding more letters (there weren’t that many left, and who knew where this proliferation of Bs was going to end), the namers turned to numbers: B1, B2, B3, B5, and so on. 

A few things here. First, there’s no B4, which you could charitably chalk up to not wanting to be responsible for the following hypothetical conversation:

Parent: “Did you take your B4?”

Child: “Did I take my what before?”

Thank you, science.

Second, while there are eight B vitamins, there are no B batteries, which feels suspicious to me.

And third, the Bs aren’t even named in chronological order. If you peruse the 1,098-page classic, Handbook of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fourth Edition, by Lundblad and McDonald, you’ll learn that B12 was first identified in 1926, while B3 wasn’t discovered until 1936. Either these folks had other things on their minds, or time travel is real. You decide.

Anyway, none of that is to take away from the importance of the B family of vitamins. In fact, all of them are essential for a healthy body and mind, and play an integral role in how your body functions, starting at a cellular level. 

Conventional nutritional wisdom holds that the best places to find B vitamins are in animal products, where you can generally find them in abundance. But is it possible to get what you need from plant-based foods? What are the health benefits and risks of the various B vitamins? And should you supplement? These are the questions that we’ll tackle in this article. And we won’t take 1,098 pages to do it.

What Are the B Vitamins?

B vitamins refer to a group of eight different vitamins that make up what’s often called the B-complex. The B vitamins are:

• Thiamin (vitamin B1)
• Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
• Niacin (vitamin B3)
• Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)
• Pyridoxine (vitamin B6)
• Biotin (vitamin B7)
• Folate (vitamin B9)
• Cobalamin (vitamin B12)

This group of vitamins helps your body convert food into energy — a process known as metabolism — as well as create new blood cells. They’re also important for the maintenance of healthy skin cells, brain cells, and other body tissues. 

Like vitamin C, the B vitamins are water-soluble. Unlike the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are best absorbed when ingested alongside dietary fats, the water-soluble vitamins can be taken with water and then used by your body. Bacteria in the intestinal tract of animals produce B vitamins, which is why some nutritionists have recommended eating animals to meet your daily requirement. This isn’t necessary, as many plants also contain these nutrients (see below for examples). 

In fact, scientists recently discovered that bacteria in the human microbiome also generate B vitamins. This makes logical sense, given that humans are, in fact, animals, but there are a couple of reasons that we can’t rely exclusively on our internal B factories. 

First, not every human digestive tract produces enough of these compounds. Second, you absorb B vitamins in the small intestines, but the bacteria that manufacture these vitamins are located in your large intestines. Since the large intestines are the next to last stop on the poop train, it’s not clear how fully and efficiently those vitamins get to their absorption sites. 

For these reasons, many of us need to be intentional with our dietary sources of B vitamins to make sure we’re getting enough. Given that there are eight of them, that might seem like a full-time job. But luckily, most B vitamins are found together in many foods, making this task much simpler than keeping track of each one separately.

8 Key Benefits of the B Vitamins

1. Protect Against Diabetes

Getting enough B vitamins is important for regulating your blood sugar. Lower levels of B1, B6, and B7 have been observed in people with diabetes, and supplementing these has been shown to improve metabolic control. Additionally, pharmaceutical doses of B1 and B3 may be useful to prevent kidney and cardiovascular complications in people with type 2 diabetes. The absorption of B9 and B12 has been found to decrease with metformin use, a drug commonly used to manage blood sugar in type 2 diabetes. So if you have type 2 diabetes or other conditions that require close monitoring of your blood glucose, it’s extra important to make sure you’re getting enough of those two B vitamins.

2. Protect Against Heart Disease

Vitamins B6, B9, and B12 help reduce levels of the amino acid homocysteine, which contributes to increased cardiovascular disease risk when elevated (called hyperhomocysteinemia, and worth 8 gazillion points in Scrabble). These B vitamins improve vascular endothelial function and help keep your blood vessels dilated, which supports healthy circulation and is good for your heart. 

Vitamins B3 and B5 have traditionally been associated with improving cholesterol — B3, aka niacin, in particular, was once widely used as a cholesterol-lowering drug and has been called “the granddaddy of cholesterol-lowering drugs” by Harvard Medical School. 

The picture has grown more complicated since niacin’s cholesterol-fighting heyday in the 1950s. Research has consistently shown that high-dose niacin supplementation does not meaningfully reduce cardiovascular events when added to statin therapy. In fact, too much niacin can actually be dangerous. A 2024 study published in Nature Medicine found that excess niacin produces a metabolite called 4PY that may actually promote vascular inflammation and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. 

As a result, high-dose niacin is no longer recommended as a standard treatment for high cholesterol. There’s still plenty of positive news about niacin from whole food sources, though. Getting your B3 from foods like brown rice, nuts, seeds, legumes, and bananas is still good for you and doesn’t carry these risks.

3. Protect the Brain and Prevent or Treat Alzheimer’s Disease 

Vitamins B2, B6, B9, and B12 play a role in cognitive health, and a 2025 systematic review of 17 clinical trials found that supplementing with them offered a modest benefit on global cognitive function in older adults.

Some observational studies have found an association between low serum folate (B9) levels, worse cognitive function, and a higher risk for Alzheimer’s. And low serum B12 is also associated with poor brain function. Vitamin B1 is a key factor in protecting against alcohol-related dementia, as it can prevent the accumulation of iron deposits in the brain that lead to deterioration. B1 may also have the potential to help people with mild Alzheimer’s, according to a recent small exploratory clinical trial published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

All that said, while the associations between B vitamins and brain health are real, it’s not clear yet whether B vitamin supplementation can meaningfully prevent or slow cognitive decline.

4. Protect Against Cancer

Getting your B vitamins may boost your protection against certain cancers. Vitamins B2, B6, and B9 have been shown to work against cancerous tumors when applied to lymphoma cells in a lab setting. Vitamin B6 has also been shown to reduce the risk of lung cancer. In one study, researchers followed almost 160,000 women for 18 years and found that women who took at least 50 milligrams per day of supplemental vitamin B6 had a 16% reduction in lung cancer risk compared to those who did not take the vitamin. 

And while a 2017 study appeared to suggest that vitamin B12 supplementation might increase lung cancer risk among men, especially if they smoked, data from many randomized controlled trials have found that there’s no reason to believe B12 supplementation has any adverse effect on cancer risk. In fact, a small study among 400 Canadian women found that supplemental B9 and B12 could reduce the risk for breast cancer, particularly among those with BRCA1 gene mutations.

5. Improve Mood

All B vitamins — and especially B6, B9, and B12 — seem to help prevent depression, stress, and anxiety. A 2019 meta-analysis and review of 16 studies concluded that, compared with a placebo, B vitamin supplements appear to help improve overall mood and reduce stress, especially among people at higher risk of poor nutrition or with poor mood. (For people who prefer plain talk, I think “poor mood status” can be translated to “feeling crappy.”)

6. Protect Against Birth Defects

The B vitamins are also crucial for supporting a healthy pregnancy and normal fetal development. Getting enough B9 and B12 is important to the development of a baby’s spinal cord. This is why it’s standard practice to educate mothers-to-be on supplementing with folic acid and eating folate (B9)-rich foods like dark leafy greens, lentils, and oranges during pregnancy, to meet their minimum 400 micrograms per day requirement of this nutrient. In addition, some research suggests that vitamin B3 may help bypass genetic mutations that can cause certain birth defects or an increased risk of miscarriage.

7. Balance Hormones

B vitamins have many roles within the reproductive system and may help naturally maintain hormonal balance. Many women find success with supplemental vitamin B6 for alleviating nausea associated with morning sickness, as well as reducing symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. And vitamins B3 and B5 are needed for hormone production in the adrenal glands, including sex and stress hormones.

8. Keep Nails, Hair, and Skin Healthy

All of the B vitamins may work together to keep your hair, skin, and nails healthy, but B7, B9, and B12 may be especially helpful. Biotin (B7) deficiency often presents as brittle nails, hair loss, and skin rash, and while evidence is mostly anecdotal, biotin supplementation is often used in hopes of improving these conditions. Changes in your nails are often the result of micronutrient deficiencies, including an array of B vitamins. In fact, a B12 deficiency may show up as entirely blue nails or other dark pigmentation. And a folate (B9) deficiency can cause your nails to become brittle and rigid. 

For more information about how to eat for healthy nails and hair, here’s our full article. 

And for an article about the best foods for healthy skin, we’ve got you covered as well.

Sources of B Vitamins

Now that you know how important B vitamins are to your health, where can you find them? Fortunately, there are many sources of B vitamins in whole foods that you may already enjoy — or can easily add to your diet. 

B Vitamin Food Sources

Most B vitamins can be found in animal products, like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy, but some of the best sources are plant-based and include whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, leafy greens, fortified foods, bananas, mushrooms, avocado, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli. 

More specifically, below are some of the best places to find each of the eight B-complex vitamins from plant-based foods:

• Vitamin B1: beans, peas, lentils, and sunflower seeds
• Vitamin B2: almonds, tofu, mushrooms, avocado, and spinach
• Vitamin B3: brown rice, nuts, seeds, legumes, and bananas
• Vitamin B5: mushrooms, avocado, nuts, seeds, potatoes, brown rice, oats, and broccoli
• Vitamin B6: chickpeas, dark leafy greens, papayas, bananas, oranges, and cantaloupe
• Vitamin B7: sweet potatoes, nuts, seeds, and avocado
• Vitamin B9: dark leafy greens, beans, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and oranges.
• Vitamin B12: fortified nutritional yeast and breakfast cereals, as well as enriched plant-based milks and yogurts

B Vitamin Supplements

Most of the B vitamins (other than B12) can be obtained from eating a variety of whole foods. But you may want to supplement with certain ones if you don’t think you get enough from your diet, or if you fall into a group at higher risk of deficiencies. 

You may want to consider supplementing with folic acid — the more bioavailable synthetic form of folate — if you fall into a group that’s at higher risk for folate deficiency, like pregnant women and people with a history of chronic alcohol use.

Vitamin B12 also deserves extra attention because it’s not readily found in plant foods. Still, it’s not just plant-based eaters who are at risk. In fact, one study conducted in 2000 by researchers at Tufts University found that nearly 40% of Americans (including omnivores) might have been deficient in this B vitamin. As such, supplementation may be advisable for most people and is strongly recommended for vegans. For more on B12, see our article here.)

If you choose to supplement, you’ll most often find all the B vitamins combined as a B-complex. Alternatively, you can take individual B vitamin supplements, but this isn’t usually necessary. The exceptions are if you know you’re deficient in certain ones or want to maximize a specific B vitamin and not the others. 

It’s also worth noting that if you choose to take a daily multivitamin with minerals, it likely contains all the B vitamins.

Risks of Taking B Vitamin Supplements

Risks of potentially overdosing on B vitamins are usually associated with taking too many B vitamin supplements, not with eating too many foods rich in them. And in general, risks associated with taking B vitamin supplements are rare because of their water-soluble nature. If you consume too much, your body will eliminate the excess through urine. Despite this built-in “overflow mechanism,” an overdose of B-complex is possible and may result in symptoms like excessive thirst, skin rashes or flushing, blurred vision, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, increased urination, and diarrhea.

It’s also worth addressing niacin (vitamin B3) specifically, since it was historically prescribed at high pharmacological doses to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. At those levels, a common side effect is the “niacin flush” — a reddening of the skin, often around the face and neck, typically appearing within 30 minutes of ingestion. 

While the flush itself is not dangerous, high-dose niacin carries more serious concerns. As we’ve seen, excess niacin may increase cardiovascular risk. For this reason, high-dose niacin supplementation should only be pursued under the direct supervision of a healthcare provider, and for most people with high cholesterol, other evidence-based options are now preferred. Again, there’s no need to worry about overdosing on niacin from brown rice or lentils; food-sourced B3 doesn’t carry these risks. As a side note, many internet sites recommend the niacin flush as a strategy to pass a drug test if you’d otherwise test positive for THC (the active ingredient in marijuana). Let me save you some time: It doesn’t work. (I say this as a student of research, and not from personal experience.)

One more oddity: People who take supplemental B2 (riboflavin) may find that they develop abnormally bright or neon yellow urine. If this happens to you, don’t worry. You aren’t necessarily dehydrated, and you certainly aren’t in danger of turning yellow. Your body is just excreting some of the riboflavin that it doesn’t need. Just pretend you’re a human highlighter or superhero from the planet Neon.

Testing for Deficiency

If you’re experiencing symptoms that might signal a B vitamin deficiency — like unusual fatigue, a skin rash, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, tongue inflammation, or signs of anemia — it’s worth talking to your healthcare provider. A simple blood test can check your levels of specific B vitamins, and a 24-hour urine test is sometimes used as well. These tests can confirm whether a deficiency exists, though they can’t always tell you whether the cause is dietary or related to absorption problems. Either way, they give your healthcare provider a starting point for figuring out the right approach.

Some people are at higher risk for B vitamin deficiencies and may want to discuss testing proactively, even without obvious symptoms. This includes people with a history of heavy alcohol use, malabsorption conditions like Crohn’s disease or celiac disease, those who have had bariatric surgery, older adults, and people eating a fully plant-based diet, particularly regarding B12.

It’s also worth knowing that doctors sometimes skip formal testing when symptoms and context make a deficiency highly likely and simply recommend supplementation to see if things improve. If they do, that’s useful information in itself.

Vitamin B-Strong Recipes

With the exception of B12, getting plenty of B vitamins on a plant-based diet can be easy when you add a variety of whole, healing plant-based foods to your plate. Mushrooms may not shout “we’re good for you” as loudly as kale, but they sure do pack a lot of nutrition, including several B vitamins. Add fortified nutritional yeast and whole grain breadcrumbs to Super Stuffed Mushrooms, and you get a B vitamin smorgasbord! 

Sweet and Savory African Soup — is it soup or breakfast? The truth of the matter is that we like to enjoy this B-vitamin-rich soup for dinner, then devour the tasty leftovers for breakfast (because it gets even better overnight!). So, it’s your choice; enjoy it for soup, breakfast, or any time of the day. 

Finally, B vitamins never tasted as good as they do in the Chunky Monkey Smoothie. Chocolate and vitamins? Who knew!

1. Super Stuffed Mushrooms

Starting with the superstar mushroom, you get a rich source of B vitamins like riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid. Add nutritional yeast for B12 (if it’s fortified). Then get even more B vitamins by using whole grain bread for breadcrumbs, which provide folate and thiamine. This appetizer is not only tasty but it’s also a B-vitamin jamboree!

2. Sweet and Savory African Peanut Soup

What’s in this soup that doesn’t contain an abundance of B vitamins? Not much! Peanut butter, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, and spinach all provide a variety of B vitamins to support brain health, heart health, cancer prevention, and mood. Plus, it is pretty delicious!

3. Chunky Monkey Smoothie

Vitamins never tasted so good! Getting your daily dose of B vitamins in a healthy, indulgent smoothie might be the most fun and delicious way to support brain, heart, and skin health. You’d never know that leafy greens snuck their way into this creamy chocolate-y blend!

B Vitamins Can Be Easy

B vitamins are important to just about every system in your body. And they’re protective against common and potentially lethal chronic diseases, as well as important for a healthy pregnancy, for hormone production, and for your hair, skin, and nails. While all the B vitamins can be found in whole foods, a few people may struggle to get enough of them. However, avoiding deficiency is relatively easy with testing when indicated and, in some cases, by adding appropriate supplements. Hopefully, this article has helped you to B proactive with your wellbeing!

Tell us in the comments:

• Do you take B-complex or any individual B vitamin supplements?
• Have you ever experienced a deficiency in any of the B vitamins? What did that look like for you?
• Where do you find B vitamins in your diet?

Feature image: iStock.com/OksanaKiian

Read Next:

• Vitamin B12: Why it’s Important and How to Avoid B12 Deficiency
• Folate (B9): What It Is, Where to Get it, and Why Folate is Different from Folic Acid
• How to Get Maximal Nutrition from Your Food: Putting Food Combining, Sourcing, & Preparation Methods to Work for You

The post What B Vitamins Do You Need — And What Are The Best Sources? appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

The goal of building resilience isn’t to stop paying attention or to “fix” ourselves. It’s to protect our nervous systems so we can stay present, stay engaged. And yes, sometimes constructively outraged. The good news is that many validated self-care strategies can help you respond to whatever challenges life brings you with as much resourcefulness as possible.

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety disorders are the most common category of mental illness, affecting, even in the best of times, about 1 out of every 5 adults in the United States, and about 1 in 13 worldwide. In general, women tend to suffer from anxiety more than men. But it can affect anybody at one time or another.

Anxiety is the mind and body’s initial reaction to stressful, dangerous, or unfamiliar situations. Think of it this way: The fight-or-flight response to threat activates our body, while the anxiety reaction immobilizes it. Anxiety is a very useful response to an unknown or surprising threat, unlike fight-or-flight. When you hear the twig snap, or smell the odor of a predator upon the breeze, running away screaming, or pounding your chest and roaring, may bring you to the attention of the very thing you’re hoping to avoid. 

Anxiety, on the other hand, makes you still, watchful, and quiet. It induces involuntary freezing and triggers risk-assessment behaviors. Once you’ve established that there is a threat, where it’s located, and what sort it is, you can then shift to whatever response is most likely to ensure survival.

Anxiety, like all physiological responses, is a useful thing in the right circumstance. In the right dose, in response to the right stimulus, a certain level of anxiety can help you to pay attention and stay vigilant in the presence of danger. When anxiety becomes a chronic trait rather than a short-term state, however, things go awry. When chronic anxiety lives in your nervous system, you can start perceiving your world as one never-ending threat. 

Studies show that about 90% of the information traveling between the brain and the body is going to the brain from the body. If a body is sending anxiety signals to its brain, the brain interprets those signals as evidence of real and present danger. This is one of the effects of trauma in a person’s history; they keep experiencing present anxiety over events that happened a long time ago. This makes it hard to digest, relax, or even respond effectively when a serious threat emerges.

Symptoms of Anxiety

Symptoms of anxiety vary from person to person. But the most common ones include:

• Feeling nervous, restless, or tense
• Having a sense of impending danger, panic, or doom
• Having an increased heart rate
• Tightness in the chest and trouble breathing
• Sweating or trembling
• Feeling weak or tired
• Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
• Having trouble sleeping
• Experiencing gastrointestinal problems

These symptoms, though distressing, make sense when you consider the evolutionary purpose of anxiety: to increase the odds that you will prevent or survive a surprise attack. Weakness or fatigue can keep you still, while an increased heart rate prepares you to run or fight. Trouble concentrating on anything other than the present worry keeps you focused on risk mitigation. 

Some of the symptoms, such as insomnia or digestive problems, are not the direct result of momentary anxiety, but rather the toll you pay when anxiety becomes chronic.

Causes of Anxiety

There are many things that can cause anxiety. And for some people, there are multiple causes. Some of the most common ones may include:

Traumatic event(s)

Some body-based therapists define trauma as an “unresolved autonomic nervous system response.” Meaning, something happened to you that caused a survival response — whether anxiety-induced freezing or the beginning of a fight-or-flight reaction — that wasn’t allowed to run to completion because it wasn’t safe, or wasn’t possible. 

For example, someone is in a car crash, watches their engine burst into flames, and cannot undo their seat belt. Their natural “fight-or-flight” reaction is prevented and becomes locked in the nervous system, triggered by any situation that reminds the person of their immobility at the time: standing in an elevator, going to a theater, etc. 

Other traumatic events, such as childhood abuse, similarly prevent a full nervous system response because fighting back is physically impossible, or because the child has to rely on the abusive adult for survival, and therefore must inhibit their instinct for self-defense. 

We tend to think of trauma as mainly stemming from major accidents, violence, or abuse, like the above examples. But trauma can also be more subtle, the result of a lack of key emotional or psychological needs being met.

Stress due to an illness or major life event

Anxiety and anxiety disorders may also be triggered by overwhelmingly stressful life events, such as an illness, a financial disaster, the dissolution of a close relationship, or the death of a loved one. 

Some research suggests that close social ties may buffer the negative psychological and physical effects of stressful events. Seeking out community and social support can be a powerful strategy for managing anxiety produced by unfortunate occurrences.

Stress buildup

Stress doesn’t have to be sudden, huge, and acute to trigger anxiety. It can build up over time, remaining low-grade in its symptoms until eventually it maxes out above a physiological threshold. Just like driving a car with misaligned wheels can seem “fine” until the imbalance leads to damage, the constantly growing “allostatic load” of the stress in our everyday lives can tip over into anxiety and anxiety disorders.

Hormonal imbalances and changes

Hormones and neurotransmitters mediate our moods and attitudes. If these are unbalanced or depleted, we’re also more prone to mood disorders such as anxiety.

Other mental health disorders

Having another mental health disorder, such as depression or schizophrenia, makes it more likely that a person will also experience anxiety.

Having blood relatives with an anxiety disorder

There also appears to be a genetic component to anxiety. It’s probably not that some people have specific “anxiety genes,” but rather that some people are genetically or socially predisposed to caution and risk-aversion. When triggered by life experiences, those tendencies can slip into chronic anxiety. Of course, families tend to adopt similar diet and lifestyle habits, too. (More on that below!)

Drugs (including alcohol)

Both drug abuse and withdrawal from drugs can trigger the symptoms of anxiety attacks. Many people with anxiety also use drugs in an attempt to ameliorate the symptoms and eventually become addicted, so the causal mechanism can go in both directions. 

Medical conditions

Several medical conditions can trigger or worsen symptoms of anxiety. Heart disease, diabetes, thyroid problems, and respiratory disorders can all send signals to the brain that “there’s danger present.” And certain rare tumors produce fight-or-flight hormones that the body and brain interpret as extreme stress. Many medications prescribed for medical conditions themselves can trigger anxiety. And in some cases, nutritional deficiencies can cause anxiety or panic attack-like symptoms as well.

Foods that Trigger Anxiety

Ultra-Processed Foods

A growing body of research suggests that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) — industrially formulated products made largely from refined ingredients plus additives — are associated with poorer mental health. One large U.K. study found that people who ate more UPFs had a higher risk of developing depression and anxiety over time. A 2025 study went a step further, identifying a metabolic signature in the blood tied to UPF consumption — and that signature was associated with a higher risk of mental disorders. In other words, these foods may affect your mood in part by disrupting how your body processes nutrients at a fundamental level.

Many of the foods that may worsen anxiety fall into the ultra-processed category.

Refined carbohydrates & sugar 

When mice are fed a diet of refined carbohydrates and sugars (think cookies, crackers, rolls, pastries, candy, etc.), they exhibit increased anxiety and inflammation in their brains and nervous systems. (For FRN’s stance on the use of animals in medical research, click here.)

In humans, there’s strong evidence that poor glucose regulation — blood sugar rising and falling precipitously due to consuming refined carbohydrates and not enough fiber — causes the body to go into emergency mode regularly. 

Hypoglycemia (when blood sugar plummets) in particular triggers an aggressive stress response.

Fried foods and trans fats

Fried foods and trans fats appear to directly affect brain health in ways that can worsen anxiety. Trans fats, which are found in partially hydrogenated oils and many fried and packaged foods, promote inflammation throughout the body, including in the brain. Neuroinflammation is increasingly recognized as a driver of anxiety and depression, and research has found that higher trans fat consumption is associated with greater irritability and aggression, as well as increased risk of depression. Fried foods add another layer of concern: The high-heat cooking process generates compounds like aldehydes and acrylamide that are toxic to nerve cells. Over time, a diet high in these foods may impair the brain’s ability to regulate mood and stress responses, which is the last thing you need when the world already feels like a lot.

Food additives, preservatives, and colorings 

There are hundreds of food additives deemed GRAS (“generally regarded as safe”) by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. But the truth is, very few of them have been studied individually. And even fewer are looked at for potentially harmful interactions with others. One example is monosodium glutamate, a common flavor enhancer that has been shown to produce anxious adult rats when injected into them as newborns. Many artificial colors may also affect mood, including Yellow No. 5, one of the most commonly used food colors in the world. 

Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages are closely correlated with anxiety. The obvious connection is that alcohol, as a sedative, is often used by people seeking temporary relief from anxiety. But in the long run, alcohol abuse can create anxiety as well, especially increasing the frequency and severity of panic attacks. 

Caffeine 

Caffeine is a stimulant, and as such, can keep you awake and feeling full of energy. It has been shown to have mood-boosting benefits for some people. But for others, it can easily tip into anxiety — especially at high levels. Caffeine works by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain — the chemical signals that make you feel tired — while also increasing the release of stimulating neurotransmitters that raise heart rate and energy. 

At moderate amounts, this can improve alertness and focus, but at higher doses, these same effects can become too strong, contributing to jitteriness, nervousness, and even caffeine-induced anxiety in sensitive people or when consumed in large quantities.

Nutrition for Anxiety

Just as some foods can worsen anxiety, others can actively support a calmer nervous system. 

Your brain requires a constant supply of fuel to function optimally; actually, to function at all. That “fuel” comes from the foods you eat, and what’s in the food makes all the difference. What you eat directly affects the structure and function of your brain and, ultimately, your mood. When it comes to addressing mental health, it’s important to examine “your brain on food.” It turns out that the adage “you are what you eat” extends to your mental and emotional experience, and not just your physical body.

There’s plenty of research showing that nutrition and mental health are linked. Patients suffering from mental disorders often turn out to have a severe deficiency of important vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Some of the best-researched nutrients important for addressing mental health issues include the following.

B Vitamins

B vitamins, such as vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and vitamin B9 (folate), are especially important for anxiety. These vitamins help produce and control brain chemicals and influence mood and other mental functions. Vitamin B6, known as pyridoxine, is necessary for the formation of two neurotransmitters, serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid, both of which can reduce anxiety and restore calm. 

Vitamin D

Vitamin D plays a critical role in optimal brain development and is a key ingredient in the production of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is associated with motivation, reward-seeking, and pleasure. A 2019 placebo-controlled study of vitamin-D-deficient women with type 2 diabetes found that 16 weeks of vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced their self-reported symptoms of anxiety. 

Iron

Iron is necessary for the brain and nervous system, and a deficiency can cause and exacerbate many psychiatric symptoms. Sometimes iron deficiency presents as anxiety, depression, irritability, and even poor concentration and general restlessness. Iron deficiency is much more common among children with ADHD, and the symptoms may improve with iron supplementation or consumption of iron-rich foods. However, too much iron — especially heme iron from animal foods — can also be a problem. 

Selenium

The element selenium is crucial for brain health and mood. Interventional studies have shown that adequate selenium may improve mood and diminish anxiety. Way back in 1991, a study of healthy volunteers found that five weeks of selenium supplementation reduced their self-reported anxiety, and the impact was especially significant in those who had low levels to begin with. 

Zinc

A 2011 study showed that people with anxiety had lower levels of zinc in their bodies than matched controls who did not suffer from anxiety. In addition, the anxious group reported fewer symptoms after a course of zinc and antioxidant supplementation. 

Magnesium

Magnesium may also play a role in regulating the nervous system to reduce symptoms of anxiety. While not conclusive, a 2017 meta-analysis showed a correlation between low magnesium levels and increased anxiety, as well as some data suggesting that supplementation could help. 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Several studies have shown that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids can reduce symptoms of anxiety. Researchers theorize that an imbalanced omega-3-to-omega-6 fatty acid ratio (specifically, too many omega-6s and not enough omega-3s) can negatively affect brain function, heightening the risk of several mental and psychological issues. 

Probiotics

The jury is still out on whether probiotics can help with anxiety. There’s some evidence that a particular strain of probiotic, Lactobacillus (L.) rhamnosus, is associated with less anxiety. Twenty-two separate rodent studies showed a clear connection between L. rhamnosus supplementation and lowered anxiety, or to be precise, behaviors that scientists associate with lower anxiety in rats and mice. At the same time, the results of 14 clinical trials in humans were inconclusive. 

While there are plenty of differences between people and rodents, one reason for the discrepancy might be poor-quality human diets. Probiotics survive only if they have enough prebiotics — mostly fiber from plants — to feed on. So, giving humans probiotics and not seeing positive results may simply mean that the probiotics died of starvation before they could work.

Top Foods & Beverages for Fighting Anxiety

Since we know certain nutrients help prevent or even reverse anxiety, the next obvious question is: Where do you get them? You can get them in supplemental form, but since we’re Food Revolution Network and not Supplement Revolution Network, here are some of the top foods to feature in your anti-anxiety diet.

Nuts & seeds

These are rich in magnesium and tryptophan, an amino acid the body converts into the neurotransmitter serotonin. Brazil nuts and sunflower seeds, in particular, are high in selenium. 

For more on nuts and seeds, see our article here.

Berries

Berries are fiber-rich. And they’re also antioxidant powerhouses, which can help protect against stress and anxiety. The antioxidant flavonoids found in blueberries and other fruits are associated with a decreased risk of developing depression in young adults and children. Plus, I like to imagine that merely thinking about blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries could lift your mood. After all, they’re not just good for you; they’re pretty to look at too! And while fresh berries can get pricey when they’re out of season, frozen berries are just as good for you, and a lot more economical.

For more on berries and some great berry recipes, see our article here.

Tea

Green tea is a rich source of the amino acid L-theanine, which has been linked to lower levels of anxiety. A 2017 study gave green tea or a placebo to a small group of students. The study found that students who drank green tea reported lower subjective stress. Many herbal teas have been found to help with anxiety, and may also fight stress — including chamomile, peppermint, lavender, and passionflower. 

For more on tea, see our article here.

Beans & other legumes

Both beans and legumes are great sources of magnesium, as well as prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria. They’re also a healthy source of plant-based, non-heme iron.

For more on legumes, see our article here.

Dark chocolate

Here’s some good news for chocolate lovers! Dark chocolate, with minimal added sugar, can improve mood and lower cortisol levels. This is important because cortisol, the body’s chief energy-regulation hormone, surges under stress. Chocolate also contains magnesium and non-heme iron. 

For more on chocolate, see our article here.

Mushrooms

Several types of edible mushrooms can strengthen the immune system and increase resistance to stress. These include medicinal mushrooms like reishi, lion’s mane, and cordyceps. Lion’s mane, in particular, has anti-inflammatory properties that may contribute to reduced anxiety symptoms. 

For more on mushrooms, see our article here.

Adaptogens 

Adaptogens are herbs and plants used to help the body adapt to many of the problems of modern living: low mood, stress, anxiety, depression, and a compromised immune system. These include ginseng, goji berry, astragalus, ashwagandha, certain mushrooms, and others.

For more on adaptogens, see our article here.

Leafy greens

I’ll never tire of saying it: Leafy greens are good for just about everything, and anxiety is no exception. Dark greens, such as spinach and Swiss chard, are high in magnesium and antioxidants, both of which may be beneficial in fighting anxiety.

For more on leafy greens, see our article here.

Asparagus

While all vegetables are welcome additions to a healthy diet, asparagus, in particular, appears to have specific anti-anxiety effects, so much so that the Chinese government has approved the use of asparagus extract as a natural food supplement to relieve anxiety.

For more on asparagus, see our article here.

Avocado

Avocados are rich in B vitamins, healthy fats, and lots of antioxidants. The antioxidants in avocados help reduce oxidative stress. Although oxidative stress may naturally occur as part of the aging process, chronic psychological stress can exacerbate and increase oxidative damage. So add some avocado into your diet to neutralize anxiety!

For more on avocado, see our article here.

Fermented foods

Fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, tempeh, kimchi, kefir, miso, and kombucha, are rich in probiotics and may improve gut health by feeding good gut bacteria. Researchers are discovering more every year about the gut-brain connection and how big a role your gut plays in your overall health and well-being, including mental health. Emerging research suggests fermented foods may support mental health by influencing the gut-brain axis through beneficial microbes and bioactive compounds.

For more on fermented foods, see our article here.

Other Lifestyle Strategies for Anxiety Self-Help

The strategies in this article can make a real difference. And for some people, especially those dealing with trauma, severe or chronic anxiety, or anxiety that’s significantly interfering with daily life, working with a therapist, psychiatrist, or your primary care doctor is not just helpful — it may be essential. Self-care and professional care aren’t either/or. They often work best together.

Since anxiety is characterized by worry about things that aren’t usually a real and present threat, engaging in mindfulness practices that train your attention on the here and now can reduce anxiety. 

Mindfulness meditation

A 2013 study of 93 subjects found that eight weeks of mindfulness meditation was more effective in reducing generalized anxiety disorder symptoms than a cognitive approach to stress management. Staying mindful during symptoms of anxiety can also help mitigate them. Rather than fighting with anxiety, mindfulness allows you just to notice what you’re feeling and thinking without focusing on or reacting to anxious thoughts.

Yoga

Yoga and other mindful movement practices are proven ways to expand a sense of safety in your body. In a 2018 study, 12 weeks of guided yoga practice reduced anxiety, depression, and stress in a group of 53 women in their 30s. A broader 2016 meta-analysis of 17 studies found similar results: Hatha yoga showed a moderate positive effect on anxiety, with greater benefits for those who practiced more and for those with higher baseline anxiety levels.

Spirituality

For many people, spiritual practice is a powerful way to manage anxiety. Whether that means prayer and faith rooted in a religious tradition, time in nature, meditation, a sense of connection to something larger than yourself, or simply deep belonging within a community, the research suggests that regularly engaging in practices that ground you in meaning and connection can reduce anxiety. It can help to feel that your life is part of something larger than your immediate worries.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture may be as helpful in treating anxiety as cognitive behavioral therapy, and was rated more relaxing and less stressful than psychotherapy in a 2011 review. In Chinese Medicine, acupuncture needles on specific pressure points throughout the body can calm down the central nervous system and activate the relaxation response via the parasympathetic nervous system. In several studies, acupuncture reduced the severity of anxiety, as well as related symptoms like elevated heart rate and panic attacks.

Breathwork

Slow, deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest” counterpart to the fight-or-flight response), signaling to your brain that you are safe. A simple technique with solid research support is box breathing: inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four. A 2023 study found that just five minutes of slow-paced breathing significantly reduced self-reported anxiety and lowered physiological stress markers. Longer exhales relative to inhales, such as inhaling for four counts and exhaling for six or eight, appear particularly effective at activating the calming response.

Exercise

Exercise in general is one of the very best things you can do for your physical and mental health. In nature, the “cure” for anxiety — the very temporary freezing that allows the organism to make an informed choice in the face of sudden danger — is to shift into a successful fight-or-flight strategy. Going for a run, taking a spin class, or simply engaging in vigorous gardening or housecleaning mimics the fight-or-flight reaction. Engaging in exercise can help use up the stress hormones released in an anxious state and restore physical and mental equilibrium. A 2018 meta-analysis of 15 studies, including 675 patients, found that while all exercise was effective in reducing anxiety, more vigorous exercise was most effective. 

Time in nature

Large population studies suggest that living in greener areas is associated with a lower risk of developing depression and anxiety over time. Access to natural environments may support mental well-being through reduced exposure to pollution, increased physical activity, and stress-buffering effects.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy, or the use of scents (typically essential oils sourced from plants), has also proven useful in dealing with anxiety. Several clinical trials from Germany showed that lavender oil was effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety. Other oils that show promise include bergamot, lemon, chamomile, clary sage, and neroli. 

Sleep

Sleep is a two-way street connected to anxiety. Poor sleep can trigger anxiety, and anxiety can lead to bedtime rumination and insomnia. Helpful approaches to improving sleep include stress management, improved eating (both quality and timing), cognitive-behavioral therapy to establish sleep routines and create sleep triggers in the bedroom, and exercise to increase sleep drive when it’s shut-eye time. 

For more on what to eat and drink to improve sleep, see our article here.

Mindful media habits

Constant exposure to distressing news and social media — ominously known as “doomscrolling” — may also take a toll on mental health. Research suggests that problematic or excessive social media use is associated with higher levels of anxiety and stress, although most studies show correlation rather than direct causation. Setting gentle boundaries around screen time, curating your feeds, and taking regular digital breaks may help protect your emotional well-being.

Social connection

Social connection is one of the most important buffers against mental health problems, including anxiety. Feeling connected to others can decrease rates of depression and anxiety. In fact, receiving hugs is scientifically proven to reduce negative moods such as anxiety. While not everyone is a hugger, you can also hug your pet, a stuffed animal, or even a tree if you feel so inclined.

Anti-Anxiety Recipes

Want to get rolling with your anti-anxiety menu? We’ve got you covered! Start the day with the 4-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies alongside a Soothing Matcha Turmeric Tea for a boost in digestion and sustainable energy. Follow that with the Ginger Carrot Edamame Noodles for lunch and the Coconut Lime Quinoa and Asparagus for dinner. End the day with a sweet treat by enjoying the antioxidant and omega-3-rich Blueberry Chia Oat Crumble. And sleep soundly after a full day of mood-supporting and stress-relieving meals. 

1. 4-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Starting the day with these four-ingredient breakfast cookies will help to lay the groundwork for healthy digestion thanks to the prebiotics and fiber in the oats and banana. You’re also getting a nice dose of B vitamins and zinc to help calm any anxiety you may be feeling. Enjoy the cookies in the morning or throughout the day as a high-fiber, nutrient-dense snack!

2. Ginger Carrot Edamame Noodles

This dish has all of the elements to optimize gut health (and, therefore, mood): fiber, prebiotics, probiotics, and phytonutrients — not to mention, lots of other stress-fighting nutrients. Find probiotics and B-vitamins in the miso, protein and zinc in the edamame, gingerol (a phytonutrient) in the ginger, and adaptogenic compounds in the mushrooms. Bonus: this dish also tastes exquisite!

3. Coconut Lime Quinoa and Asparagus

Sure, this dish is super satisfying to your taste buds, but that’s not all it’s good for! It’s also powered with anti-anxiety nutrients. The B vitamins, iron, and zinc in the quinoa and pistachios help to support mood. While the fiber-rich, plant-based ingredients and prebiotic-rich asparagus and onions foster good gut health.

4. Blueberry Chia Oat Crumble

It’s no secret that blueberries are chock-full of antioxidants. Enjoy this fun way to boost your blueberry intake, while getting a hefty dose of mood-supporting omega-3s from the chia seeds. This crumble is delicious for breakfast, as a snack, or as a sweet treat after a meal. 

5. Soothing Spiced Matcha Tea

Matcha and turmeric are the superstars here. Start your day with this Soothing Spiced Matcha Tea for a calm, sustainable energy boost and a gentle sense of awareness and focus. Give it a try in place of a cup of coffee. And let us know how it makes you feel!

Embracing Self-Help Strategies and Resources for Anxiety

Anxiety can seem daunting, especially when you’re in its grip. Some of the factors that cause it are beyond your control, such as external events and your own genetics and life history. But the good news is, your diet and lifestyle choices can have an enormously positive impact, both short- and long-term. 

If you’re suffering from anxiety, remember, you’re not alone. There are many organizations and resources you can turn to to make it through a tough time. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Anxiety Canada, and Anxiety U.K. are charities and patient advocacy groups that also offer anxiety resources based on your region. And Psychology Tools also offers a global anxiety guide. 

Anxiety can be a signal that you care deeply about your life, your people, and your world. The goal isn’t to silence that signal; it’s to make sure it doesn’t drown out everything else. With the right nourishment, habits, and support, most people can find their way to steadier ground. And from steadier ground, you can show up more fully for the things and the people that matter most to you.

Tell us in the comments

• Have you ever struggled with anxiety?
• What’s worked for you in dealing with anxiety?
• Are there any new self-help approaches to anxiety you want to try?

Read Next:

• Good Food = Good Mood: The Nutrition and Mental Health Connection

The post Anxiety Self Help Strategies Using Diet & Lifestyle appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

Edison’s legacy is still with us in two ways. First, the ethos of “manly wakefulness” still pervades much of our culture, especially our worship of startup founders who consume nothing but Red Bull and Snickers while coding, unblinking, 36 hours a day for five years straight until they create the next Google, Facebook, or Uber.

Second, Edison’s lab invented the one device that, more than any other, enabled us to stay awake at all hours: the lightbulb.

But while Edison’s disdain for rest left a lasting cultural mark, the truth is that sleep is profoundly important to our health. And our diet and lifestyle choices can make a profound difference in how well we sleep.

That’s where the story really begins.

The Sleep Deprivation Epidemic

The daily decision to shortchange sleep has reached epidemic proportions in much of the world. Seventy million Americans, or about a quarter of the population, have at least one sleep disorder. Europeans are a little better off, with 45 million of them (or six percent) suffering from a diagnosable sleep condition. Throughout the industrialized world, rates of insomnia range from 10% to 30%.

It’s not just that we’re groggy, distracted, and irritable prior to our morning cup of coffee; lack of sleep can significantly degrade our physical and mental health. Here’s the shortlist of the medical risks that increase when we don’t get sufficient restorative sleep on a regular basis: hypertension, type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack, dementia, and stroke — and there’s also an increased risk of auto accidents and mental health challenges.

Those are just the direct effects. Lousy sleep patterns can undermine our health in a roundabout way, too, by changing how we eat. When we’re sleep deprived, we tend to make worse dietary choices, most of which add empty calories that can further harm us.

In a previous article, I covered the topic of lifestyle change to improve sleep quantity and quality broadly. Here, we’ll focus specifically on food and drink. We’ll look at some foods that can help you get those zzz’s (or even zzzz’s, if you’re an overachiever). We’ll explore what science knows about the timing of eating and sleeping, and you’ll take away some great recipes that can help you enjoy better sleep.

Why Sleep Is Such an Issue for So Many

Before we dive into solutions, let’s quickly remind ourselves that for most of human history, sleep wasn’t a problem. We are hardwired to fall asleep when we’re tired and wake up when we have slept enough.

Our sleep drive (or our need for sleep) functions pretty much like our hunger drive. Don’t eat for a while, and you get more and more hungry, to the point where raw zucchini starts looking delicious; eat a big meal, and you lose your appetite. In the same way, we get more and more tired the longer we stay awake. While we sleep, the sleep drive diminishes until it’s weak enough to be overbalanced by the circadian impulse to get up and get moving.

So, what’s changed since the good old days when humans didn’t need alarm clocks and caffeine to wake up (or Ambien and wine to fall asleep)? Well, modern society isn’t exactly friendly to healthful sleep.

Electric lighting, as I’ve mentioned, has probably made the biggest difference. Pre-Edison, you went to bed when it got dark (unless you were up to no good, or trying to catch people who were up to no good). Candles, fireplaces, and kerosene lanterns could keep you from bumping into walls, but they were expensive as well as dangerous. (Just ask Mrs. O’Leary’s neighbors the morning of October 9, 1871, after the blaze that started in her barn and destroyed most of Chicago.) With the advent of the light bulb (and the electrical grid to power it), day and night could now become interchangeable.

We’ve also got more to keep track of these days. Social media and the 24-hour news cycle mean that something’s always happening somewhere, and many of us feel compelled to stay on top of all of it. (“What if I go off-grid for 20 minutes and miss the announcement that mullets are back?”)

In addition to this constant bombardment with information, we’ve also become a society of mindless scrollers and binge-watchers. Those who use social media the most, especially right before bed, experience the greatest disruptions in sleep. 

It’s not social media in particular, though; the same is true of those who watch TV, play video games, or otherwise interact with their computers, tablets, and smartphones before nodding off. Part of the problem with these devices may be the band of the visible light spectrum they emit. Digital devices emit a high amount of blue light, which the color-perceiving cells in our eyes interpret as daytime sunlight, sending “wakey-wakey” signals to the rest of the body.

Blue light suppresses the production of melatonin at night, making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. Some studies even suggest a link between exposure to blue light at night and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. The relatively new science of chronobiology (“time-biology”) is exploring the mechanisms whereby fooling our bodies into thinking it’s perpetual daytime can wreak havoc on our endocrine systems, too.

Industrialized societies also threaten our mental health, which can compromise sleep. Approximately half of all insomnia cases are related to depression, anxiety, or psychological stress. Given the high rates of these conditions in the US, it is no surprise that many people in the US report difficulty sleeping.

Not only can mental health issues and stress lead to disturbed sleep, but causation works in the other direction as well. A lack of healthy sleep can lead to psychological problems and make us far more susceptible to stress. Have you ever flipped out, after a poor night’s sleep, over some kind of situation that wouldn’t merit a second thought otherwise? I have, and I think this is more common than we often recognize.

One group suffers even more than the rest when it comes to disturbed sleep: shift workers. They’ve even come to have their very own International Classification of Diseases (ICD) disorder: Shift Work Sleep Disorder (SWSD). Those who work at night (or who have shifts that vary from week to week) are susceptible to the worst effects of sleep deprivation. They frequently have trouble sleeping and experience excessive drowsiness and fatigue that can interfere with overall functioning. They tend to have more anxiety and depression than average, and suffer from worse physical and mental health.

Even in the most extreme shift jobs, though, it’s possible to adopt practices for better, more regular, and more restorative sleep. Food turns out to be a central pillar, encompassing meal and snack timing, as well as specific nutrients that have been found to support a better night’s sleep.

Why Meal Timing Is Important

Sleep and meal timing can impact hormonal levels that, in turn, influence satiety and food intake. Levels of hormones your body makes and deploys rise and fall throughout the day. At certain times of day you’re hungrier, and at other times you’re not so hungry. Sometimes your body prefers to store fat, while at other times it would rather burn it.

One of the hormones known to be sensitive to timing is ghrelin, also known as the hunger hormone. Interestingly, even though ghrelin (from the Proto-Indo-European language root for “grow”) wasn’t discovered until 1999, the titular characters in the 1984 film Gremlins (which looks and sounds a lot like “ghrelin,” doesn’t it?) turn into monsters when they are fed after midnight. Coincidence? I’ll leave that to you.

While eating late at night might not turn you into a gremlin, it can interfere with sleep quality and brain health. Even small snacks in the late evening can turn on the whole digestive system. If you go to sleep on a full stomach, your body has to split its energy between digestion and all the things your brain needs to do during sleep. (Insulin sensitivity is also highest in the morning, which means that for most people, morning is the optimal time to eat.)

Fasting can help or hurt your sleep, depending on timing. Essentially, humans evolved to eat during the daytime, rather than at night. If you fast all day and eat a big meal right before bed, your body can get confused and think that it’s time to go out to do stuff just when you’re turning down the sheets. When your body gets a big surge of calories but has no immediate need to burn them, it is also more inclined to store them as fat.

Nutrients That Impact Sleep

Before I give you a list of specific foods that can improve your sleep, let’s talk at a higher level for a bit. What are the specific nutrients in foods that can help you go to sleep easily and stay asleep until you’re fully rested?

Fiber

Getting enough dietary fiber is key to a good night’s sleep. A 2016 study found that greater fiber intake predicted more time spent in the stage of deep, slow-wave sleep, which is most restorative. And, data from a survey of US adults revealed an association between the daily intake of total fiber and total sleep duration. Those who got a “normal” amount of sleep (defined as seven to eight hours per night) also had the highest fiber intake.

Folate

Folate (not to be confused with folic acid) has been linked to lower rates of both insomnia (defined as difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, and/or extended periods of wakefulness) and restless leg syndrome. Getting enough folate also appears to make you more likely to feel sleepy at bedtime and more resilient in the face of sleep disturbances.

Complex Carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates (found in whole plant foods) raise serotonin, a neurotransmitter that basically orients you towards contentment. When you’re satisfied and grateful, you don’t have to chase after the next meal or avoid the next predator, so you tend toward relaxation and even drowsiness. Complex carbohydrates also lower the stress hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol inhibit sleep, as we tend to do our best fighting or fleeing while awake.

A 2012 study on the sleep quality of security guards found that adding more complex carbohydrates to their diets resulted in significantly longer sleep durations.

Isoflavones

Isoflavones are a class of phytoestrogens (that is, plant-based molecules that resemble and to some extent mimic the function of the sex hormone estrogen) found in plant foods. Daily isoflavone intake may have a beneficial effect on sleep. In a 2015 Japanese study of over 1,000 participants, higher isoflavone intake resulted in better sleep duration and quality.

We know that for postmenopausal women who find themselves struggling to get a good night’s sleep, estrogen replacement therapy can sometimes alleviate symptoms of insomnia and increase sleep efficiency. Isoflavones, possibly like other phytoestrogens, may have similar effects with fewer unwanted side effects.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a key mineral for sleep. Low levels are associated with poor sleep quality and insomnia. There may be multiple mechanisms at work here; not only can magnesium deficiency compromise sleep directly, but it’s also correlated with anxiety and depression — both of which can also contribute to an inability to fall and stay asleep.

Consuming more magnesium can improve subjective measures of insomnia such as sleep efficiency, sleep duration, and sleep onset latency (which just means how long it takes you to fall asleep). For various reasons most of us don’t get enough magnesium in our diets, making it a “usual suspect” nutrient to increase in people who are struggling with sleep.

Tryptophan

Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, is the precursor to serotonin (the “Relax, everything is hunky-dory at the moment” neurotransmitter we’ve already met) and melatonin, a hormone that we will meet shortly. As a neurotransmitter, tryptophan is key to our ability to regulate mood and cognition.

Some of the benefits of adequate tryptophan intake include reductions in obstructive sleep apnea and improvements in sleep latency and REM sleep (the phase in which you dream and decouple emotions from events so you don’t go through life in a constant state of fear).

Cereals fortified with tryptophan have been found to increase sleep efficiency and sleep time, and decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression. If you prefer whole food plant-based sources, see below.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland that helps with sleep initiation and maintenance. It modulates your circadian rhythm, so it’s one of the key things that has to catch up and reintegrate if you travel to a different time zone or shift your pattern of sleep and wakefulness.

Your body uses tryptophan to help make melatonin. You can also get melatonin in certain foods. There’s evidence that consuming sufficient amounts of these foods can improve sleep, and health, in general, by increasing the circulating levels of melatonin in your body.

Best Plant-Based Foods to Sleep Better

Now that we’ve established the nutrients related to better sleep, let’s identify some specific foods that contain those nutrients — some of which may improve sleep quality.

Pumpkin Seeds 

Pumpkin seeds contain high levels of tryptophan and magnesium and can improve sleep onset latency and sleep quality. They are so high in magnesium, in fact, that just three ounces of roasted seeds exceed the recommended daily value for that nutrient.

While it’s easy to take magnesium supplements to meet your daily requirements, there’s some evidence that getting magnesium from food may have long-term benefits. One study, for example, found that dietary magnesium helped very tired women stay awake during the day.

Kiwis

In addition to being rich sources of antioxidants, kiwis also contain serotonin and folate, all of which may contribute to the sleep benefits of the fruit. As a result, you might expect kiwifruit consumption to help people sleep longer and better, and a 2011 study found just that. Twenty-four adults had to eat two kiwis each evening, and after four weeks, they were falling asleep faster and staying asleep longer.

Avocado

Researchers found that adults who ate an avocado daily for six months experienced modest yet measurable improvements in sleep health, along with enhanced diet quality and reduced cholesterol levels. Avocados pack a trio of sleep-supporting nutrients — tryptophan to spark melatonin production, magnesium to relax muscles, and folate to fine-tune your body’s sleep-wake rhythms — making them a surprisingly powerful ally for restful nights.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms, in general, are good sources of melatonin, tryptophan, and folate. One variety, in particular, (Hericium Erinaceus, known more commonly as lion’s mane) shows promise to decrease depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders in overweight and obese individuals.

Whole Grain Rice

Whole grain rice (as opposed to polished white rice, which has had the hull removed) is a complex carbohydrate, which we’ve already seen is a class of nutrient conducive to improved sleep. Red and black varieties of rice have the highest levels of melatonin.

In a 2020 study, sleep quality index scores showed significant improvement on a diet that featured rice along with miso and other traditional Japanese dishes.

Oats

Oats, another complex carbohydrate, are another type of grain boasting some of the highest concentrations of melatonin. They also contain tryptophan, magnesium and are a rich source of soluble fiber.

Pistachios

Pistachios can improve sleep thanks to the isoflavones they contain, as well as their very high levels of melatonin. They’re also a good source of magnesium and folate.

Almonds

Almonds contain sleep-promoting nutrients like tryptophan, melatonin, and magnesium. A 2019 study looked at the prevalence of insomnia in Iranian students living in university dormitories and found that adding just 10 sweet almonds to their daily diets had a significant positive impact.

Walnuts

An 18-week randomized crossover trial in 2025 showed that consuming 40 grams of walnuts daily enhanced sleep quality, boosted melatonin production, and reduced daytime sleepiness in young adults.

Whole Soy Foods

Whole soy foods such as tempeh and edamame are high in magnesium, tryptophan, and folate, and they’re a particularly rich source of isoflavones. A 2015 study out of Japan (where consumption of soy foods like tofu and miso is common) followed over 1,000 adults for five years and found that people who ate isoflavones every day enjoyed better sleep duration and quality.

Interestingly, isoflavones might also help protect against getting too MUCH sleep. In fact, a 2017 study found that soy isoflavone intake was associated with a low risk of oversleeping.

Given that so many of us are sleep-deprived, oversleeping might sound like a good thing — but there are also health risks to consistently sleeping more than nine hours per night. So, whole foods can help us reach the “Goldilocks” standard of sleep: not too much and not too little.

Best Beverages to Sleep Better

Sleepytime drinks have been popular for a long time. From the Irish hot toddy to the mug of chamomile tea, humans all over the world have been concocting (mostly warm) beverages to help the mind calm down and the body relax.

Warm milk is an oft-suggested pre-sleep drink as it contains tryptophan and melatonin, but there are other beverages with similar effects (minus the negative health and environmental impacts of modern cow’s milk).

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea is known as a folk remedy for sleep, and science is beginning to understand. Some of chamomile’s sleep-supporting effects may be due to the flavonoid apigenin, which binds to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain. When put to the test, chamomile tea has been shown to help alleviate depression and improve sleep quality problems in postpartum women.

Tart Cherry Juice

Not all beverages for sleep need to be consumed warm. Tart cherry juice can help with sleep thanks to its high levels of tryptophan, serotonin, melatonin, and antioxidants. Studies show that the juice can improve sleep quality in a couple of ways: by helping people fall asleep faster, and also helping them stay asleep for longer after nodding off.

Lemon Balm Tea

Lemon balm is a perennial herb in the mint family that grows around the world and (in supplement form) has been shown to decrease depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep disorder in patients with chronic stable angina. When combined with another herb, valerian, lemon balm may assist in reducing sleep disorder symptoms in women going through menopause, too. This same combination also improved sleep in primary school children with hyperactivity and concentration difficulties. While these studies mostly explored the effects of herbal supplements, a tea made from fresh or dried lemon balm leaves seems likely to bring about similar effects.

Valerian Tea

Valerian tea comes from the roots and underground stems of the valerian plant, which grows throughout North and South America as well as Europe and China. Depending on your olfactory tolerance and penchant for metaphor, you might describe the odor of valerian tea as “woodsy” or “a lot like dirty gym socks.”

Many studies have demonstrated the soporific (a fancy word for something that makes you drowsy — I knew that word would come in handy someday even if it wasn’t on the SAT vocabulary test) effects of valerian. In addition to the lemon balm/valerian study we’ve already discussed, valerian root has been shown to significantly improve sleep quality, anxiety, and depression in hemodialysis patients. Valerian mixed with hops also helped a group of poor sleepers spend more time in deep sleep.

Lavender Tea

Lavender tea is one of the most common home remedies for insomnia. The oils in the lavender plant are considered safe for treating mild to moderate sleep disturbances. In one study, oral lavender oil showed a significant beneficial influence on quality and duration of sleep. It also buoys the nervous system, improving general mental and physical health without any unwanted sedative effects. Another study has demonstrated beneficial effects on fatigue and depression in postpartum women, to the extent that lavender tea drinkers were actually able to bond more closely with their infants.

Lavender is so nice, you don’t even have to drink it! Lavender’s aromatherapeutic effects can help in facilitating sleep even if you just get a whiff of the herb.

Recipes for Better Sleep

The facts are in: The right foods and drinks can support your ability to enjoy a sound night’s sleep, and good recipes can help! Make these Toasted Pistachio and Cherry Overnight Oats and enjoy them in the morning. Perhaps you will feel well-rested because you enjoyed the isoflavone- and melatonin-rich Simple Kung Pao Tofu with Broccoli for dinner, followed by some soothing and comforting Sweet and Nutty Oat Milk with Cinnamon Spice. If you’re looking for an appetizer or nourishing nibble to support solid sleep, then give these Pumpkin Seed Poppers a try. Finally, get a nutrient-dense, sleep-supporting smorgasbord of ingredients in with this Greens and Beans Soup. Here’s to sleeping soundly and peacefully!

1. Toasted Pistachio and Cherry Overnight Oats

What’s the next best thing to a good night’s sleep? Waking up feeling well and knowing that a delicious breakfast is waiting for you! Okay, that’s two things — feeling great, and a ready-to-eat breakfast. Cherries and pistachios are a culinary match made in heaven, giving traditional oatmeal a flavor and texture lift, not to mention that tart cherries contain melatonin and tryptophan and pistachios contain isoflavones and magnesium — all nutrients that support normal sleep rhythms.

2. Greens and Beans Soup

Soup is naturally soothing and calming, creating an atmosphere of relaxation before sleep. There are also specific nutrients in this plant-powered soup that support sleep: complex carbohydrates, including fiber, from the potatoes and legumes, magnesium from the kale, and isoflavones in the miso (if using soy-based miso). Plus, this soup has received rave reviews from those who have tried it!

3. Pumpkin Seed Poppers

These bite-size appetizers boast several ingredients that can support sleep, including brown rice, pumpkin seeds, and oats. You’ll get plenty of fiber, magnesium, and tryptophan, plus lots of flavor. They’re also very fast to prepare if you have leftover brown rice or quinoa and some roasted red peppers on hand. Fun food alert: The flavors might remind you of pizza!

4. Simple Kung Pao Tofu and Broccoli

Broccoli for better sleep? You bet! This common (in the best way) crucifer and the peppers in this recipe contain melatonin and the tofu brings in isoflavones, all of which can contribute to sweet, sweet slumber. As for the flavor, this Simple Kung Pao Tofu and Broccoli is a combination of sweet, savory, and spicy, making it super satisfying.

5. Soothing Chamomile and Ginger Tea

This Soothing Chamomile Ginger Tea is perfect for sipping after meals or anytime you need to calm an upset stomach. Its natural ingredients work together to provide relief while offering a peaceful, relaxing tea experience. Enjoy it hot for a comforting beverage that not only tastes delightful but also supports your digestive health.

Conclusion

Sleep disorders and disruptions are an issue for many people and are very common in the modern industrialized world. Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be your fate! Eating the right foods at the right times can make a huge difference. Specific nutrients such as tryptophan, melatonin, and magnesium (found in both food and beverages) may help to address sleep concerns. By consuming more of these foods and beverages — as well as modifying your sleeping and eating schedules — you can be well on your way to better sleep.

Tell us in the comments:

• Do you currently (or did you ever) have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep?

• What foods and drinks help you sleep better?

• What’s your favorite warm sleepytime beverage?

Read Next:

• Sleep Hacks: How to Sleep Better with Diet and Lifestyle

The post What to Eat (and Drink) for Better Sleep appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

While Hans Selye was studying the effects of certain chemicals on the rodents’ sex hormones, he would routinely chase the frightened rodents around his lab, bemoaning his lack of coordination. What he didn’t realize was that his mishaps were leading to one of the most important discoveries in modern medicine. The rats who received the treatment and the control group were both being chased around the lab regularly, and they both developed the same mysterious symptoms: enlarged adrenal glands and stomach ulcers. 

​​(Our view on the use of animals in medical research is here.)

Selye had stumbled upon what we now call the stress response — and the hormone at its center, cortisol. In this article, you’ll meet cortisol and discover why it’s so much more than just a stress hormone. You’ll see how it functions in the body, and what happens if you have too much or too little, or if its daily rhythm gets disrupted. 

We’ll also explore solutions, including the best foods, nutrients, and lifestyle practices (and possibly supplements) to support a healthy cortisol balance, plus how to test your cortisol levels and when it’s advisable to get professional guidance.

What Is Cortisol?

Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Steroids are characterized by a distinctive four-ring structure; other well-known examples include testosterone and estrogen.

Cortisol is often referred to as the stress hormone because it plays a vital role in your body’s response to stress. What’s less well known is that it’s involved in many bodily functions beyond stress management; cortisol also regulates metabolism and blood sugar, reduces inflammation, controls salt and water balance (which affects your blood pressure), and supports wakefulness and energy during the day via your circadian rhythms.

Cortisol’s Daily Work Schedule

Your cortisol levels change throughout the day, ideally based on how much energy you need at any given time. This daily rhythm affects not just “get-up-and-go,” but also mood, metabolism, and the ability to handle stressors. 

A healthy cortisol workday starts with a morning peak, typically at its highest 30–45 minutes after waking up. Scientists who like acronyms refer to this as the CAR, or cortisol awakening response. (Insert corny “vroom-vroom” joke here.)

This surge helps you wake up and feel alert. It tells your metabolism to increase blood sugar as fuel for movement. It supports healthy blood pressure, and helps you focus on important tasks and environmental cues. Think of it as your body’s built-in cup of coffee.

Interestingly, the CAR also suppresses your immune response. This prevents your immune system from overreacting to normal tissue repair that occurs during sleep. (It’s like turning off your home’s alarm system so workers can get in and repair the leaking kitchen faucet.)

In most healthy people, cortisol levels naturally decline throughout the day. This gradual taper allows you to maintain stable energy levels without tipping into overstimulation (think overtired toddler past bedtime). It also supports a regular eating pattern by syncing your metabolic activity with your food intake. 

By bedtime, cortisol should be on its way down, reaching its lowest point around midnight. This allows melatonin, the sleep hormone, to rise. Your body relaxes and focuses on digestion and tissue repair rather than external activity. It invites you into a night of deep, restorative sleep. 

Cortisol and Stress

Let’s get back to cortisol’s main claim to fame: When you’re stressed out, your brain tells your adrenal glands to release cortisol into the bloodstream. It works like a game of telephone, but in this case, the network isn’t AT&T, but the HPA axis, and the message doesn’t get garbled, but amplified. 

The HPA axis is named after the three glands that participate in the message relay. The hypothalamus, which you can think of as the brain’s control center, detects stress and sends a “release cortisol” signal. This signal gets picked up by the pituitary gland, which is the body’s message delivery center. The pituitary raises the volume, adds a “code red” tag, and places an order with the adrenal glands, the factories that produce the cortisol and pump it into your bloodstream.

The result is a stress response, which often looks like “fight or flight.” That is, the body mobilizes to deal with what the mind perceives as an immediate physical threat to life and limb. It’s a good thing we’ve got this response, because it’s what allowed our ancestors to survive long enough to produce other ancestors who eventually produced us. 

The problem isn’t that we turn into the Flash or the Incredible Hulk when faced with a predator; instead, it’s that most of us in the modern world are flooding our bodies with cortisol on a chronic basis. Modern life throws at most of us, not predators and murderous rivals, but traffic jams, social media arguments, and work deadlines. We then deal with all that using the same biology our ancestors used to survive on the tundra and savannah. And those daily stressors drain our energy, dampen our mood, and damage our health. 

Some of the symptoms of chronically elevated cortisol levels include weight gain (especially around the abdomen), insomnia, anxiety and mood disturbances, high blood pressure, blood sugar dysregulation, and a weakened immune system. This last can lead to frequent infections and illnesses. 

In the long term, chronically elevated cortisol can lead to depression and mental health disorders, accelerated aging, cognitive decline, and cardiovascular disease.

Can Cortisol Be Too Low?

Too much cortisol, especially over time, can wreak havoc on the body. But too little can be a problem, too. People with Addison’s Disease, a rare condition of primary adrenal insufficiency, don’t produce enough cortisol. They often suffer from extreme fatigue, low blood pressure (especially when standing), salt cravings, and poor stress tolerance.

This brings us to a more controversial topic: adrenal fatigue. This term, popularized by some alternative medicine practitioners, describes a collection of symptoms — like fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, digestive issues, and poor sleep — that they attribute to the adrenal glands becoming “burned out” from chronic stress. The theory goes that this leads to cortisol levels that are chronically too low.

However, mainstream endocrinologists don’t recognize adrenal fatigue as a legitimate medical diagnosis. Studies don’t consistently show cortisol abnormalities in people labeled with it, and many continue to produce normal amounts of cortisol.

Still, that doesn’t mean there’s no real issue. Many people with these symptoms are clearly struggling. A growing body of evidence points to stress-related nervous system dysregulation, and sometimes chronically elevated cortisol, as the deeper root cause. Over time, the body may become desensitized to cortisol’s effects or experience circadian rhythm disruptions, without the adrenals failing outright.

In other words, whether or not the problem is “adrenal fatigue,” it could be a form of stress overload — and the solution may lie not in boosting cortisol, but in calming the system that’s been running on overdrive for too long.

How To Naturally Lower High Cortisol

Fortunately, there are a lot of things you can do to bring high cortisol levels into a healthy balance. These include dietary improvements, as well as lifestyle changes that reduce stress and prioritize recovery. 

Lifestyle Shifts

Moderate exercise reduces levels of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol while stimulating the production of endorphins, which are your brain’s natural painkillers and mood elevators. The key is finding the sweet spot: Gentle activities like yoga, walking, tai chi, and moderate aerobic exercise for about 30 minutes daily can reliably reduce cortisol, while high-intensity workouts or long-duration intense cardio can significantly spike cortisol levels in the short term. 

Interestingly, moderate exercise helps you respond more calmly to future stressors; a morning walk might help you handle an afternoon deadline with more grace. Yoga and tai chi deserve special mention here because they combine movement with breathwork and mindfulness, engaging your parasympathetic nervous system to shift your body out of stress mode actively.

Sleep: Your Cortisol Reset Button

We’ve seen that cortisol levels follow a daily rhythm, typically lowest around midnight and peaking around 9 a.m. Poor sleep can throw this entire system out of whack. Recent research tracking daily cortisol and sleep patterns has found that higher cortisol levels before bed predict shorter sleep, poorer sleep quality, and longer time to fall asleep that same night. Not getting enough sleep one night results in higher cortisol levels the next evening, making it even harder to fall asleep the following night. Talk about a vicious cycle!

Good sleep hygiene helps restore your natural cortisol rhythm. It includes strategies like consistent sleep timing, getting bright light (ideally sunlight) first thing in the morning, avoiding evening screens, and keeping your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet.

Cortisol and Mindfulness

Mindfulness and breathwork can do magic for your excessive cortisol levels. A 2021 study found that participants in a three-month mindfulness meditation retreat showed direct correlations between increased mindfulness scores and decreased cortisol levels. 

A comprehensive 2024 meta-analysis of 58 studies found that mindfulness and relaxation practices, including focused breathwork and body scans, consistently outperformed other interventions in reducing cortisol, with the largest reductions seen in that morning CAR. 

You don’t need hours of meditation; simple breathing techniques like box breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4) or the 4–7–8 technique can calm your nervous system and lower cortisol in under 5 minutes by directly engaging your vagus nerve and shifting you out of fight-or-flight and into “rest and digest” mode.

Dietary Approaches

What you put on your plate plays a surprisingly powerful role in managing your body’s stress response. Research shows that following a whole food diet rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and healthy fats can significantly dampen cortisol levels compared to diets high in processed foods, refined sugars, and saturated fats. 

The Mediterranean diet pattern, which emphasizes lots of colorful produce, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, has been studied specifically for its cortisol-lowering effects. A 2018 study found that a Mediterranean-style diet led to lower cortisol levels and reduced stress reactivity. 

Consumption of magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, nuts, and seeds can also help to regulate cortisol by supporting your nervous system and calming overexcited brain circuits that trigger stress responses. 

On the flip side, while coffee has significant health benefits, lowering cortisol levels isn’t one of them. Caffeine can increase baseline cortisol secretion throughout the day and heighten your stress response. Research also tells us that foods high in added sugars and refined grains are associated with significantly higher cortisol levels, and that alcohol disrupts your natural cortisol rhythm and can leave you feeling more anxious the next day. 

Best Foods To Support Cortisol Balance

Here is a list of science-supported, whole foods that help promote healthy cortisol balance. They support the HPA axis, lower inflammation, regulate blood sugar, and/or buffer the body’s stress response.

1. Leafy Green Vegetables

Vegetables like spinach, Swiss chard, and kale are rich in magnesium, which as we’ve just seen is critical for adrenal health and moderating the body’s stress response. Among many other crucial functions, magnesium helps reduce HPA axis reactivity and supports sleep. 

For more on leafy greens, see our article here.

2. Nuts and Seeds

Almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and others are good sources of magnesium, zinc, and healthy fats. Zinc plays a role in HPA axis feedback regulation, and omega-3s (in abundance in flax and chia seeds) help reduce systemic inflammation. 

For more on leafy nuts and seeds, see our article here.

3. Legumes (e.g., lentils, black beans, chickpeas)

Beans, chickpeas, peas, and lentils are high in complex carbohydrates, B vitamins, plant-based protein, and fiber. These nutrients help maintain stable blood sugar and support nervous system resilience, both of which are essential for cortisol regulation.

For more on legumes, see our article here.

4. Whole Grains (e.g., oats, quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat)

Whole grains like oats, quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat, and others provide fiber, complex carbs, and B vitamins. Like legumes, they stabilize blood glucose, prevent cortisol spikes triggered by hypoglycemia, and nourish your gut, which is heavily involved in a healthy stress response. 

For more on whole grains, see our article here.

5. Berries and Fruits

Strawberries, oranges, kiwis, guavas, and many other fruits are rich in vitamin C, a known cortisol-lowering antioxidant that also supports adrenal function.

For more on fruit, see our article here.

6. Fermented Foods

Fermented foods like sauerkraut, miso, kimchi, and tempeh support a diverse and healthy gut microbiome, which can influence cortisol production. Improved gut health has been linked to better stress resilience.

For more on fermented foods, see our article here.

7. Green and Herbal Teas (and herbal teas like chamomile or lemon balm)

Green tea contains L-theanine, which promotes relaxation without drowsiness and helps reduce cortisol response to stress. Herbal teas such as chamomile and lemon balm support parasympathetic tone and sleep. 

For more on tea, see our article here.

8. Dark Chocolate (fair trade, at least 70% cacao, unsweetened or lightly sweetened)

In the “almost too good to be true” department, dark chocolate may reduce perceived stress and lower cortisol, as well as providing magnesium and polyphenols to benefit mood and vascular health.

A 2019 study (out of Switzerland, fittingly) found that people who ate 25 grams per day of high-polyphenol dark chocolate for 4 weeks had lower salivary cortisol compared to the folks who ate low-polyphenol dark chocolate. Many of the participants who ate the high-polyphenol chocolate also reported being in a better mood. (Imagine that!)

For more on chocolate, see our article here.

Understanding Cortisol Testing: Getting Accurate Results

When it comes to testing cortisol levels, timing matters. As we’ve seen, your body naturally produces the highest amounts of this stress hormone early in the morning, with levels gradually declining throughout the day. This natural rhythm means that when you test matters just as much as what you’re testing for, so any cortisol assessment needs to account for these expected fluctuations.

For the most accurate results, there are several factors to consider before testing. Caffeine and alcohol can influence your results, as can intense physical activity, so steering clear of these factors before testing will give you a clearer picture of your baseline cortisol patterns.

Also, major stressors can temporarily spike cortisol levels, so it’s best to avoid high-stress situations beforehand. (Easier said than done!)

The type of test your healthcare provider recommends will largely depend on the symptoms you’re experiencing and your health context. If you’re dealing with persistent fatigue, unexplained weight changes, sleep disturbances, or heightened anxiety levels, these symptoms help guide which testing approach will be most informative for understanding your unique cortisol profile and developing an appropriate management strategy.

Can Supplements Help With Cortisol Balance?

While nothing replaces good food, quality sleep, and finding ways to chill out, some natural supplements might give you that extra support when life gets overwhelming.

Here are several research-backed supplements for stress support and cortisol balance.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)

This adaptogenic herb has demonstrated significant promise in clinical studies. A 2012 study found that 300 milligrams of standardized extract taken twice daily for 60 days meaningfully reduced serum cortisol levels while improving stress resilience and mood.

For more on ashwagandha, see our article here.

Our favorite supplement comes from our friends at Purality Health (linked here).

Phosphatidylserine

This substance, which sounds like the main character in a Jurassic Park movie, plays a crucial role in modulating the HPA axis. A 2014 study of 75 stressed-out men showed that 400 milligrams of phosphatidylserine, when combined with 400 milligrams of phosphatidic acid, blunted excessive cortisol spikes in response to acute stress.

Rhodiola rosea

Well-regarded for its adaptogenic properties, Rhodiola has shown effectiveness in enhancing mental performance and energy while helping normalize cortisol patterns, particularly in people experiencing burnout or chronic fatigue.

Magnesium

Essential for proper adrenal function, magnesium is closely linked to increased stress resilience and lower cortisol output. At FRN, we advocate a food-first philosophy that prioritizes a varied, whole food, plant-based diet rich in natural magnesium sources. And there may be some instances in which targeted supplementation can be a helpful adjunct when additional support is needed. The glycinate and citrate forms offer superior bioavailability and digestive tolerance.

For more on magnesium, see our article here.

L-Theanine

This amino acid, naturally found in green tea (and especially high in matcha), promotes relaxation without sedation. Studies demonstrate its ability to reduce stress-induced cortisol elevation while maintaining mental clarity and focus.

We love the Sun Goddess Matcha from our friends at Pique.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA/DHA)

These essential fatty acids help modulate inflammatory responses and HPA axis activity. A 2011 study found that 2.5 grams daily significantly reduced both cortisol levels and subjective stress responses.

For more on omega-3 fatty acids, see our article here.

Dr. Fuhrman’s DHA+EPA Purity is a great option for supplementing omega-3s.

Vitamin C

Critical for adrenal gland function, vitamin C supports the body’s ability to clear cortisol efficiently after a stressful episode. It also reduces the oxidative damage caused by cortisol spikes. A 2002 study found that consuming 3,000 milligrams daily led to meaningful improvements in stress recovery.

For more on vitamin C, see our article here.

Important Considerations

Supplements should be viewed as complementary to, not replacements for, fundamental lifestyle practices including quality sleep, balanced nutrition, appropriate boundaries, and stress-reduction techniques. Individual responses to adaptogens can vary significantly, and some may actually increase stimulation in sensitive people.

It’s generally best to work with a qualified healthcare practitioner before beginning any supplement regimen, particularly if you’re taking medications or managing hormone-related conditions.

Cortisol-Friendly Recipes

When your body feels wired, worn out, or slightly off track, food can become one of your most powerful tools. Here are three recipes that feature ingredients to help support a healthy cortisol rhythm, including magnesium-rich seeds, fiber-filled legumes, fermented foods, and antioxidant-packed fruits. Whether you’re in the mood for something creamy, crisp, or deeply nourishing, you’ll find a dish designed to help your body find its natural balance.

1. Chocolate Raspberry Smoothie

The Chocolate Raspberry Smoothie combines vitamin C-rich raspberries and antioxidant-loaded cacao for a delicious way to support adrenal health. With raw almonds and dates for steady energy and magnesium, this blend helps regulate stress hormones while offering a soothing, chocolatey treat your nervous system will appreciate.

2. Plant-Powered Lunch Bowl

The Plant-Powered Lunch Bowl is a vibrant mix of kale, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and avocado that fuels your body with cortisol-calming nutrients. From turmeric’s inflammation-fighting properties to hemp seeds and leafy greens rich in magnesium, this bowl brings together the kind of steady energy and nourishment your stress system thrives on.

3. Kelp Salad with Baked Tempeh and Kimchi Miso Dressing

The Kelp Salad with Baked Tempeh and Kimchi Miso Dressing offers deep nourishment for your gut and your stress response. Fermented ingredients like kimchi and tempeh feed a resilient microbiome, while mineral-rich kelp and crunchy vegetables bring texture, balance, and plant-based support to help regulate cortisol production from the inside out. 

Conclusion: Cultivating Calm and Cortisol Harmony

Cortisol is essential for life, but balance is key. Through nourishing foods, sleep, exercise, and stress management, you can support a healthy cortisol rhythm. Your body — and mind — will thank you for it.

Tell us in the comments:

• Do you struggle with excessive cortisol levels?

• What helps you bring cortisol levels down?

Read Next:

The Science of Hunger: Understanding Hunger Hormones and How To Control Them

The post Cortisol: The Stress Hormone That Could Help or Hurt Your Health appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

In both cases, however, the side effects are considerable, including, for Cooper, long blackout periods and impending death; and for Johansson, merging with a supercomputer and vanishing into the space-time continuum.

I’m not tempted to take either fictional drug, even if it would give me a bunch of extra IQ points. But what if there were real foods that optimized your brain health — meals that could prevent cognitive decline and dementia (or delay them by decades)? And what about ingredients that could help you achieve lifelong cognitive wellness?

Well, good news!

Drs. Dean and Ayesha Sherzai, renowned neurologists and authors of The Alzheimer’s Solution and The 30-Day Alzheimer’s Solution, have dedicated their careers to studying how nutrition and lifestyle affect brain health.

The Sherzais have discovered that there are entire classes of foods that provide the brain with essential nutrients while minimizing harmful foods that contribute to decline. And in a time when Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are on the rise, this knowledge is more crucial than ever.

So what have the Drs. Sherzai found? The eating patterns that most powerfully support lifelong cognitive wellness all have one thing in common: lots of whole plant-based foods. And they’ve identified nine extra-powerful brain-boosting foods, which they’ve alliteratively dubbed the NEURO 9.

In this article, we’ll explore the NEURO 9, along with foods to avoid that may increase cognitive risk. And you’ll also get seven delicious, nutrient-rich recipes that make it easy to incorporate brain-healthy choices into your daily routine.

The Science of Brain Health: Why Diet Matters

Before we get to specific ingredients and foods, let’s talk for a minute about why your brain is so sensitive to your dietary choices. For one thing, the brain is one of the most energy-demanding organs in the body. While it weighs around 3% of body weight, it consumes around 20% of daily calories.

And the foods you eat directly influence how your brain functions. By impacting inflammation, oxidative stress, and vascular health, food affects three of the key factors in cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

One of your brain’s best “tricks” is neuroplasticity, the ability to learn and change by making new neuronal connections. It turns out that diet plays a crucial role in neuroplasticity by providing essential nutrients that support brain cell growth and repair.

That’s right: nutrient-dense foods (containing omega-3s and antioxidants specifically) can support learning, memory, and recovery from brain injuries. And these plant-based foods not only provide good stuff for your brain but can also fight some harmful factors contributing to cognitive decline.

The MIND Diet

One of the plant-forward, brain-friendly diets even has a clever acronym: MIND. The MIND Diet stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, and is a fusion of two other popular diets: Mediterranean and DASH (whew, another acronym!).

The Mediterranean diet is all about enjoying plenty of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and healthy fats. It’s been associated with lower heart disease rates and might even help you live longer.

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It focuses on reducing sodium intake to help manage blood pressure while encouraging a mix of nutrient-packed foods. One large study found that long-term adherence to this diet was associated with healthier blood pressure and reduced cognitive decline.

The MIND diet combines elements from both of these diets, but it specifically highlights foods and nutrients that research suggests are beneficial for brain health. A 2015 study compared all three diets — Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND — and found that all three reduced Alzheimer’s risk when followed pretty much to the letter. The MIND Diet was also found to be effective in lowering dementia risk at what the authors called “moderate adherence.”

The MIND Diet limits the intake of animal and high saturated fat foods while emphasizing natural plant-based foods, especially berries and green leafy vegetables. But berries and greens aren’t the only foods shown to protect cognitive function.

The NEURO 9: Top Brain-Boosting Foods

The NEURO 9 are the top foods that research has shown are crucial for optimizing brain health and function through their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Drs. Dean and Ayesha Sherzai recommend these foods to protect your brain through mid-life and beyond.

1. Green Leafy Vegetables

Leafy greens are packed with folate, vitamin K, and antioxidants for brain protection.

A 2018 study discovered that these superfoods were way more powerful than anyone could have guessed. People who ate an average of one and a third servings per day slowed their cognitive aging by 11 years, compared to people who ate almost no leafy greens.

To put that in perspective, the study defined a “serving” as half a cup of cooked greens or a full cup of raw ones. Not exactly a mountain to climb!

Some of our favorite leafy greens include collards, Swiss chard, spinach, kale, lettuce, and other salad greens.

2. Beans

Beans are high in plant-based protein and fiber, both of which may halt or significantly slow Alzheimer’s progression by preventing the formation of amyloid-β plaque. The fiber, in particular, seems to play a leading role in brain protection, promoting the growth and flourishing of bacteria in the gut microbiome that influence brain health and neuroinflammation.

For optimal brain health, aim for at least three servings of beans per week. Popular bean varieties include black beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas.

For more of me singing (metaphorically only, thank goodness) the praises of beans, here’s a comprehensive article on bean benefits.

3. Berries

These sweet or tart treats are high in flavonoids and antioxidants that help improve memory and combat oxidative stress. A study of female nurses found that those with the highest levels of blueberry consumption delayed their cognitive aging by two and a half years.

Some of the most popular and easily accessible berries, available fresh seasonally and frozen year-round, include blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries.

4. Nuts

Nuts support cognitive function thanks to their healthy fats, vitamin E, and anti-inflammatory antioxidants. These compounds fight oxidative stress that can damage cells, thereby maintaining cell membrane integrity and supporting cell functioning.

Nuts are full of healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats, which also support brain health.

Popular nuts include walnuts, almonds, and cashews. For more on nuts, read our comprehensive article, Nut Health Benefits: You Won’t Believe How Good They Are for You.

5. Seeds

Many seeds are rich in vitamin E and polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. These fats have been shown to combat cognitive impairment thanks to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects on the brain.

Some of the most awesome seeds come from hemp, chia, flax, and sunflower plants.

6. Herbs & Spices

As a group, and individually, herbs and spices have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. Some of the best-studied “brain buddy” spices include turmeric, sage, and ginger.

Turmeric, in particular, has an incredible capacity to bind to amyloid protein, the harmful protein associated with Alzheimer’s development.

7. Cruciferous Vegetables

Vegetables in the cruciferous family are brain-boosting all-stars. They’re high in vitamin K, which has been shown to sharpen memory; beta carotene, which helps to slow cognitive decline; and antioxidants such as sulforaphane, which can protect the brain from toxic free radicals.

Examples of cruciferous veggies to include in your diet include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.

8. Whole Grains

Whole grains fuel your brain with essential nutrients like B vitamins and fiber. A comprehensive literature review published in 2023 reported that people who consume whole grains on a regular basis have a lower risk of cognitive decline.

Some of the healthiest whole grains include oats, buckwheat, and quinoa.

9. Tea

Rounding out the NEURO 9 is perhaps a surprising entry: a beverage made from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis). But it may be less surprising once you realize that tea leaves contain catechins and L-theanine, which assist focus and support cognition.

One of the catechins found in green tea, EGCG (try that five times fast), has been shown to be an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory and may promote the growth of neuronal dendrites and axons.

Green tea, white tea, and black tea are all neuroprotective tea beverage varieties.

Beverages and Foods To Avoid for Brain Health

The NEURO 9 are a fantastic brain-friendly bunch, but even they can’t overcome a diet full of foods that damage your body and brain. Here are four of the worst food groups for brain health. Avoid these if you want your best chance at a long life with a clear, active mind.

1. Processed and Fried Foods

Fried and processed foods are high in saturated fats and trans fatty acids, both of which are associated with insulin resistance. This triggers cell oxidation and inflammation, especially in the blood vessels that carry nutrients to your neurons and remove waste products from them. Over time, too many saturated and trans fats can have a significantly negative impact on brain function.

2. Refined Sugars & Artificial Sweeteners

Your brain loves sugar, but only the natural kind — in fruit. When you consume refined sugar absent the fiber that naturally accompanies it in an apple, peach, or banana, your brain gets “shocked” by it. In turn, your brain responds with inflammation and oxidation, which are linked to insulin resistance, brain fog, and cognitive decline.

3. Excessive Animal Products

Meat consumption is most closely associated with increased Alzheimer’s risk, followed by eggs and high-fat dairy products. One plausible theory is that saturated fats and cholesterol contribute to vascular issues affecting the brain, essentially cutting off some blood flow, which both starve neurons of nutrients and clog the brain with waste that doesn’t get disposed of quickly enough.

4. Excess Alcohol

Alcohol is a case where dose may matter a great deal. Some research shows that low intake of alcohol (four drinks a week or less), especially red wine, may actually be protective for brain health. At the same time, excess consumption (defined by the CDC as four drinks per day for women and five for men) can have a detrimental effect on sleep, cognitive function, and brain recovery over time. It may, in fact, be a risk factor for the development and progression of Alzheimer’s.

Lifestyle Factors Beyond Diet: The NEURO Plan

The Drs. Sherzai focus their brain research on more than just food. While the first letter of their acronym NEURO stands for Nutrition, there are four additional letters, each equally important as a lifestyle factor for long-term cognitive health.

In total, NEURO stands for Nutrition, Exercise, Unwind, Restore, and Optimize.

Exercise

Exercising regularly can create more connections between neurons and reduce the risk of dementia. The Sherzais recommend exercising 150 to 300 minutes per week, divided into 3 or 4 sessions.

Unwind

People who experience chronic “bad” stress tend to have higher levels of adrenaline and cortisol in their circulation, which has been associated with neurodegenerative changes in the brain. Managing stress through meditation, yoga, mindful breathing exercises, time spent in nature, and having a supportive community are all effective ways to unwind.

Restore

Sleep has been proven to improve memory recall, regulate metabolism, and reduce mental fatigue. Suffering from a sleep disorder raises your risk of dementia by 17% over 10 years. For most people, seven to eight hours of regular, detoxifying sleep is essential for the brain.

Optimize

Unlike bad stress, which is based on the perception of threat, good stress is triggered by the perception of challenge. And good stress has a positive impact on brain health.

You can challenge your brain through learning new skills, solving problems, volunteering, learning a new language, or learning to dance or play a musical instrument. These activities, known as “multimodal” because they require multiple types of cognition at once, challenge and engage many of your brain’s capacities just as lifting weights strengthens your muscles. Bonus benefit if these challenging activities involve social interactions.

7 Brain-Boosting Recipes

Fuel your focus and nourish your mind with this collection of plant-powered recipes, each crafted with ingredients that support brain health, boost clarity, and calm inflammation. From cozy stews to energizing snacks and feel-good drinks, these dishes are as delicious as they are smart. Let food be your brain’s best friend!

(Each recipe incorporates NEURO 9 ingredients and avoids harmful foods.)

1. Blueberry Walnut Banana Pancakes

Wake up your taste buds and your brain with these Blueberry Walnut Banana Pancakes! Blended with brain-loving ingredients like omega-3-rich flax meal, hemp seeds, and walnuts — plus antioxidant-packed blueberries and memory-boosting oats — these pancakes aren’t just delicious, they’re a stack of smart choices. Sweetened naturally with banana and a splash of maple syrup, every bite is fluffy, wholesome, and bursting with feel-good fuel. Your brain (and brunch crew) will thank you!

2. Blueberry Earl Grey Chia Parfait

Give your brain a little love with this vibrant, flavor-packed Blueberry Earl Grey Chia Parfait. Infused with citrusy Earl Grey tea and layered with warming spices like ginger and cardamom, this parfait isn’t just a treat for your taste buds — it’s full of ingredients that support focus, memory, and overall cognitive health. Omega-rich chia seeds help keep things sharp, while blueberries bring their antioxidant A-game. Finished with a burst of bright orange zest and a swirl of naturally sweet blueberry sauce, it’s a refreshing way to nourish your mind and start your day with intention.

3. Cruciferous Crunch Bowl

This Cruciferous Crunch Bowl brings serious flavor, texture, and nourishment to the table. Roasted broccoli and radish team up with hearty lentils and fluffy quinoa for a satisfying base, while crisp leafy greens, tangy pickled onions, and crunchy peanuts keep every bite interesting. Drizzle it all with a bold, umami-rich miso peanut sauce and you’ve got a bowl that’s bursting with plant-powered protein, fiber, and brain-boosting nutrients — no boring bites here. It’s the kind of meal that keeps you feeling energized, focused, and fully nourished.

4. Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potato

Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potato isn’t just comfort food — it’s brain food in disguise. Sweet roasted potatoes cradle a fragrant mix of lentils simmered with cumin, garlic, turmeric, and mustard seeds — spices known to support cognitive health and reduce inflammation. A creamy tahini lime drizzle adds richness and balance, making every bite a delicious blend of earthy, sweet, and zesty. Nourishing for the body and satisfying for the mind, this dish is smart eating and craveable.

5. Moroccan Spiced Sweet Potato, Chickpea, and Spinach Stew

Let your spoon travel somewhere warm and nourishing with this Moroccan Spiced Sweet Potato, Chickpea, and Spinach Stew. It’s filled with brain-friendly all-stars like fiber-rich chickpeas, antioxidant-packed sweet potatoes, and a medley of aromatic spices known to support cognitive health. Spinach and lemon add a bright finish, while each bite wraps you in cozy, feel-good flavor. It’s simple, satisfying, and a great choice for your next one-pot meal.

6. Energizing Pumpkin Seed Snack Mix

Snack smarter with this Energizing Pumpkin Seed Snack Mix — a crunchy, sweet-savory blend that’s as good for your brain as it is for your taste buds. Toasted pumpkin seeds bring protein, iron, and zinc to the mix, while antioxidant-rich dried blueberries and cacao nibs add brain-boosting flair. A touch of maple syrup and warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg make it totally crave-worthy. It’s the perfect handful to power through your afternoon or fuel a focus-friendly break.

7. Soothing Spiced Matcha Tea

This Soothing Spiced Matcha Tea is like meditation in a mug: grounding, warming, and full of brain-loving benefits. With antioxidant-rich matcha and anti-inflammatory spices like turmeric, cinnamon, and nutmeg, it’s crafted to help calm the mind and support long-term cognitive health. Blended with creamy plant-based milk and just a touch of heat from black pepper, it’s the perfect daily ritual for clarity, comfort, and focus from the inside out.

Final Thoughts & Key Takeaways

The foods we eat play a profound role in shaping our brain health. By incorporating the NEURO 9 and avoiding or minimizing harmful foods, you can protect your brain against inflammation, oxidative stress, and cognitive decline.

Just as importantly, embracing a brain-healthy lifestyle — that includes regular exercise, quality sleep, stress management, and lifelong learning — can further enhance cognitive function and longevity.

Your brain is incredibly adaptable, and every nourishing choice you make helps build a foundation for sharper thinking, stronger memory, and long-term cognitive well-being.

Read Next: 

• Fresh Herbs: How To Store, Use, and Enjoy Them Without Waste

The post The NEURO 9: Top Brain Healthy Foods and Recipes for Optimal Health appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

Sadly, most of the drugs intended to treat dementia and Alzheimer’s have not lived up to their promise. While there have been some recent breakthroughs, the new drugs still don’t prevent the onset of cognitive decline. Instead, the most effective, such as lecanemab (sold under the brand name Leqembi), appear to only slightly slow its progression, while carrying significant side effects

Exercise isn’t a pill, so it can’t be patented. But while that makes it far less marketable, it’s no less remarkable. We’ve known for millennia that lifestyle plays a major role in the development (or not) of chronic disease. And studies conducted over the past half-century show conclusively that exercise is one of the best lifestyle tools for healthy aging and the prevention and management of a wide variety of conditions and diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, stroke — and dementia.

Prevention of that last one, dementia, has a particularly strong association with exercise. Alzheimer’s organizations recommend exercise as a means to reduce the risk of the disease. And it can also be beneficial for people already living with the disease.

So, how does exercise impact the brain in such a positive way? What do the studies really say about dementia and Alzheimer’s prevention and management? And are there any particular exercises that are most beneficial for dementia?

What Is Dementia?

Dementia is an umbrella term for a series of progressive neurological conditions. It involves loss of the ability to think, remember, and reason — and sometimes to control emotions and behaviors. Changes in certain brain regions cause neurons (nerve cells) and their connections to stop working properly. For the most part, the actual causes of dementia are unknown.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, but it isn’t the only kind. Other types of dementia include frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia, Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD), and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.

While there’s no cure for dementia, medications and lifestyle modifications can slow disease progression. Lifestyle strategies can also reduce the risk of disease development, sometimes in significant ways. Let’s look at what the research says about one lifestyle strategy in particular: physical activity.

The Research on Exercise and Dementia

Because researchers aren’t sure what causes Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, they’re uncertain about how exercise works to prevent it, slow its progression, and even improve cognitive functions in patients with Alzheimer’s.

But work it does.

One mechanism of action may be the effect of exercise directly on the brain. It can increase blood flow to the brain, promote the growth of new brain cells, and enhance synaptic connections, which are essential for cognitive functions.

Studies also suggest that exercise can reduce neuroinflammation caused by neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid deposits in the brain, which are key factors in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s.

Preventive Effects of Exercise

One question about exercise and dementia protection is, how much exercise are we talking about? While there are a number of studies showing that walking 6,000 steps per day or more is associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s, not all older adults are able to engage in that much activity. Is some exercise better than no exercise?

You bet it is.

A 2023 study explored if less exercise was still beneficial, and found that for adults over the age of 50, even a single session of walking 15–30 minutes per week (1,500–3,000 steps or so) looked like it cut dementia risk in half. And people who were able to walk 15–30 minutes almost every day had one-fifth the risk compared to those who didn’t exercise at all.

Some recent studies have looked at how exercise affects brain physiology as well as function. A 2023 meta-analysis of 12 clinical trials found that exercise improved such cognitive skills as global cognition (that’s overall cognitive function — not some super skill at memorizing capital cities on a globe) and executive function (organization and decision-making), but didn’t affect processing speed or short-term memory. (So it probably won’t help to jump up and down if you’ve misplaced your keys.)

The clinical trials also included EEG (electroencephalogram) and fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) assessments that showed that exercise improved how neurons in the brain functioned in response to stimuli.

And in a 2023 review article, researchers noted that exercise can reduce the risk of dementia by decreasing the odds that a person will develop heart disease and diabetes, both of which are linked to mild cognitive decline. It also helps keep blood vessels healthy, making it easier for blood to flow (which can reduce high blood pressure).

On a smaller scale, within the body’s cells, aerobic exercise might help reduce brain inflammation and improve the flexibility of neuronal synapses by releasing compounds with fun names like irisin, cathepsin B, CLU, and GPLD1.

Disease Management

Research also shows that exercise can help people who already have dementia.

One 2022 meta-analysis of 16 clinical trials found that Alzheimer’s patients who exercised 3–4 times per week for 30–45 minutes improved their global cognition after just 12 weeks.

Another 2022 meta-analysis of 15 randomized controlled trials found that 30-minute exercise sessions 3 times a week significantly improved scores on a test called the MMSE (mini-mental state examination) which is widely used to assess cognitive function. (It includes questions about where you are and the current date, as well as tasks such as copying a drawing and writing a short grammatically correct sentence.)

Yet another 2022 meta-analysis (clearly, this was a banner year for dementia-exercise meta-analyses) looked at 22 studies, involving more than 1,600 Alzheimer’s patients, that examined the effect of exercise on cognitive functioning. The aggregate data shows that physical activity improved MMSE scores, as well as the results of other cognitive tests (including one specifically for executive function.)

Why Exercise Benefits the Brain

As we’ve seen, researchers are currently looking for mechanisms by which exercise improves cognitive health and resilience. Two popular ideas are that physical activity reduces the buildup of harmful substances in the brain and that it encourages the growth of new brain cells and connections.

To be more specific, exercise increases the expression of neurotrophic (“neuron-growing”) factors like brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF — we’ll meet it again in a little bit) and vascular endothelial growth factor, both of which are essential for neuroplasticity and cognitive function.

Increased Blood Flow to the Brain

Exercising increases your heart rate, which increases blood flow throughout your body. And that includes your brain. Researchers have discovered that when your brain gets more blood, its metabolism increases.

This is important because people with dementia may have decreased blood flow due to vascular changes (as in vascular dementia), degeneration of nerve cells and blood vessels, and cardiovascular diseases that accompany or precede cognitive decline.

Another factor is a condition known as blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction. The blood-brain barrier is the “security guard” of the brain, keeping out toxins and pathogens while allowing in the compounds that the brain requires to function. When this barrier breaks down or stops working, neurodegeneration and brain shrinking can occur, often well before the appearance of clinical symptoms of dementia.

Enhanced Amyloid Beta Turnover

One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease is the production and deposition of the amyloid beta peptide (Aβ, if you want to sound like a scientist) in the brain. Abnormally high levels of this protein, which also can be found in healthy brains, clump together to form deposits that interfere with proper cell function.

Physical activity can help decrease amyloid-beta deposition and increase its clearance from the brain, which may contribute to the prevention or management of Alzheimer’s disease.

Neurogenesis

Meet your hippocampus, a brain region that serves multiple functions — the main ones (and those most related to dementia) include learning, memory, and emotional regulation. (Note to self: Please stop picturing hippos wearing graduation gowns while thinking about the hippocampus.)

Through a process called exercise-mediated hippocampal neurogenesis, healthy brains generate new neurons that get incorporated into hippocampal circuits. It appears that one of the drivers of this process is BDNF, which is known to increase with physical activity.

Alzheimer’s disease disrupts the balance between neurogenesis and neurodegeneration, favoring destruction over building. Exercise can restore the balance, at least to some degree, by combatting neurodegeneration caused by dementia.

Mood Improvement

Mood is affected in many types of dementia, both because of physical changes in the brain and as a reaction to the disease and its impact. People with severe dementia have lower endorphin levels, which are associated with pain relief, stress reduction, and mood enhancement.

Anyone who’s experienced a “runner’s high” or has felt blissed-out on the yoga mat knows that exercise can improve mood by increasing endorphin levels and triggering the release of lots of other “happy juices” (that’s a bit of jargon I dearly wish neurologists would adopt). Among them are serotonin and dopamine, both associated with pleasure and reward.

How Much Exercise Is Beneficial?

There is no set amount or type of exercise that is prescribed specifically for dementia management and prevention. One study found that people between the ages of 40 and 79 who took 9,826 steps per day were 50% less likely to develop dementia within seven years. (When I read the article, I thought, “That’s a weirdly specific number,” until I saw that it was an average.)

Walking is great and accessible to many people, but it’s far from the only option. A 2022 study of a cohort in the UK found that everything from vigorous exercise to housework-related activity reduced the risk of several types of dementia.

And exercises that are good for the heart are also good for the brain. They trigger the body to produce more nitric oxide, a key chemical that dilates blood vessels and improves blood flow — and that is low in Alzheimer’s patients.

Health organizations like the US CDC and the UK’s Department of Health recommend that adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, and 2 days of muscle strengthening activity.

Researchers also agree that adults should aim to minimize their sedentary time, as being physically active at any level is better than no physical activity at all. There’s good evidence, as we’ve already seen, that even light activity makes a difference when it comes to dementia prevention.

That said, moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity seems to have the most benefit. And older adults may also want to add balance-improving exercises at least twice a week.

Exercises for Dementia and Alzheimer’s Management and Prevention

Dementia prevention is not limited to one activity or even one type of activity. This makes sense since the point of exercise is to move, raise the heart rate (even if only slightly), and engage with the physical world.

A 2022 review and meta-analysis titled “Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia” found that a wide variety of activities could lower dementia risk. These included “walking for exercise, hiking or excursions, jogging or running, swimming, stair-climbing, bicycling, using exercise machines, playing ball games or racket sports, participating in group exercises, performing qigong or yoga, performing calisthenics, and dancing.”

The researchers’ conclusion, given the breadth of possibilities, was, very scientifically, for people to “do the exercise that you like.”

There are four main categories of exercise to choose from in building your anti-dementia movement protocol. These include aerobic exercise, strength and resistance training, balance exercises, and whole-body vibration exercise.

Aerobic Exercise

As we’ve seen, anything that benefits the heart benefits the brain. And one of the best ways to take care of both (and pretty much every other part of your body) is a regular regimen of aerobic exercise — that is, movement that raises your heart rate.

According to the WHO (the World Health Organization, not the guys who did Tommy), aerobic activity should be performed in sessions of at least 10 minutes, with the aim of getting to 150 minutes of moderate exertion or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week.

These may include any of the following, as well as similar activities:

• Brisk walking
• Running
• Dancing and aerobics classes
• Basketball
• Biking
• Swimming and water aerobics
• Hiking
• Tennis or table tennis
• Gardening
• Household chores (I have a feeling my wife is going to love reminding me of this one!)

Some researchers distinguish between open-skill and closed-skill exercises for dementia prevention. Open-skill exercises, which require participants to make active decisions and adapt to unpredictable situations, appear to be more effective in maintaining cognitive function. Sports like tennis, table tennis, badminton, and all ball sports are examples of open-skill exercises.

Closed-skill exercises include using a treadmill, stationary bicycle, or other aerobic machine, or even walking on an even surface. (And no, I don’t recommend dodging traffic on the freeway to make your morning walk more challenging.)

Strength and Resistance Training

Muscle size and strength are strongly associated with good cognitive health. Some studies show improvements in memory immediately after a single session of weight training. There’s compelling evidence that challenging and strengthening muscles positively affects both cognitive performance and brain physiology.

Here are some forms of resistance training that have been shown to reduce the risk of dementia:

• Dumbbell exercises
• Weight lifting
• Using gym equipment
• Calisthenics (push-ups, planks, sit-ups, etc.)
• Using resistance bands

Balance Exercise

While exercises designed to challenge and improve balance haven’t been proven to improve cognition, they do have the benefit of reducing falls in people with mild to severe dementia. This matters because people with mild cognitive impairment fall about twice as often as people who are not cognitively impaired.

Balance exercises include, among other things:

• Yoga and chair yoga
• Tai chi
• Step-ups
• Knee lifts
• Standing on one foot

And here’s a nice article on other exercises for seniors looking to improve their balance.

Whole-Body Vibration Exercise

Machines that gently vibrate the whole body can mimic the effects of exercise on muscle fibers and bones. Whole-body vibration exercises can induce changes at the cellular and even molecular levels, and are known to provide neuromuscular, respiratory, and cardiovascular benefits.

They have also been shown to improve cognitive function in people with dementia. This is an especially exciting option for people with limited mobility for whom more vigorous forms of activity are impossible. If that sounds interesting, check out the Editor’s Note about the Power Plate below.

Get Moving — Your Brain Depends on It!

There’s a compelling relationship between physical activity and brain health, particularly as it relates to dementia prevention and management. Exercise plays a vital role not just in enhancing physical well-being but also in bolstering cognitive functions, delaying the onset of dementia, and mitigating the effects of neurodegenerative diseases. From aerobic exercises to strength training to balance activities, the variety of beneficial physical activities suggests that incorporating any form of regular exercise into one’s lifestyle can significantly contribute to brain health.

While the exact amount and type of exercise that’s ideal for each person may vary, the overarching message is clear: Staying active at any level is preferable to inactivity. Embracing exercise as a preventative and therapeutic tool in the fight against dementia offers a hopeful pathway.

And if you’re a younger person reading this and thinking, “OK, I’ll start exercising when I hit my 60s,” you may want to start sooner. Researchers in Australia measured the fitness levels of a group of children in 1985 and then followed up more than 30 years later. They reported in 2022 that the kids with the highest fitness levels turned into adults with the highest levels of cognitive functioning. It’s never too early to take charge of your health destiny!

Tell us in the comments:

• Which exercises might you add to your regular routine to protect your cognitive health?

Featured Image: iStock.com/adamkaz

Read Next:

• 9 Key Brain Health Resources You Need to Know About (and 2 Recipes!)
• Building Muscle on a Plant-Based Diet: The Best Foods & Nutrients to Eat

The post Exercise and Dementia: How Activity Protects Cognitive Health appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

The principal messengers in your body are known as neurotransmitters, sending information back and forth between your brain and other parts of your nervous system. Your neurotransmitters have profound impacts on your mental health and overall well-being, influencing mood, sleep, and the ability to bounce back from perceived stressors.

For a long time, the thought was that the role of these messengers was to trigger actions and reactions in the body. But in 1957, researchers published an article that shook the world of neurobiology, reporting on a substance found in crayfish neurons that was inhibitory — that is, rather than causing stuff to happen, the role of this new neurotransmitter was to calm things down. (Our view on the use of animals in medical research is here.)

Nicknamed the “calm chemical,” GABA was found to have a profound link to sleep quality and mental health. And its magic powers are especially relevant these days.

Approximately 10% of the adult population globally suffers from an insomnia disorder, and another 20% have occasional bouts of insomnia. Chronic insomnia is often linked to both depression and anxiety in a vicious cycle: The more anxious or depressed a person becomes, the harder it is to fall asleep and stay asleep.

So what is GABA’s relationship to sleep and mental health (and other important health benefits)? What impacts GABA in the brain? Is it possible to increase your GABA levels? And if so, what are some of the best ways to do so?

What Is GABA?

GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in your nervous system. By inhibitory, I mean that it slows down the rate of exchange of information between neurons to keep you from getting overwhelmed. If you were to eavesdrop on neuroscientists talking about GABA, you’d hear phrases like “reduces neuronal excitability by inhibiting nerve transmission.”

When your neuronal excitability is inhibited (wouldn’t it be great if neuroscientists started writing Valentine’s Day cards?), that produces a calming effect, and helps control anxiety, stress, and fear.

GABA exists throughout the brain, including in the hippocampus, basal ganglia, and brain stem. In fact, it’s so important to the health of your nervous system that 60–75% of all synapses in the brain may be part of the GABAergic system (that is, the neurons that release and take up GABA). As a result, there’s an association between decreased GABA levels and a bunch of physical and mental health disorders.

Its chief “rival” neurotransmitter is glutamate, which is excitatory in the nervous system, ramping up alertness to threat and opportunity, and preparing you to take immediate and decisive action when you perceive either. Both glutamate and GABA are required for optimal brain function — just as you wouldn’t want to jump with fear at every snap of a twig, you also wouldn’t want to be like, “Hey there, cute furry guy” when hearing the snarl of a saber-toothed tiger behind you.

In a wonderful example of either irony or complex interdependence, glutamate is a precursor for the formation of GABA. So without the excitatory neurotransmitter, you couldn’t make the inhibitory one. The key isn’t to eliminate one in favor of the other but to have a healthy balance so that you can respond appropriately to your environment.

GABA also works together with vitamin B6 as well as serotonin, a neurotransmitter that’s connected to experiences of pain and emotion. When serotonin activity increases, more GABA releases into the nervous system.

How GABA Benefits Your Body

GABA plays a role in some of your body’s most important functions and processes, and an imbalance of this neurotransmitter can show up in many ways.

GABA Decreases Stress, Anxiety, and Depression

Anxiety disorders occur when the brain gets stuck in loops of fear and worry. The two main parts of the brain involved in this process are the amygdala, which is always on the alert for potential threats, and the prefrontal cortex.

GABA plays a big role in managing these assessments of fear and response. When GABA’s action is out of balance, you might experience greater anxiety in response to past threats that are no longer present, or present situations that aren’t actually dangerous.

People with depression often have lower levels of GABA, and clinical studies with depressed individuals using brain imaging have identified abnormal patterns of GABA concentrations and activity. This has led researchers to suggest imbalances in excitatory and/or inhibitory neurotransmitter signaling may play a critical role in depression.

GABA and Sleep

A 2016 study gave a GABA supplement to people suspected of having a sleep disorder. The supplement helped the study participants fall asleep faster and increased their deep sleep. They also reported subjective improvements in the quality of their sleep.

GABA was quickly taken up into the bloodstream, reaching its highest level 30 minutes after being taken, and then decreased. This suggests that GABA’s positive effects on the early part of sleep could be related to how it’s absorbed and processed in the body.

When it comes to sleep, GABA might be especially helpful when taken alongside the amino acid L-theanine. A 2019 study explored the effects of GABA and L-theanine (a calming agent found in green tea) on sleep duration and quality in rodents. The research involved giving mice and rats caffeine to mess with their sleep, and then administering GABA, L-theanine, or a GABA/L-theanine combination, and measuring aspects of their sleep.

The mix of GABA and L-theanine helped the animals fall asleep faster and sleep longer compared to when they were given either substance alone. The animals also had more deep, restorative sleep and more REM sleep, even after being given the caffeine.

Does GABA Lower Blood Pressure?

A 2023 study explored the effects of drinking oolong tea enriched with GABA. The study found that drinking this GABA-enriched tea every day for 28 days lowered blood pressure in all participants. It was especially effective for those who started with slightly high blood pressure. Additionally, participants felt more relaxed and reported an improvement in their quality of life by the end of the study.

A 2018 study looked at whether GABA-enriched brown rice (GEBR), could help lower blood pressure and reduce stress on the bodies of rats that had a tendency towards hypertension. In a couple of experiments, the group of rats eating GEBR had lower average blood pressure readings than the rats given food not enriched with GABA. They also showed signs of less bodily stress, suggesting that GABA might help prevent high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering stress in humans as well.

GABA and Brain Health

A 2018 study explored if a fermented seaweed supplement (called FST) with a high concentration of GABA could help older adults by protecting their brain health and physical abilities. Forty seniors were split into two groups: One took the FST supplement, and the other took a placebo. The results showed that those who took FST did better on memory and thinking tests, walked more efficiently, and also had higher levels of antioxidants (which protect the body from damage).

GABA may also play a key role in preventing the development of some neurodegenerative diseases. One promising approach involves a drug called bumetanide, which has shown some potential to be helpful in treating Alzheimer’s disease by helping restore the normal calming action of GABA in the brain.

GABA and Hormones

As you age, your body produces fewer hormones, which can lead to problems in how cells in the brain communicate. The GABAergic system, which helps balance the activity of brain cells, can be especially affected by aspects of aging. When this system functions suboptimally, it can lead to disturbances in the balance of excitation and inhibition in the brain and throughout the body, affecting nearly every organ system.

Diabetes is a hormonally-based disease, caused by the body’s impaired ability to either make or use insulin (or both). In 2021, researchers tested a form of GABA branded as Remygen, to see if it could help people with type 1 diabetes (the kind in which the pancreas can no longer produce enough insulin). They gave different doses of this substance to six men with diabetes and found that GABA helped improve their bodies’ natural response to low blood sugar.

Is There Such Thing as a GABA Deficiency?

Given how important GABA is for so many aspects of health, it’s reasonable to ask: “Can someone be deficient in GABA?” (Especially if the someone you’re wondering about is you or someone you love.)

True GABA deficiency is an extremely rare and deadly childhood disorder. But low GABA levels have been observed in people with certain mental health conditions and neurodegenerative disorders.

For people who struggle with mood and sleep disorders, there are many factors that could be involved. And suboptimal GABA levels might be one of those factors. It’s hard to tell, though — most GABA is in the brain, not the blood, so a blood test would not provide an accurate measure. To get a clearer picture, you’d need a lumbar puncture (aka spinal tap), which is about as uncomfortable and invasive as it sounds, so it’s not commonly done. Instead, it’s a last-resort kind of diagnostic.

Biomarker testing is available that can assess normal or elevated levels of GABA. But this is an indirect measurement because it’s not measuring GABA specifically, but rather the presence or absence of other biomarkers involved in the GABA pathway.

What Causes Low GABA?

So if low GABA levels may be a problem in psychiatric or sleep disorders as well as certain chronic diseases, how does GABA get low in the first place? Let’s take a look at a few possibilities.

A High-Fat Diet

Low-carb, high-fat diets have been around for decades (think Atkins, the ketogenic diet, or carnivore diets). And while they have many followers, research shows that diets high in fat contribute to chronic disease, especially when that fat comes from animal products.

It seems that high-fat diets aren’t doing your mood or sleep patterns any favors, either. When researchers at the Universidad de Guanajuato in Mexico tested a high-fat diet on rats, they found it decreased available GABA in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. It also caused the rats to gain weight and increased their blood glucose levels. The researchers concluded that too much fat actually disrupts GABA activity and can impact appetite and other eating behaviors.

Nutrient Deficiencies

Low levels of certain nutrients involved in GABAergic pathways may also contribute to reduced GABA in the brain.

Vitamin B6 is essential for the formation of numerous neurotransmitters, including GABA. It also has an effect on the GABA system and may be able to regulate GABA and glutamate levels. Animal studies show that a B6 deficiency contributes to low levels of GABA and even potentially brain damage during infancy.

Both the amino acids glutamine and theanine are important for GABA synthesis as well.

Although glutamine is not an essential amino acid, it’s what’s known as “conditionally essential” since it’s important when dealing with certain conditions like illness or stress. As a result, diet is a major source of glutamine, and foods like whole grains, in addition to both plant and animal-based proteins, can contribute to its synthesis.

Theanine also has a dietary component, and is found in green tea and mushrooms. Interestingly, theanine can work with and contribute to glutamine production, helping to alleviate bodily stress. Low levels of theanine can also alter glutamate transport, affecting its conversion to GABA.

Prolonged Stress and Depression

While GABA can prove beneficial in dealing with stress, depression, and other mood disorders, it may be a bit of a “chicken or egg” scenario. Research shows that GABA transmission throughout the brain may become dysregulated when people are dealing with chronic stress or depression.

One study looked at GABA receptors in the amygdala — the place in the brain where emotion is attached to memories. When mice were subjected to prolonged stress, they experienced increased hypervigilance and the loss of GABA receptor currents, which decreased the effectiveness of GABA’s inhibitory abilities.

If you or your health care team suspect that you may have suboptimal GABA levels, don’t add to stress by worrying about it. There are things you can do to help increase GABA.

How to Increase GABA Naturally

While biomedical researchers are exploring pharmaceutical options to increase GABA in the nervous system (see the next section below), there are natural ways to balance GABA levels, too.

Exercise

In a 2018 study on the effects of high-intensity exercise on the human brain, researchers found that after a 20-minute session of intense cycling, the concentration of GABA increased by 20% in the sensorimotor cortex, a region involved in movement control.

Then in 2019, researchers investigated the effects of exercise on the GABAergic inhibitory system in the brain region involved in controlling blood pressure and heart rate in hypertensive rats. The results showed that exercise training increased GABA synthesis while also leading to a reduction in heart rate and blood pressure.

Complementary Approaches

In 2020, researchers investigated the impact of a 12-week yoga intervention on GABA levels and depressive symptoms in people with major depressive disorder. They found that doing yoga 2–3 times a week increased GABA levels and lowered self-reported depressive symptoms. The authors suggested that regular yoga sessions could help people alleviate their depression.

A 2021 study also explored the effects of a meditation technique called Integrated Amrita Meditation (IAM) on anxiety, depression, and certain chemicals in the blood, including GABA. The researchers divided participants into two groups: those new to IAM who practiced it for just a week, and those who had been practicing IAM for over four years. They also included a control group of people who did not practice meditation or yoga.

The findings showed that practicing IAM for just one week significantly reduced feelings of anxiety and depression, but didn’t lead to changes in heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels, or levels of dopamine and GABA. However, long-term IAM practitioners did have higher levels of GABA in their blood, especially compared to those who didn’t practice meditation.

Drink Tea

Green tea contains an amino acid called L-theanine — which we encountered earlier — that enhances the activity of GABA. Some teas also have GABA added to them. A 2019 study found that drinking GABA-enriched oolong tea reduced stress levels and improved heart rate variability (HRV) compared to controls.

With certain methods for producing GABA-enriched teas, the beverages’ normal GABA levels increased by an impressive 1,000–2,000%, making them potential “neuro-nutraceuticals” that could improve mental and physical health in a meaningful way.

Eat GABA Foods

GABA is in many foods. As you might expect of a neurotransmitter used by mammals, some of the foods with the highest quantities are meat and other animal products. But GABA can also be found in abundance in some fermented or sprouted foods.

The main producers of GABA are pretty low on the food chain; it’s synthesized largely by lactic acid bacteria. But your brain can produce GABA endogenously; it requires glutamate, as we’ve seen, as well as vitamin B6. And magnesium also stimulates and modulates GABA receptors, increasing their activity.

So rather than eating animal foods for their GABA concentrations — foods that also come with a host of unwanted health and environmental effects — you can instead choose plant foods that have great potential to increase your own body’s ability to synthesize and utilize GABA.

1. Legumes

Several types of beans contain high GABA concentrations, which increase with germination of the beans prior to cooking. Some food scientists are busy looking for ways to increase GABA levels in legumes even more.

Even if beans didn’t do diddly for GABA, they’d still be great additions to most diets. Here’s our comprehensive article on the benefits of eating beans, including tips on how to prepare them and a bunch of delicious recipes.

2. Whole Grains

Whole grains can also deliver meaningful amounts of GABA. A 2023 study out of China found that GABA could be increased in certain strains of black rice through specific methods of germination under cold stress. (I can picture the rice plants shivering in the growing labs.)

The interventions have gotten increasingly creative. Another 2023 study explored how to increase GABA levels in quinoa by stressing the seeds with ultrasound prior to germination. (It’s only a matter of time before they start playing different genres of music to manipulate GABA levels; for rhyming purposes, I’m rooting for the music of ABBA for GABA.)

Like beans, whole grains come with so many benefits, they probably deserve pride of place in most diets. Here’s our take on why whole grains are good for you, along with more yummy recipes.

3. Nuts and Seeds

Pumpkin seeds, in particular, have been found to increase GABA in ways that appear to improve mood and cognitive function. And in general, nuts and seeds are nutritional powerhouses associated with neurological health.

For more on the wonders of nuts and seeds, check out our full article here.

4. Spinach

Spinach has one of the highest concentrations of GABA among foods. Agricultural researchers have found that putting the spinach plant under various stressors increases GABA levels.

For more on spinach, we’ve got a comprehensive article for you here.

5. Potatoes

GABA was identified in potatoes in 1949, just a year before scientists first found the neurotransmitter in humans. The relatively high GABA concentrations in the tuber don’t seem to be affected by cooking methods like boiling or baking (which is a good thing for anyone who isn’t into raw potatoes).

In 2008, researchers found that potato juice could reduce convulsions in mice in whom seizures had been chemically induced. They theorized that the potato juice (and, by extension, the rest of the potato) was affecting the GABAergic brain pathways to calm the brain.

And while potatoes are a controversial food (they’re white, and high in carbohydrates), for most people, they’re a huge net positive to the diet. In this article, we share the research and top it off with some delicious potato recipes.

6. Tomatoes

In 2023, a group of scientists with a truly admirable ability to focus tested 98 different varieties of tomatoes to assess their GABA content. They found a wide variability, along with some interesting tidbits — such as GABA is higher in unripe tomatoes, while glutamate increases with ripening. Rather than overwhelm you with the details, I’ll give you the punch line: Eating tomatoes can increase your GABA levels.

If you’re curious about how and why tomatoes are such a rich source of GABA, you might be interested in this technical article about a biochemical process called the “GABA shunt.” If you just want to know if tomatoes are healthy overall, and the best ways to prepare and serve them, we’ve got you covered in our comprehensive tomato article.

7. Bananas

Bananas and other large fruits protected by an inedible peel (such as cherimoya, pineapple, and guava) are also some of the top GABA foods. And what’s more, there’s evidence that bananas and other fruits in the plantain family can have a modulating effect on the development of neurodegenerative disease.

Are bananas good for you in other ways? Find out in our big article on bananas, which shares enough health benefits to more than outweigh the risks of slipping on the peel.

GABAergic Drugs

As our understanding of the role of GABA in the brain and nervous system grows, it’s natural that the pharmaceutical industry has been targeting the neurotransmitter and its receptors for drug development.

GABAergic drugs can increase or decrease the activity or concentration of GABA in the brain. Drugs that activate GABA receptors (called agonists) or increase the receptors’ sensitivity, work to reduce the neuronal signals in the brain. These drugs are prescribed to treat anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions.

Benzodiazepines like Librium and Valium make use of GABA’s inhibitory properties to help reduce anxiety and promote sedation. Other GABA agonists include many common sedatives like barbital or quaaludes, tranquilizers like Xanax, and even alcohol.

There are also drugs that mimic the activity of GABA, such as Lyrica and gabapentin, which treat nerve pain and seizures.

Like most pharmaceuticals, however, GABA agonists and mimics come with a risk of unpleasant side effects.

What About GABA Supplements?

It was originally thought that ingested GABA could not cross the blood-brain barrier, but new research suggests that it may be able to, meaning that getting GABA into the bloodstream could affect GABA levels in the nervous system and brain.

Technically, the pathway suspected to allow GABA to transfer from food to the brain is known as the gut-brain axis. There’s a lot of fascinating research going on about the relationship between our gut microbiome and the neurotransmitters once thought to operate only in the nervous system. For example, 95% of the body’s serotonin is produced in the gut, not the nervous system.

GABA supplements (which are not currently evaluated by the FDA) are available in tablets, capsules, powders, and liposomal sprays. The GABA in supplements may be combined with other ingredients like L-theanine, ashwagandha, B6, or lemon balm to enhance absorption and relaxation effects.

GABA supplement safety has been tested by the nonprofit United States Pharmacopeia. And the organization found no serious adverse events associated with GABA at intakes up to 18 grams per day for 4 days, and in longer studies at intakes of 120 milligrams per day for 12 weeks.

The manufacturer’s recommended intake on the labeling delivers GABA in the range of 1.5 micrograms to 3,000 milligrams per day. For the majority of products, the recommended intake is 100 milligrams (in divided doses) of GABA per day.

While outcome studies are few, there is evidence that daily supplementation of 80 milligrams of GABA may be effective in the reduction of blood pressure in adults with mild hypertension.

Side effects are generally mild, if they present at all, but may include diarrhea, a burning sensation in the throat, and hypotension.

Supplements may be beneficial for some people, especially those who suffer from some of the conditions that we looked at earlier. But dietary sources and lifestyle strategies are probably most people’s first line of defense for dealing with low GABA levels.

Recipes with GABA Foods

Support your well-being in the tastiest way possible! Dive into our trio of GABA-rich recipes, designed not just to delight your palate but also to enhance your body’s neurotransmitter production. It’s a win-win: savoring mouthwatering dishes while nourishing your mental and physical health. Ready to give your mood and meals an uplift?

1. Rainbow Smoothie

Savor the taste of this Rainbow Smoothie, a delicious blend of bananas, apples, mixed berries, spinach, and chia seeds. A colorful smoothie like this one isn’t just a feast for the eyes; it contains tons of essential nutrients, including antioxidants and fiber. And it also features ingredients known to support GABA production, like vitamin B6 and magnesium, making it an ideal pick-me-up.

2. Misir Wot (Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew)

Discover the rich flavors of Ethiopian cuisine with Misir Wot, a vibrant, plant-based, and GABA-rich Ethiopian stew. This dish takes lentils to another level with a medley of savory tomatoes, veggies, and a rich berbere spice mix. Paired with injera, a teff-based bread that also can boost GABA levels, this stew is a feast for not just your taste buds but your neurotransmitters, too.

3. Broccoli Potato Casserole With Cashew Cheese

Creamy Broccoli Potato Casserole not only delights the taste buds but also supports mood and sleep. Enriched with GABA-enhancing ingredients like potatoes, cashews, walnuts, and miso, magnesium from Cashew Cheese, and vitamin B6 from broccoli and potatoes, there is no shortage of feel-good plants to embrace in each wholesome bite. Ideal for an anytime meal, this plant-based, wholesomely cheesy delight promises a dining experience you’ll eagerly anticipate.

Increase Your Calm with GABA

GABA is the brain’s calming agent. While true GABA deficiency is rare, suboptimal levels of this neurotransmitter may cause mood and health problems, especially in regard to stress, depression, and sleep. Therefore, supporting your body’s ability to produce GABA can benefit overall well-being.

And while GABA pharmaceuticals and supplements can offer a direct boost to GABA levels, they should, if used at all, complement rather than replace the foundational practices of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Tell us in the comments:

• Have you ever tried to raise your GABA levels, either naturally through food and lifestyle, or with supplements or pharmaceuticals?
• What did you know or believe about GABA before reading this article? Did anything here surprise you?
• Which GABA-boosting foods are already a part of your diet, and which ones might you add?

Featured Image: iStock.com/recep-bg

Read Next:

• Anxiety Self Help Strategies Using Diet & Lifestyle
• Is CBD Good For You? CBD Health Benefits, Varieties, & Best Practices
• How Mushrooms Can Help with Depression, Anxiety, and Your Overall Mental Health

The post GABA: How to Boost Your Brain’s Natural Antianxiety Defenses appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

When it comes to the health impacts of air pollution, most people think of lung and heart issues. However, a growing body of research suggests our brains could be at risk as well.

The brain starts developing weeks after conception, and like the rest of the body, continues to change throughout the rest of life, facing the threat of many environmental hazards — whether old, new, unknown, or unregulated. For instance, the effects of lead and mercury on the brain have been known for decades and still present a large global health problem. Many pesticides are neurotoxic, and yet remain available for use. Recent evidence suggests that fluoride, a compound used in public water supplies to reduce tooth decay, may also be neurotoxic.

But even the air humans breathe is associated with an increase in the risk of many brain-related conditions — whether people are exposed as children or as adults. Although US air pollution levels have come down in the past few decades, it’s been well-established how environmental contaminants and air pollution are linked to chronic medical conditions like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heart disease. And air pollution kills millions of people every year. Like other organs, the brain is not immune to environmental contaminants, and there is increasingly compelling evidence that air pollution is linked with conditions including autism spectrum disorders, dementia, and lower cognition.

“You only have one chance to develop a brain — you can’t go back and do it over or get a transplant,” says Philippe Grandjean, professor of environmental medicine at the University of Southern Denmark and an adjunct professor of environmental health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

While neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders have their own unique features, many share a lot of the same underlying brain tissue changes — and air pollution may exacerbate them.

“The risk of air pollution on the brain is a much broader risk factor than we’ve given it credit for,” says Deborah Cory-Slechta, professor of environmental medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

A Lifelong Impact

Air pollution can include a cocktail of things, from industrial emissions to heavy metals to pesticides to particulate matter and other airborne contaminants that can harm the human body, including, it seems more and more likely, the brain. Besides studying the brain-related health risks of individual contaminants in air pollution, scientists have studied how levels of particles that are 10 micrometers or smaller (PM10) and particles that are 2.5 micrometers or smaller (PM2.5) are associated with brain-related conditions.

Growing evidence suggests that air pollution may more deeply affect long-term human health, behavior, and functioning than originally thought. Experts say this motivates the need for science-driven regulations and policies to minimize exposure.

“We’re not just trying to prevent brain disease, we’re trying to protect optimal brain development to support the highest possible functioning level and quality of life in the interest of the next generation and society.”

Philippe Grandjean

Experts say that exposure to air pollution can potentially lead to brain inflammation. Inflammation is the body’s natural, protective response to fight harmful contaminants; however, too much inflammation may lead to brain-related impairments and disease. Besides inflammation, accumulation of magnetite particles and amyloid plaques (an Alzheimer’s-associated protein) have been observed in the brains of humans and animals exposed to air pollution.

Brain damage, whether in children or adults, can have a lifelong impact.

“The main concern is really that even minor dysfunction of the brain can have dramatic consequences,” Grandjean says. “You can live a normal life with decreased liver function, and you can donate a kidney for transplantation, and it won’t affect your health. But for the brain, every IQ point is important.”

While IQ is not a comprehensive measure of brain or social functioning, it has provided a good sense of whether contaminants may be damaging the brain, and losing IQ points can potentially impact one’s quality of life, education, and income.

“In regard to the brain, we need to prevent even the smallest adverse effects,” Grandjean says. “We’re not just trying to prevent brain disease, we’re trying to protect optimal brain development to support the highest possible functioning level and quality of life in the interest of the next generation and society.”

Some skeptics are quick to point out that the large number of human studies that have been published are observational, which they dismiss because a causal link between air pollution and adverse brain health hasn’t been demonstrated.

“If we let everything run on the free market and intervene when people develop signs and symptoms, we’ve missed the window of opportunity. If we took this science seriously, we could dramatically reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals.”

Bruce Lanphear

But, says Bruce Lanphear, professor of health sciences at Simon Fraser University, that line of thinking is incomplete. He points out that observational studies contributed to the conclusion that smoking causes lung cancer. “We do make inferences both from observational studies and parallel studies done in the lab,” he says. “When people dismiss these observational studies, they do so at the peril of public health.”

Furthermore, many animal studies have shown that air pollution negatively impacts animal brains. Although animal studies don’t necessarily mean the same findings translate to human beings, they are still controlled studies that provide strong, detailed evidence that air pollution negatively affects the brain. (Editor’s Note: Food Revolution Network’s view on the use of animals in medical research is here.)

What to Do?

In the battle to protect human health from air pollution, there has been some recent encouraging news. California recently passed legislation to require all cars sold in the state to be electric by 2035; currently, transportation is the biggest source of emissions in the state, and in announcing the legislation, the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, said, “For too many decades, we have allowed cars to pollute the air that our children and families breathe.” The move may gradually impact the automobile industry and motivate other states to pass similar legislation. Furthermore, researchers have estimated that the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cooperative effort involving a growing number of northeastern and mid-Atlantic states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, has prevented hundreds of cases of childhood illnesses (including autism) and saved hundreds of millions of dollars in costs.

Given these recent events, “you can see that we can accelerate the progress quite a bit,” Lanphear says. “But even if we do the science, testify in front of Congress, and serve on advisory boards — that is not sufficient [for change]. It’s not until the public gets involved.”

“We wait until the impairments are so obvious — but this is all structural, and it can be changed.”

Irva Hertz-Picciotto

For members of the public, actionable steps can take many forms, experts say, including limiting their own contributions to pollution, publicly voicing their concerns (as was the case in the Flint water crisis), supporting tighter regulation of known environmental hazards, challenging people who are skeptical of science, and supporting candidates for elected office who will protect the environment and human health.

But, says Irva Hertz-Picciotto, director of the UC Davis Environmental Health Sciences Center, “the burden shouldn’t be on everyone for every product we buy and eat. Too much happens after the fact. We wait until the impairments are so obvious — but this is all structural, and it can be changed.”

For scientists and public health experts, prevention makes the most sense.

“If we let everything run on the free market and intervene when people develop signs and symptoms, we’ve missed the window of opportunity,” Lanphear says. “If we took this science seriously, we could dramatically reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals.”

Hertz-Picciotto notes there are moneyed interests in maintaining the uses of certain chemicals, and that some pollutants that need to be regulated are already known, but protections that have been in place are in some ways being systematically dismantled. According to academic experts and non-governmental organizations, there are many chemicals that need regulatory oversight, as well as a growing trend in recent years of increased rollbacks of environmental legislation that will allow more pollution and a decrease in prosecutions of pollution-related violations of existing laws.

Meanwhile, some contaminants remain unregulated. For instance, unlike PM10 and PM2.5, ultrafine particles (that are 100 nanometers or less in diameter), including those generated from diesel exhaust, are unregulated everywhere despite having a relatively large surface area and ability to carry contaminants. Furthermore, most experts believe the ultrafine components of pollution carry the most adverse effects.

“They get to the bottom of your lungs and can go directly to the bloodstream,” Cory-Slechta says. “You can breathe them through your nose, and they can go directly to your brain.”

With US Environmental Protection Agency regulations, there have been reductions in PM10 and PM2.5 levels, but no organizations monitor ultrafine particles, let alone regulate them.

“In the nano-range, there’s a whole realm of effects of what’s happening biologically, including for nano-plastics — the normal defense systems in the brain and body don’t really pick them up,” Cory-Slechta says.

The effects of ultrafine particles on the brain are not all known yet, and there are likely more neurotoxic pollutants in the world that scientists are yet to discover. These risks are causes for concern — because each human only has one chance to develop a brain.

Kasra Zarei wrote this story as a participant in the Ensia Mentor Program. The mentor for the piece was Brian Bienkowski.

Tell us in the comments:

• What is the air quality like where you live?
• What pollution regulations, if any, exist in your area?
• How can you help limit the contamination of our atmosphere?

Feature Image: iStock.com/quickshooting

Read Next:

• Indoor Air Pollution: Here’s What You Need To Know

The post How Air Pollution Could be Harming Your Brain appeared first on Food Revolution Network.

What Is Brain Fog?

It’s important to know that brain fog isn’t a medical condition or a diagnosis on its own. Rather, it’s a symptom or feeling of being “mentally fuzzy,” sometimes with poor concentration, clarity, or speed of thought, or having difficulty recalling things or multitasking.

What Causes Brain Fog?

The causes of brain fog can range from fairly benign to quite serious. On the dangerous end of the spectrum, it can be a symptom of serious conditions, like hypoglycemia, nutrient deficiencies, impaired blood glucose control, viral infections, or even stroke. If you find yourself with a sudden onset of brain fog, especially alongside symptoms of dizziness, a sudden fall, or weakness in your limbs/drooping of your face, please seek emergency medical care immediately.

Other causes of brain fog can include chronic conditions like fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, or a transient response to food or environmental triggers. These include a “crash” after ingesting high amounts of sugar or caffeine, or as part of the symptoms reflecting an underlying food intolerance. Of note, long COVID syndrome is now also being associated with brain fog.

What Does Brain Fog Feel Like?

While there is no clinical diagnosis for brain fog, it is reported that symptoms of brain fog may include:

• slow thinking
• difficulty focusing
• confusion
• lack of concentration
• forgetfulness
• haziness in thought processes

Other than the cognitive symptoms, brain fog generally doesn’t feel like much — perhaps it may be associated with a headache, in the case of a hangover, but if any other physical symptoms present alongside it, this is also a reason to seek medical care.

Why Brain Fog Is Harmful

In and of itself, brain fog may not seem harmful, unless it’s part of the symptoms presenting with a serious condition such as stroke. However, for any of these causes, there may be short- and long-term consequences of the underlying etiology of brain fog.

Short-Term Consequences of Brain Fog

In an immediate sense, the most pressing consequences of brain fog may be slowed productivity, thinking, or decision-making, which may negatively impact your ability to complete work or tasks at home. If your work involves operating heavy machinery, for example, not being at your cognitive best can be particularly risky.

Long-Term Consequences of Brain Fog

Long-term consequences of brain fog are numerous. Continuing from the above example, lost productivity over a long period of time can have deleterious impacts on one’s career or work output.

From a “root cause” perspective, repeated episodes of blood sugar “crashes” can precipitate or worsen an underlying metabolic syndrome, contributing to conditions like diabetes, obesity, or high cholesterol.

Relying on caffeine to “fuel up” for the day and then “reboot” after an inevitable crash can also contribute to feelings of anxiety in those predisposed to it and poor sleep over a long period of time. In turn, chronic insomnia is implicated in many physical and psychiatric conditions, from diabetes and hypertension to depression, anxiety, and even dementia.

In terms of recovery from long COVID or long haulers syndrome, research is ongoing but we know that a sound diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods is always helpful in cases of neuroinflammation. Starting there is a good first step.

Get the latest brain health breakthroughs.

Join FRN CEO, Ocean Robbins, and the fabulous Team Sherzai, MD, to find out how you can slash your risk of Alzheimer’s in the Brain Breakthroughs Masterclass.

Sign up FREE right here

How Food Can Make Brain Fog Better or Worse

Brain fog might be preventable. In fact, diet might just be our secret weapon in fending it off. Nutrition has tremendous power to help us reduce mental cloudiness and maximize focus, productivity, and brainpower in the workplace.

Plainly speaking, avoiding foods that may contribute to brain fog and choosing foods that prevent it provide us with tangible means of optimizing our personal and professional performance. Using foundational principles of nutritional psychiatry, when we tap into our body’s own intelligence and mindfully add foods to our plate which truly nourish the brain, we unlock the potential to be our best selves — with every bite we take.

Worst Foods for Brain Fog

Here are some of the ways diet can contribute to brain fog, as well as some tips on how you can optimize with better choices.

• Too many simple, refined, and processed carbs: Foods like pastries, cookies, crackers, and white bread/grains can throw your blood glucose out of whack. Instead, choose foods rich in fiber to reduce sugar cravings, and opt for low-glycemic fruits like berries.
• Too much caffeine: This is especially true if consumed in combination with refined sugars, flavorings, and processed creams. Focus on tapping into your body intelligence to choose foods that bring you sustained energy.
• Alcohol, especially in excess: While low to moderate alcohol consumption may be fine in some cases, it is best to examine this choice on an individual basis — perhaps with the help of a doctor or mental health professional. If you notice that you crave alcohol, or ever drink more than you intended, it might be time to reconsider your relationship with drinking. You probably know this already, but it bears repeating: excessive alcohol consumption is literally poison for your brain.
• Foods that trigger unknown allergies: If you have chronic fatigue, joint aches, muscle pains, headaches, memory problems, or other persistent brain fog symptoms, this is something that certainly warrants a thorough medical evaluation and your doctor may need to check some blood work.
• Foods that trigger undiagnosed digestive troubles, including SIBO, ulcerative colitis, or Crohn’s disease: Common trigger foods for digestive issues include dairy, fried or processed foods, sugar, refined grains (especially ultra-processed wheat), carbonated sodas, caffeine, and alcohol. Large meals can also disrupt your gut-brain balance — it’s best to listen to your body’s needs and eat in a way that leaves you feeling nourished and not sluggish.

Top 5 Food Tips For Getting Rid of Brain Fog

On the other hand, nutritional psychiatry teaches us that we can take advantage of the properties of brain foods to boost our energy and clarity. The following pearls of advice are my fundamentals when it comes to optimizing cognition.

1. Beat brain fog with colorful fruits and veggies.

Fiber-rich, plant-based foods are packed with antioxidants, polyphenols, flavanols, vitamins, and minerals that help reduce inflammation in the brain and resist the effects of oxidative stress (the kind that damages cells, and even leads to premature aging). These superfoods can help improve focus, reduce fatigue, and enhance cognition for optimal performance.

I encourage you to try this out as a game with your family and friends: see how many new colors you can add in a day or a week to enhance the biodiversity in your diet. And another plus — eating the rainbow has also been linked to improved gut health!

2. Cook with herbs and spices.

Cooking with herbs and spices adds a delicious punch of brain-boosting molecules to food! For example, turmeric has an active ingredient called curcumin which has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties supporting positive moods and sharper focus. When you add turmeric with a pinch of black pepper to your cooking, the black pepper enhances curcumin absorption twentyfold. It’s also easy to add a teaspoon (with a pinch of black pepper!) to a warm tea, nourishing soup, or fresh smoothie.

For an antioxidant treat, check out my mood-boosting golden milk recipe:

3. Follow your body intelligence surrounding caffeine and alcohol.

Many of us “power up” in the morning and throughout the day with the help of caffeine, and then wind down in the evening with wine or cocktails. While both of these substances may have some health benefits when consumed in moderation, their effects are also highly specific to each individual and their microbiome. This is where I suggest tapping into your body intelligence, one of the pillars of nutritional psychiatry.

Pay close attention to whether caffeine helps you improve focus, or is actually overstimulating and causes uncomfortable jitteriness. Similarly, it’s important to gently recognize if, after a wine or cocktail, you toss and turn at night and wake up feeling poorly rested. This awareness can guide you to potentially adjust your consumption — I believe in balance! — to resist any negative impact on mental health and work productivity.

4. Stay hydrated for brain health.

Remaining properly hydrated is key for optimal brain health and function! Many symptoms of poor mental health and cognitive function are tied to dehydration. Dehydration can worsen or even precipitate anxiety, while conversely, staying hydrated is associated with decreased depression and anxiety.

Sipping on water throughout the day and including hydrating fruits and vegetables in the diet, such as cucumber and leafy greens, help maintain a steady supply of water within the body. Keep a stainless steel or glass water bottle on your work desk and remember to refill it a few times every day, or set a reminder on your phone to keep sipping!

5. Snack on nutrient-dense brain foods.

When hunger pangs strike between meals, or when you’re in need of a “pick-me-up,” opt for brain foods that help keep your cognition tip-top and sharp. Due to the location in the brain, hunger and thirst signals are sometimes confused, so try sipping on some hydrating water to overcome hunger pangs until you can reach out for a healthy, brain-food-filled snack.

Some of my favorite focus-enhancing snacks are a small square of extra dark (80%+) natural chocolate, a handful of walnuts, or a dish of berries, all of which contain fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that enhance our brainpower.

Or you can combine all of these foods into one superfood snack like this creamy and dairy-free chocolate mousse:

Foods for Brain Fog: Brain Health Recipes from FRN

When creating a brain-loving, plant-based meal, think lots of colors, a variety of textures, and a little bit of creaminess. That’s what you’ll get with the Food Revolution Network brain health recipes below. 

The creamy and colorful base of the Berry Delicious Omega-3 Smoothie Bowl with the crunchy toppings is not only fun to eat and scrumptious to taste, but it also contains lots of ingredients that help the brain thrive. The Avocado Salad is pretty enough to bring to a gathering with family and friends and tasty enough to devour by yourself — and it’s super nutritious to boot! Make the Kale Walnut Basil Pesto your go-to brain spread that is delicious on everything from wraps to tacos to grain bowls. And prepare FRN’s Trail Mix early in the week to snack on all week long whenever hunger calls. Finally, sip on the Mind Milk throughout the week, and let us know what your brain thinks about it!

1. Berry Delicious Omega-3 Smoothie Bowl

Boost your brainpower with a tasty bowl filled with a creamy blended delight of blueberries, strawberries, hemp seeds, and bananas. Berries contain antioxidants, hemp seeds have omega-3s, and bananas are filled with magnesium — all nutrients that the brain loves! Top the bowl with even more nutrient-dense goodness, like chia seeds, walnuts, and any other plant-based toppings that speak to you… and your brain!

2. Avocado Salad

Think vibrant colors, whole (plant) foods, and flavorful spices whenever creating a brain-loving meal. Avocados take center stage with their healthy fats and abundant magnesium. They’re complemented in both flavor and nutrition through red onions, leafy greens, and black beans, all of which offer even more nutrition that supports a healthy brain and no brain fog. This scrumptious salad is one to add to your recipe library!

3. Kale Walnut Basil Pesto

Walnuts, kale, and basil, oh my! Your brain is going to love this delicious, nutrient-powered spread that can be used as a dip for veggies, spread into collard leaves for wraps, or tossed in spiralized zucchini noodles — and that’s just the beginning! Leave a comment to let us know how you choose to use this Kale Walnut Basil Pesto.

4. FRN’s Trail Mix

Smart snacking means keeping your blood sugar stable and hunger at bay until you’re ready for a full meal. Mindful nibbling on nuts and seeds can satisfy your crunch cravings, provide long-lasting energy, and feed your brain the nutrients it needs to thrive. Make a batch early in the week so you have it to munch on all week long!

5. Mind Milk

Any guesses as to what’s in this mind-supporting, brain-nourishing beverage? If you guessed turmeric, matcha green tea, and cinnamon, hooray! There’s also an optional bonus ingredient, Lion’s Mane mushrooms. If you choose to use it, you may notice even more focus, improved memory, and reduced inflammation. If you’re caffeine-sensitive, simply omit the matcha — this drink is still fabulous and nutritious without it.

Optimize to Get Rid of Brain Fog

Maximizing whole, nutrient-dense foods and decreasing ultra-processed food intake are vital elements of eating to boost cognitive clarity. And the benefits of consuming a variety of phytonutrient-rich fruits and veggies are boundless. Combining my five tips with Food Revolution Network’s recipes can be a powerful prescription for getting rid of brain fog.

Tell us in the comments:

• Have you ever experienced brain fog? What was it like?
• What brain-boosting foods have you tried before?
• Have you ever identified an unknown food allergy or sensitivity?

Read Next:

• 9 Key Brain Health Resources You Need to Know About (and 2 Recipes!)

The post How to Get Rid of Brain Fog: Top 5 Tips & Recipes From Dr. Uma Naidoo appeared first on Food Revolution Network.