Health

Does Nutrition Affect Cognitive Function?

Nuestra Función Cognitiva

Debido a que tantos nutrientes contribuyen a la función cognitiva, debería concentrarse en mantener una dieta equilibrada y saludable que le proporcione todos los nutrientes que necesita para la cognición.

Nutrition affects many facets of your life – a healthy diet gives you energy to support an active life, protects you from infection and helps you look your best. Healthy foods also benefit your mind, nourishing cells within your brain that allow for cognitive functioning – recalling information, learning and perceiving the world around you. Getting enough nutrients in your diet supports cognitive functioning, while nutrient deficiencies or a poor diet decrease cognition.

Fats and Proteins

Getting enough fats and proteins in your diet helps maintain cognitive function. Proteins provide you with a range of amino acids, including tyrosine and tryptophan. Your body uses both amino acids to produce neurotransmitters – brain-signaling chemicals required for cognition.

Healthy fats also help with cognitive functioning. Omega-3 fatty acids, the unsaturated fats found in fish and some nut and seed oils, promote brain function. Low levels of these fats in your body can hinder cognitive function, and also cause neurological disorders, such as depression, that threaten your mental health.

Vitamins

Una dieta variada, rica en vitaminas, también ayuda a que su cerebro funcione correctamente para apoyar la cognición. Varias vitaminas B, incluidas las vitaminas B-3, B-6 y B-12, ayudan a su cuerpo a convertir el triptófano en neurotransmisores. La vitamina B-12 también mantiene las células del cerebro cubiertas de mielina, una sustancia grasa que ayuda a que los nervios se comuniquen de manera efectiva. Las vitaminas C y E también podrían ayudar a preservar la función cognitiva a medida que envejecemos, informa el Instituto Franklin. Las vitaminas ayudan a combatir la demencia, una condición caracterizada por la disminución de la cognición y los cambios de personalidad.

Minerals

Cognitive functioning also relies on minerals from your diet. Sodium, potassium and calcium all help your brain cells produce action potentials – small electrochemical signals that transmit information between nerve cells. Magnesium also contributes to cognition. Like vitamin B-12, magnesium helps maintain your myelin sheath. It also activates enzymes that your brain cells need to produce usable energy, so that the cells responsible for cognitive function have access to the fuel they need to function.

Eating for Cognitive Function

Because so many nutrients contribute to cognitive function, you should focus on maintaining a balanced and healthy diet that will provide all the nutrients you need for cognition. Some foods prove particularly rich in cognition-friendly nutrients. Salmon, for example, contains many nutrients required for cognition –protein, omega-3 fatty acids, B-vitamins, vitamin E and potassium. Kale also contains nutrients for cognition, offering protein, B-vitamins and calcium.

 

suficientes grasas y proteinas

If you’ve noticed a decrease in your cognitive functioning, be sure you talk to your physician about your symptoms. Cognitive decline can develop for a number of reasons, and a trained medical professional can determine the underlying cause and prescribe an appropriate treatment

 

Source:  Sylvie Tremblay

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