4 things you didn’t know your brain needs
Reading time: 
If aging is an irreversible process, our brain keeps its ability to make neurons all its life. It must still be maintained, because brain health is above all a question of exercise. Discover with us a few things you didn’t know your brain needs.
Things you didn’t know your brain needs
A positive state of mind
Self-confidence and motivation are playing a big role in success. When you are not motivated, you have the impression that nothing makes sense and you lack interest, as if all that is asked is absurd. Lack of motivation is a factor in academic failure.
It is important to feel that you have power over a situation, that you can always develop your skills, that you are able to find solutions to problems, that you can trust your intelligence. Children and adolescents need to know that they can count on adults who have faith in them and who will encourage them.
Finally, seeing your friends and family is a basic need. The human brain is social: isolation is a source of stress and empathy has real well-being power. Playing, sharing emotions, talking about experiences, being encouraged is very beneficial for the brain.
Slow sugars at breakfast
The brain monopolizes 20% of the sugar consumed by the whole organism. Absorbing slow sugars in the morning (wholegrain bread and cereals) helps improve the speed of information processing and memorization for the day. At dinner, pasta, rice or lentils, peas or dry beans provide the fuel necessary for the brain, which stores the information of the day during the night.
Take care of your intestines
There is a saying that our intestines are our second brain. This is enough to convince you to take care of your microbiota, this organ that was under the spotlight for a few years and which qualifies your intestinal flora. And for that, nothing better than a diet rich in prebiotic foods. These, such as artichokes or chicory, have the ability to treat the good bacteria that live in your intestines. You might as well not miss it.
Treat yourself
As we age, the number of receptors for a very specific neurotransmitter, dopamine, decreases at the synapses between neurons. This messenger is strongly linked to our feelings and acts mainly in the frontal lobes. When dopamine activity slows down, you lose your inhibitions and say things you normally wouldn’t have dared to say. As this region of the brain also controls concentration, it is not uncommon to have the mind elsewhere.
To limit as much as possible the slowdown in dopamine activity, we can react while having fun: going to the cinema, reading a good book, seeing friends, etc. It feels good and it’s good for the memory.
Interesting facts about things you didn’t know your brain needs
- The brain represents 2% of the total weight of the body but it consumes 20% of our energy;
- It spends 10 times more energy than other organs, so it needs to be fed and hydrated regularly;
- The brain needs vitamins C and B (B1, B3, B9, B12), protein, oxygen, fatty acids, iron and water;
- The poor nutritional quality of breakfast reduces performance by 10%, according to Jean-Marie Bourre (member of the National Academy of Medicine in France);
- The only essential drink the brain needs is water.
