Rewire Your Brain: Think Your Way to a Better Life

party: the term
redneck
has its origin in niacin - defi cient white fi eld-
workers. Due to the defi ciency, they developed a red “ necklace ” on 
the skin of their necks. 
Good Sources of Niacin 
•
Chicken (white meat)
•
Turkey (white meat)
•
Chinook salmon
•
Whole - wheat bread
•
Peanuts
•
Lentils
Conditions Caused by Niacin Defi ciency 
•
Headaches
•
Insomnia
•
Anxiety
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Fu e l i n g Yo u r B r a i n
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•
Depression
•
Psychosis
•
Pellagra
Vitamin B 
5
(pantothenic acid) is critical for your adrenal glands, 
which secrete epinephrine (adrenaline) to convert fat and glucose 
into energy. A defi ciency can cause feelings of malaise and numb-
ness in the feet. B 
5
is required to make stress hormones and acetyl-
choline, which is critical for memory. 
Vitamin B 
6
(pyridoxine) acts as a partner for more than a hun-
dred different enzymes. It plays a role in the synthesis of serotonin, 
epin ephrine, norepinephrine, and GABA. Estrogen and cortisone 
deplete B 
6
. A word of caution: The B 
6
content in vegetables is 
reduced from 57 to 77 percent by freezing them. Thus, if you 
depend primarily on frozen meals for much of your diet, you should 
shift to fresh foods. 
Vitamin B 
9
(folic acid) has received a lot of attention, especially 
in terms of its importance for pregnant women. A B 
9
defi ciency dur-
ing pregnancy can contribute to birth defects such as spina bifi da, 
a neural tube defi cit. In general, folic acid is critical for the division 
and replacement of red blood cells, protein metabolism, and the 
utilization of glucose. 
Vitamin B 
12
is involved in the metabolism of every cell in your 
body. It affects DNA synthesis and regulation as well as fatty acid 
synthesis and energy production. If you are a vegan, you should be 
sure to use supplements, because most sources of B 
12
are animal -
based foods. You can fi nd B 
12
in some fortifi ed soy products and in 
clams, mussels, crab, salmon, eggs, and milk. 
One way to keep the brain - damaging amino acid homocysteine 
in check is through adequate levels of B vitamins — especially folic 
acid, which breaks it down. Vitamins B 
6
and B 
12
help to dispose 
of homocysteine. Another way to keep homocysteine in check is 
through the consumption of choline. 
Another rarely mentioned B vitamin is B 
7
(biotin). Biotin is 
involved in the metabolism of sugar and the formation of certain 
fatty acids. Although biotin defi ciency is rare, the symptoms include 
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102 Rew i r e
Yo u r
B r a i n
insomnia, mild depression, anxiety, and oversensitivity to pain. Good 
sources of biotin are egg yolks, liver, peanuts, mushrooms, and 
caulifl ower. 
The following charts summarize a sample of B vitamin defi cien-
cies and foods that are high in B vitamins. 
Low B 
1 
Levels
Low B 
2 
Levels
Low B 
6 
Levels
Low B 
12
Levels
Low B 
9
Levels
↓
Alertness 
Fatigue 
Emotional 
instability 
↓
Reaction 
time 
Sleep 
disturbance 
Irritability
Trembling 
Sluggishness 
Tension 
Depression 
Bloodshot
eyes 
↑
Stress
Fatigue
Nervousness 
Irritability
Depression 
Muscle 
weakness 
Headache 
Muscle 
tingling 
Confusion
Mental
slowness 
Confusion 
Psychosis 
Stammering 
Weak limbs 
Depression
Memory 
problems 
Irritability 
Mental 
sluggishness 
Depression
High B 
1 
Foods
High B
2
Foods
High B
6
Foods
High B 
12
Foods
High B 
9
Foods
Oatmeal 
Peanuts 
Bran 
Wheat germ 
Vegetables 
Brewers
yeast 
Sunfl ower 
seeds 
Liver 
Cheese 
Halibut 
Salmon 
Milk 
Eggs 
Brewers 
yeast 
Wild rice
Wheat germ 
Cantaloupe 
Beans 
Beef 
Liver 
Whole grains
Eggs 
Liver 
Milk 
Beef 
Cheese 
Kidneys 
Sole 
Crab
Carrots 
Dark leafy 
vegetables 
Cantaloupe 
Whole wheat 
Apricots 
Carrots 
Orange juice
Vitamin C has received a great deal of attention because Linus 
Pauling regarded it as a cure - all. Common folklore regards it as a 
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Fu e l i n g Yo u r B r a i n
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preventative for the common cold, but it is critical for many func-
tions, including the prevention of scurvy. In the brain, vitamin C is 
necessary for the manufacture of norepinephrine (Subramanian,
1980). Vitamin C is one of the principal antioxidants and acts as a 
scavenger of free radicals. 
Vitamin E, another signifi cant antioxidant, has been reported to 
protect blood vessels and other tissues from oxidation. Vitamin E 
can reportedly slow down the progression of Alzheimer ’ s disease 
(Sano, 1997) and lessen the severity of Parkinson ’ s disease. 
The brain is a highly effi cient and adaptive organ, yet it can cre-
ate processes that are self - destructive. Stress and bad dietary habits 
can, for example, produce free radicals, which steal electrons from 
other molecules and wreak havoc by damaging cells. 
The cellular damage that results from free radicals, known as 
oxidative stress
, can cause a decrease in energy level as well as cogni-
tive and emotional problems. Oxidative stress and a lack of dietary 
antioxidants can have a cumulative effect as you age. According to 
one study, an increase in antioxidants, as measured by blood level, 
is associated with enhanced memory abilities in older adults. 
Fortunately, you have an antioxidant defense system that can 
gobble up free radicals and even prevent their creation. Consuming 
antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin E is crucial to maintaining and 
operating this system. 
Vitamin E works by nestling among the various fatty acids and 
cholesterol molecules. When free radical substances threaten or 
damage one of the fatty acids, vitamin E traps and neutralizes them 
before they trigger a chain reaction that damages the cells.