Rewire Your Brain: Think Your Way to a Better Life

partially hydrogenated oils, such as the following: 
•
Cookies
•
Crackers
•
Doughnuts
•
Cake
•
Potato chips
•
Deep - fried foods
•
Candy
•
Cheese puffs
•
Mayonnaise
•
Margarine
•
Vegetable shortening
•
Some salad dressings
Trans - fatty acids create major problems for the brain. They can 
do the following: 
1.
Be absorbed directly by the nerve membranes
2.
Block the body ’ s ability to make its own essential fatty acids 
that are so critical for the brain
3.
Alter the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as dopamine
4.
Negatively effect the brain ’ s blood supply
5.
Increase bad (LDL) cholesterol while decreasing good 
(HDL) cholesterol
6.
Increase plaque in the blood vessels
7.
Increase blood clots
8.
Increase triglycerides, which cause the blood to be sluggish 
and reduces the amount of oxygen to the brain
9.
Cause excess body fat, which can have a destructive effect on 
the brain
A twenty - four - year follow - up study in Sweden found that the 
larger the body mass index (BMI), the greater the risk of developing 
Alzheimer ’ s disease. Researchers in Korea found that an increase in 
BMI has an inverse relationship to cognitive ability as measured by 
the Mini Mental Status Exam. 
Belly fat appears to generate infl ammation. In contrast to the 
old view that fat cells are dormant and inactive storage units, it 
appears that they release the same infl ammatory chemicals (such 
as cytokines) that your body releases when you have an infection or 
have been traumatized with injuries. Cytokines are associated with 
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infl ammation and depression, and they lower the level of BDNF, the 
protector of nerve cells and the promoter of neuroplasticity. 
A study of overweight adolescents showed that as body fat 
increased, so did the level of infl ammatory chemicals, which are 
associated with cognitive defi cits and depression. 
A study of four thousand patients at Rush University Medical 
Center in Chicago examined the relationship among trans - fatty 
acids, saturated fats, copper, and cognitive decline. An increase 
in the level of copper in the body was found to be associated with 
cognitive decline, but only if the intake of trans - fatty acids and 
saturated fats was high. 
Brain fats have to be nourished and protected. Since brain fats 
can be damaged by oxidative stress (free radical damage), they 
rely on a network of antioxidants for protection. Antioxidant nutri-
ents and enzymes keep stray electrons from damaging the delicate 
unsaturated fatty acids of the cell membranes. 
In Finland, approximately eighteen hundred people were 
assessed for depression. Those who consumed fi sh twice a week or 
more signifi cantly reduced their depressive symptoms and suicidal 
thoughts. 
A study in Japan of 256,118 people who consumed fi sh daily 
found them to have a lower suicide rate than people who consumed 
less fi sh (Tanskanen, Hibbeln, Hintikka, Haatainen, Honkalampi, 
and Vjinamaki, 2001). Among those who had attempted suicide, low 
levels of EPA were strongly correlated with impulsivity, guilt, and 
future suicide risk. 
Healthy brain functioning depends on keeping brain chemistry 
at healthy levels and eating a balanced diet. A balanced diet can 
be the optimal foundation for your thoughts and emotions. Notice 
that I said