Your brain controls all the activities going on in your body. It controls your heartbeat, lung function, and liver and kidney function. The type of substance you let into your body impacts your brain. That is why you need to be very careful about eating foods or otter substances that can damage your brain.
According to a publication by Healthline.com, certain substances can damage your brain. It is estimated that by the year 2030, about 65 million people may develop dementia, a brain disorder that affects memory and other brain functions. This may be due to an increase in the consumption of unhealthy foods and chemical substances.
Below are 4 Substances that can damage your brain when taken regularly. Kindly pay attention to them and avoid foods that contain them to protect your brain.
1. Sugary drinks
This has to do with drinks that contain a high amount of added sugar. Natural sweet drinks derived from fruits are healthy.
Sugary drinks that contain added sugar include beverages such as soda, energy drinks, and energy drinks. Their regular intake increases blood sugar levels and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In turn, uncontrolled type 2 diabetes may lead to Alzheimer’s disease which causes dementia. Therefore you need to avoid regular intake of such drinks to protect yourself.
2. Aspartame
Aspartame is a non-sugar sweetener used to sweeten different products. It is mostly used by people that avoid sugar as seen in diabetic patients and people trying to lose weight.
Aspartame is rich in 3 compounds – phenylalanine, methanol, and aspartic acid. Phenylalanine tends to cross the blood-brain barrier and disrupt the production of neurotransmitters that sends signals to your body. This can affect the brain and produce behavioral and cognitive disorders.
Experts also explained that aspartic acid, another component found in aspartame, decreases the ability to learn. It also affects emotional balance.
3. Alcohol
Drinking alcohol in moderation can be considered to be healthy but when taken regularly, it can damage the brain. Alcohol affects brain function.
Prolonged intake of alcohol leads to chronic alcoholism resulting in a decrease in brain volume and reduction in the production of neurotransmitters like acetylcholine. This decreases the amount of vitamin B1 present in the brain and causes a brain disorder known as Wernicke’s encephalopathy.
This disorder causes brain damage, memory loss, eye problems, confusion, and unsteadiness. Therefore, if you must take alcohol you must watch the quantity you consume.
4. Sea fish that contain a high amount of mercury
Mercury is one of the heavy metal elements. When present in the body, it is a neurological poison. It is usually present in high quantities in water bodies.
Fishes that have lived long may accumulate moderate to high quantities of mercury. When you consume fish with high mercury concentration, the mercury quickly circulates to the brain, kidney, and liver. In the brain, it causes damage to the central nervous system, neurotransmitters. Hence, neurotoxins build up and begin to destroy brain cells.
To stay safe, ensure that you know the source of fish before consuming it. You can also consider rearing your fish. This helps to clear any doubt which you may have with fishes reared by a stranger.
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