LIVING A BRAIN-BOOSTED LIFE (Part 3)
Other than via nutrients, what are some of the ways of giving your brain a boost?
taste, smell and texture from inside the mouth are also transmitted to the brain. This implies that the quickest way to give your brain a boost is to move your mouth by eating and thereby stimulate your senses of taste and smell,” says Dr. Oshima.
“Meals are a very big part of giving your brain a boost. ‘How you eat’ has a direct effect. It is important to savor food, enjoy the experience and eat healthy,” points out Dr. Oshima.
What you eat, whom you eat with, and how you eat are also very important factors, adds Dr. Oshima. These factors improve your inborn senses and sensitivity to stimuli which, in turn, stimulate the brain.
Why do meals give the brain a direct boost?
“Each time we move our arm, legs or other parts of the body, the resulting stimuli pass through the spine until it reaches the brain stem. Similarly, stimuli from our five senses
–– sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch –– also pass through the spine to the brain stem. A large proportion, fully 50 percent, of the total stimuli from the body comes from the lips, teeth, gums and tongue. The sensations of
“Nowadays, everyone in the family runs on different schedules. As a result, family members often do not sit together for meals. I think many children are finding themselves by themselves at mealtime, alone in a lonely environment. Nothing could be worse for boosting the brain. Enjoying your meal is an important part of giving your brain a boost. Communication flourishes when you are with people you love or feel completely at ease with. That alone stimulates the brain’s pleasure center and gives your brain a boost,” said Dr. Oshima about the importance of whom you eat with.
To be continued
(Translated by Roy Mashima)
(The information provided should not be construed as medical advice or instruction. Consult your physician before attempting any new program. Readers who fail to consult appropriate health authorities assume the risk of developing serious medical conditions.)
