I though I would share just how important FOOD and the HOLIDAY rituals can be to overall brain wellness and cognition.
For instance, did you know that science has proven that every positive memory we think of or speak about enhances the chemical deep within our brain. These chemicals enhance and increase our cognition.
Food plays a crucial role in stimulation the brain and enhancing cognition. See the past posting of the image of the regions of the brain that are stimulated by listening to music and then mediating.
NOW- Look at the different regions of the brain that are stimulated when food is added to an activity.
The Orbital frontal cortex is stimulated through all pleasurable experiences such as food and sensory stimulation.
The Occipital lobe is stimulated when autobiographical information is retrieved, for instance reminiscing about last years Thanksgiving or a special Thanksgiving shared with loved ones who are no longer with us, but live on through us, in our hearts and minds.
The right Temporal lobe responds to calming music and relaxation experiences.
Post parietal lobe translates visual images into motor commands, seeing the food and then wanting to grab a fork full!
The Reticular formation controls eating behaviors, the actual smelling of the food cooking, even before "seeing" the food. This region is responsible for arousal of sensorial stimuli in the brain and is one of the last regions to be effected by the Alzheimer's disease process.
So when you are sitting around the dinner table today or having reminiscing thoughts with loved ones and relatives, remember you are also stimulating YOUR BRAIN, keeping the cells thick and dense, which science now believes is directly correlated to decreased risk of cognitive impairments latter in life !
No comments:
Post a Comment