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september 16th is china brain health day. generally, the brain accounts for about 2% of body weight. although it accounts for a small proportion, it has a great responsibility. as the command center of the human body, the brain is responsible for processing information, controlling sensory and motor functions, maintaining cognitive functions, and managing emotions.

if there is a problem with brain health, it will seriously affect our quality of life. this article lists the 10 things that the brain is most afraid of, and finally tells you how to eat to protect the brain, so that health starts from the "head".

there is a folk rumor: "wine is the essence of grain, the more you drink, the younger you become." wait a minute, drinking alcohol will not make you younger, but will accelerate the aging of your brain.

a study published in nature communications in march 2022 analyzed data from more than 36,000 middle-aged and elderly people and found that:even small amounts of alcohol were associated with a reduction in brain volume. the more alcohol consumed, the greater the change in brain volume. while drinking shrinks the brain, it also accelerates its aging process.

and the study mentioned: the average daily alcohol intake is 2 units(equivalent to 20ml of pure alcohol, about 16g of alcohol in weight), will cause the brain to age by 2 years. this is roughly equivalent to the amount of 1 bottle of beer we usually drink.

moreover, drinking a lot of alcohol isstrokeit is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and its harm to cardiovascular health should not be underestimated.

sweet foods can relax you, but most sweet foods and drinks contain high levels of added sugar.regular intake of high amounts of sugar not only increases the risk of tooth decay and obesity, but also affects the brain and may lead to decreased memory.

if you like a high-sugar diet when you are young, it will not only damage your brain but also induce mental illness.

researchers at the institute of medical science at the university of tokyo in japan published a study that demonstrated that a high-sugar diet during adolescence can induce behavioral manifestations associated with mental illness, including hyperactivity, memory loss, and sensory impairment.

besides, most sweets are ultra-processed foods, such as cakes, donuts, shachima, cream bread, etc.

a 2022 study included more than 10,000 adults aged 35 to 47 in six cities in brazil and followed up for 6 to 10 years. the results found that a higher percentage of daily energy consumption from ultra-processed foods was associated with decreased cognitive function in adults. for those whose intake of ultra-processed foods exceeded 20% of their total daily energy, their overall cognitive decline was accelerated by 28%.

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some people may ask: "if we don't drink sugary drinks, can we avoid such harm by drinking sugar-free drinks?"

no, sugar substitutes do not mean health. the impact of sugar substitutes on health needs further research. for example, aspartame, which everyone is familiar with, was mentioned in a study in august 2023: aspartame may cause learning and memory defects and affect future generations.

fried foods may taste delicious, but they're not good for your brain.

when food is fried, it produces pro-inflammatory substances and trans fatty acids, both of which are not good for brain health.

in addition, fried foods are high-fat foods. a study published in physiology found that a long-term high-fat diet may disrupt the signaling pathway between astrocytes in the intestines and the brain that regulates energy intake, reducing the brain's ability to regulate calorie intake.

we usually cook.the best cooking methods are steaming, boiling, stewing, cold dressing or stir-frying.。

many people eat refined rice and white flour as the staple food for their three meals a day, such as white rice, white steamed bread, white rice porridge, etc. these are all refined carbohydrates, and their gi value is generally(glycemic index)higher, eat more gl(glycemic load)if blood sugar levels are not well controlled after meals, insulin resistance may also occur.

insulin manages glucose metabolism in the hippocampus and other areas of the brain. insulin resistance in the brain can lead to impaired central regulation of nutrient distribution, cognitive and emotional regulation dysfunction, and brain-specific neurodegenerative lesions, which in turn affect cognitive function.

wedon’t just limit your staple food to white rice, but also increase your intake of whole grains., such as oatmeal, brown rice, black rice, buckwheat, quinoa, mixed beans and so on.

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although salt is the king of all flavors, if you eat too much salt, it will not only cause high blood pressure, but it is also bad for your brain.

studies have shown that a high-salt diet may impair certain cognitive functions of the brain. long-term high salt intake can lead to increased oxidative stress in the hippocampus and inflammatory responses from the intestines, impairing memory, especially for the elderly.

normally, the daily salt intake per person should not exceed 5 grams, which is approximately equivalent to 1 beer bottle cap.(with rubber pad), eat less pickles, pickled vegetables, kimchi, and processed meat products.

as the saying goes, "staying up late may feel good for a while, but it will burn your brain to a crematorium." if you stay up late the night before, you may not be in a good working state the next day, feeling dizzy and listless.

a study published in the journal of neuroscience in 2023 showed that poor sleep quality is a common feature of aging. just one night without sleep can cause the brain to age 1 to 2 years instantly. a study published in nature in 2024 also revealed that lack of sleep can have a profound impact on the brain's memory function.

it is recommended to go to bed before 23:00 on weekdays and get enough sleep for 7 to 8 hours.

the "dietary guidelines for chinese residents" recommends that men and women should drink at least 1700ml/d and 1500ml/d respectively. drinking enough water can maintain the normal function of the body. when the body is dehydrated, in addition to making us feel thirsty, it will also make the brain become "stupid".

studies have shown that insufficient water intake can reduce cognitive abilities. when the body loses 2% or more of its body weight in water, visual tracking, short-term memory, and attention can all decline.

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being overweight and obese not only affects your body shape, but also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. it also affects brain health and causes premature brain aging.

in march 2024, a 16-year study published in the international journal health data science found that body mass index（BMI）it is closely related to brain health, especially for people over 45 years old. when the body mass index exceeds 26.2, the change in brain volume is equivalent to 12 years of premature aging of the brain.

in february 2023, a study published by singaporean researchers in the lancet also revealed the impact of obesity on brain health. the study included 8,769 asians with an average age of 51.4 years. after further analysis, it was found that there was a strong causal relationship between "increased visceral fat" and "cognitive decline." for every 0.27kg increase in visceral fat, the brain's cognitive age will age by 0.7 years.

it is recommended to pay more attention to your weight and keep your bmi within the normal range; waist circumference should be controlled within 85cm for men and 80cm for women.

sitting for a long time will not only cause us back pain, but also damage our brain!

a study published in the top medical journal "journal of the american medical association" shows that long-term sitting increases the risk of dementia. the study included nearly 49,841 elderly people around 67 years old and conducted a 6.72-year follow-up study on them.

the results showed that compared with people who sat 9.27 hours a day, sitting 10 hours a day was associated with an 8% significantly increased risk of dementia, sitting 12 hours a day was associated with a 63% significantly increased risk of dementia, and sitting 15 hours a day was associated with a 221% significantly increased risk of dementia.

it can be seen from this thatfor older people, the longer they sit, the higher their risk of dementia.although this study was aimed at the elderly, it is also true for young people, who should develop good habits of avoiding long periods of sitting as early as possible.

it is recommended to get up and move every hour, and you can set an alarm to remind yourself.

people nowadays are under a lot of pressure, and emotional anxiety is inevitable, but if we don’t adjust our state in time, continued anxiety may harm the health of our brain.

a 2024 study published in the journal of the american geriatrics society evaluated the association between chronic anxiety, relieved anxiety, and new-onset anxiety and the risk of all-cause dementia.

the study involved 2,132 participants with an average age of 76, and conducted a 10-year follow-up survey. the results showed that individuals with chronic anxiety and new-onset anxiety had a 2.8-fold and 3.2-fold increased risk of dementia, respectively; chronic and new-onset anxiety were associated with an increased risk of all-cause dementia, and this association was more significant in people aged 70 and under.

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in order to protect brain health, in addition to avoiding the above 10 behaviors that harm the brain, it is also recommended that people who have the conditions can practice the mind diet.

the mind diet is a dietary pattern that is beneficial to brain health and helps keep the brain young. studies have shown that the mind diet may delay cognitive decline and reducealzheimer's diseaserisk of occurrence.

this eating patternemphasize whole, healthy plant-based foods and limit unhealthy foods。the specific way to eat it is:

keeping your brain healthy is a top priority. try not to do the 10 things mentioned in the article that may damage your brain, otherwise your brain may become increasingly dull!