{"id":23065,"date":"2022-08-03T18:53:27","date_gmt":"2022-08-03T18:53:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/pegasus\/?p=23065&post_type=story"},"modified":"2023-11-14T16:43:22","modified_gmt":"2023-11-14T16:43:22","slug":"our-brains-on-food","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/pegasus\/our-brains-on-food\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Brains on Food"},"content":{"rendered":"

In December of 2021, associate lecturer\u00a0Leslee D\u2019Amato-Kubiet \u201913PhD<\/strong> of the\u00a0College of Nursing<\/a> hiked Pine Mountain\u00a0with her sister in Georgia\u2019s F.D. Roosevelt\u00a0State Park. Her sister, close in age to\u00a0D\u2019Amato-Kubiet, walked up the rocky\u00a0terrain with ease, while D\u2019Amato-Kubiet\u00a0struggled to keep up.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to live long, Leslee, you\u2019re\u00a0going to have to do something about this,\u201d\u00a0her sister said to her. \u201cYou\u2019re going to\u00a0have to make a change.\u201d<\/p>\n

For D\u2019Amato-Kubiet, who at the time\u00a0was medically morbidly obese, that hike\u00a0was the beginning of a new relationship\u00a0with diet and exercise. She\u2019d always taken\u00a0an interest in understanding\u00a0how culture influences our\u00a0food choices \u2014 something that\u00a0comes naturally to the second-generation\u00a0Italian American \u2014\u00a0and has researched nutrition\u00a0literacy among families, and\u00a0how genetics\u00a0interact with our\u00a0food choices.<\/p>\n

But even researchers\u00a0can struggle with weight,\u00a0and after her sister\u2019s tough\u00a0love talk, she adopted what\u2019s\u00a0known as an ancestral diet.\u00a0The philosophy behind the\u00a0diet is simple: \u201cIf it wasn\u2019t on\u00a0George Washington\u2019s plate,\u00a0I don\u2019t eat it,\u201d says D\u2019Amato-Kubiet.<\/p>\n

An ancestral diet means\u00a0eating similarly to how our\u00a0ancestors ate \u2014 primarily by\u00a0not eating processed foods,\u00a0which dominate our current\u00a0industrialized culture.\u00a0Natural, locally grown,\u00a0seasonal whole foods make up\u00a0the ancestral diet, and since\u00a0adopting it, D\u2019Amato-Kubiet is\u00a0down 55 pounds. She aspires\u00a0to lose another 50.<\/p>\n

Her skin is brighter, clothes\u00a0fit her better, and overall,\u00a0she feels more physically fit.\u00a0But something else came as\u00a0a result of her new diet: She\u00a0thinks more clearly and sleeps\u00a0better \u2014 mental benefits that\u00a0aren\u2019t as commonly talked\u00a0about when it comes to diet\u00a0and nutrition.<\/p>\n

A human brain is like the\u00a0engine of a sports car \u2014 when\u00a0fed the right nutrients and in\u00a0the right doses, it can take us\u00a0from zero to 60 with ease and\u00a0efficiency.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Just as food is the fuel our\u00a0bodies need to build muscle\u00a0and grow strong bones, it also\u00a0provides our brains with the\u00a0nutrients it needs to function.\u00a0A human brain is like the\u00a0engine of a sports car \u2014 when\u00a0fed the right nutrients and in\u00a0the right doses, it can take us\u00a0from zero to 60 with ease and\u00a0efficiency. The good news: It\u00a0doesn\u2019t always take drastic\u00a0dietary changes to reap the\u00a0mental benefits of food. Even\u00a0small changes \u2014 like swapping\u00a0a bag of chips for an apple \u2014\u00a0can make a difference.<\/p>\n

Going Back to Our Roots<\/h2>\n

Those who work 9-to-5 jobs\u00a0can relate: You forgot to\u00a0pack food the night before,\u00a0so you head to the nearest\u00a0fast-food restaurant for a\u00a0quick, convenient lunch. The\u00a0cheeseburger, salty French\u00a0fries and fizzy soda taste so\u00a0good in the moment, but an\u00a0hour later, you feel sluggish\u00a0while sitting at your desk. It\u2019s\u00a0hard to imagine mustering\u00a0up enough mental energy to\u00a0make it through the rest of the\u00a0workday, so you reach for a\u00a0cup of coffee to give yourself\u00a0a boost.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like [processed food]\u00a0has put your brain in a coma,\u201d\u00a0says D\u2019Amato-Kubiet. \u201cYour\u00a0brain doesn\u2019t know what to\u00a0do with that processed stuff.\u00a0That food [doesn\u2019t have] good\u00a0nutrients.\u201d<\/p>\n

The reason why processed\u00a0foods often make us feel bad\u00a0goes back thousands of years\u00a0to the beginning of human\u00a0history. Our bodies evolved\u00a0when only whole foods \u2014\u00a0meaning food that has not\u00a0been processed, refined or\u00a0altered with added ingredients\u00a0\u2014 were what was available to\u00a0humans. It wasn\u2019t until the\u00a0Industrial Revolution that\u00a0mass-produced food \u2014 and the\u00a0added ingredients that came\u00a0along with that \u2014 became a\u00a0staple of diets. Trans fat, for\u00a0instance, was created by a\u00a0chemist and first introduced\u00a0into diets in 1911 as vegetable\u00a0shortening, and later in\u00a0margarine, baked goods and\u00a0fried food.<\/p>\n

\u201cNature doesn\u2019t make bad\u00a0fat. When we process it [through\u00a0industrialized means], that\u2019s\u00a0when it turns bad.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cNature doesn\u2019t make bad\u00a0fat,\u201d says D\u2019Amato-Kubiet.\u00a0\u201cWhen we process it [through\u00a0industrialized means], that\u2019s\u00a0when it turns bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

The human process of\u00a0turning food into mental and\u00a0physical energy begins before\u00a0food even hits our tongues; it\u00a0starts with our sense of sight.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou eat with your eyes\u00a0first,\u201d says D\u2019Amato-Kubiet,\u00a0adding that when you see\u00a0something appetizing, the\u00a0cerebrum and cerebellum in\u00a0the brain start to light up.<\/p>\n

Once food makes its way\u00a0down the esophagus and into\u00a0the stomach, the brain receives\u00a0a signal: Be ready to process\u00a0what\u2019s coming. Food gets\u00a0broken down into nutrients\u00a0while in the small intestine,\u00a0and then those nutrients get\u00a0absorbed into the bloodstream\u00a0and filtered again in the liver.\u00a0From there, the brain begins\u00a0receiving those nutrients and\u00a0sorting through what it\u2019s been\u00a0provided.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s looking for good amino\u00a0acids, but if it receives all bad\u00a0ones, then that [gets stored\u00a0and] leads your brain to an\u00a0inflammatory state,\u201d says\u00a0D\u2019Amato-Kubiet.<\/p>\n

Over time, as more bad\u00a0nutrients pile up, and the\u00a0organs are in a constant\u00a0state of inflammation,\u00a0prominent diseases\u00a0emerge. This\u00a0includes dementia\u00a0and Alzheimer\u2019s from\u00a0blockages in parts of the\u00a0brain, and vascular disease\u00a0from blood clots blocking\u00a0arteries \u2014 just to name a few.<\/p>\n

So What Should I Eat?<\/h2>\n

During Memorial Day\u00a0weekend, third-year College\u00a0of Medicine<\/a> student Leonie\u00a0Dupuis and two high school\u00a0student volunteers from\u00a0Montverde Academy of\u00a0Lake County packed a dozen\u00a0brown paper bags with mixed\u00a0greens, cauliflower, chickpeas,\u00a0sweet potatoes, quinoa and\u00a0a kale-pesto sauce. The bags\u00a0were for Lake Nona residents\u00a0who were participating\u00a0in a virtual cooking\u00a0demonstration, where they\u00a0learned how to make a healthy\u00a0meal with those ingredients.\u00a0The event was organized\u00a0by Dupuis and the Lifestyle\u00a0Medicine Interest Group, an\u00a0organization for UCF College\u00a0of Medicine students to learn\u00a0about, and educate others, on\u00a0everyday healthy behaviors.<\/p>\n

Sharon Wasserstrom,\u00a0an associate professor at\u00a0the College of Medicine\u00a0and advisor of the Lifestyle\u00a0Medicine Interest Group,\u00a0chopped up the ingredients\u00a0in her own kitchen while the\u00a0participants followed along\u00a0via Zoom. She explained how sweet potatoes have some protein \u2014\u00a0much to the surprise of many\u00a0of the participants.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

The ingredients made a\u00a0roasted vegetable quinoa\u00a0bowl and are in line with what\u00a0scientists have discovered\u00a0to be anti-inflammatory\u00a0foods \u2014 those rich in omega-3\u00a0nutrients, antioxidants and\u00a0phytonutrients \u2014 which have\u00a0powerful anti-cancer and\u00a0anti-heart disease benefits.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooking at ways to get\u00a0more omega-3 fatty acids\u00a0is very important and very\u00a0beneficial for the brain,\u201d says\u00a0Wasserstrom.<\/p>\n

Wasserstrom also practices\u00a0at UCF Health in Lake Nona,\u00a0where she advises patients\u00a0on how to prevent, manage\u00a0or reverse diseases with their\u00a0diets \u2014 including eating a diet\u00a0rich in whole, plant-based\u00a0foods. In general, fruits and\u00a0vegetables of all kinds, as well\u00a0as nuts, seeds and legumes,\u00a0are beneficial and linked to\u00a0optimal health and wellness.\u00a0That\u2019s because our bodies\u00a0know how to process the\u00a0nutrients from these whole\u00a0foods \u2014 their natural sugars,\u00a0amino acids and fat \u2014 and\u00a0turn them into good sources\u00a0of energy.<\/p>\n

Unprocessed meats are\u00a0considered whole foods too,\u00a0but they are recommended in\u00a0smaller doses because of their\u00a0lack of fiber and high saturated\u00a0fat and cholesterol levels.<\/p>\n

For Dupuis, educating\u00a0others on diet is personal. In\u00a02017, her father had quadruple\u00a0bypass surgery \u2014 a procedure\u00a0Dupuis describes as \u201cpretty\u00a0morbid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was your typical\u00a0American male \u2014 ate what he\u00a0wanted [and] considered ice\u00a0cream a food group,\u201d Dupuis\u00a0says. \u201cBut when he went\u00a0through the operation, as a\u00a0family we said, \u2018OK, we need\u00a0to look at how to make\u00a0changes to preserve the\u00a0surgery he just had.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n

The Dupuis\u00a0family adopted a\u00a0plant-based diet,\u00a0and her father lived\u00a0another four years\u00a0until he died of a\u00a0stroke at age 60.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dad is the\u00a0biggest reason\u00a0I\u2019m so passionate\u00a0about this,\u201d says\u00a0Dupuis, who still\u00a0eats a plant-based diet.\u00a0\u201cYou can prevent vascular\u00a0disease, and it\u2019s 100% personal\u00a0to me. If we had started\u00a0making those changes sooner,\u00a0maybe he\u2019d still be here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wasserstrom can attest\u00a0to that; she has seen patients\u00a0completely turn their health\u00a0around. One woman, for\u00a0instance, lost about 80\u00a0pounds and was able to\u00a0ditch most of her diabetes\u00a0medications after adopting a\u00a0whole-food, plant-based diet\u00a0and walking more.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe kept coming in just to\u00a0say how good she felt,\u201d says\u00a0Wasserstrom. \u201cHer mind felt\u00a0clearer. She was stronger. She\u00a0wasn\u2019t tired. She was just so\u00a0invigorated.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the kind of change\u00a0Dupuis wants to spearhead\u00a0as a doctor. Already at\u00a0the College of Medicine,\u00a0she\u2019s founded the Lifestyle\u00a0Medicine Interest Group\u00a0and has co-authored papers\u00a0with Wasserstrom and\u00a0other faculty about ways\u00a0the College of Medicine has\u00a0increasingly incorporated\u00a0lifestyle medicine into the\u00a0curriculum. Students have\u00a0extracurricular activities\u00a0thanks to the interest group,\u00a0faculty members integrate\u00a0lifestyle medicine teachings\u00a0into their classes, and\u00a0students can gain clinical\u00a0experience alongside\u00a0Wasserstrom \u2014 an American\u00a0Board for Lifestyle Medicine certified\u00a0practitioner<\/a> \u2014 at\u00a0UCF Health.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople ask me, \u2018Why do\u00a0you want to go into primary\u00a0care, a preventative-type\u00a0health field?\u2019 It\u2019s literally\u00a0because I think everyone\u00a0deserves a chance,\u201d says\u00a0Dupuis.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

The Future of Food<\/h2>\n

Before moving to Florida\u00a0more than three years ago,\u00a0Wasserstrom practiced\u00a0medicine in the Bronx. With\u00a0Columbia University nearby,\u00a0she enrolled in a Medical\u00a0Nutrition for the Healthcare\u00a0Professional course. She\u00a0knew that eating healthy and\u00a0exercising regularly were\u00a0good, but she still didn\u2019t\u00a0know exactly what kind of\u00a0food or what kind of exercise\u00a0to advise her patients. To her\u00a0surprise, neither did many of\u00a0her classmates.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople came from all\u00a0over the country,\u201d says\u00a0Wasserstrom. \u201cThere was an\u00a0OB-GYN, pediatricians, nurse\u00a0practitioners \u2014 all kinds of\u00a0healthcare professionals who\u00a0felt they had more to learn\u00a0about nutrition.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because the\u00a0traditional healthcare\u00a0curriculum<\/a> does not spend\u00a0enough time teaching\u00a0nutrition, and research\u00a0on lifestyle medicine and\u00a0nutrition is still unfolding\u00a0today.<\/p>\n

Recent studies show that\u00a0diets high in saturated fats\u00a0are linked to a decline in\u00a0memory, processing speed\u00a0and attention. Likewise,\u00a0studies show that diets high in\u00a0saturated fats and trans fats\u00a0are linked to a greater risk of\u00a0cognitive decline and diseases\u00a0like dementia and Alzheimer\u2019s,\u00a0says Wasserstrom. Baked\u00a0goods, animal products and\u00a0dairy products are where most\u00a0of these fats are found in a\u00a0standard American diet.<\/p>\n

On the flip side, studies\u00a0have found that diets high in\u00a0monounsaturated fats, like\u00a0what\u2019s in avocado, nuts and\u00a0seeds, are shown to improve\u00a0brain function. Additional\u00a0studies show that omega-3\u00a0fatty acids play a role in\u00a0cognitive development and\u00a0forming brain connections,\u00a0and that patients with\u00a0Alzheimer\u2019s disease have a\u00a0greater functional decline\u00a0if they don\u2019t have enough of\u00a0them, says Wasserstrom.<\/p>\n

On the flip side, studies\u00a0have found that diets high in\u00a0monounsaturated fats, like\u00a0what\u2019s in avocado, nuts and\u00a0seeds, are shown to improve\u00a0brain function.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Research also has\u00a0shown there\u2019s another\u00a0omega nutrient to keep\u00a0an eye on \u2014 omega-6,\u00a0which has been found to\u00a0trigger pro-inflammatory\u00a0chemicals in the body. Not\u00a0all omega-6 fats are bad \u2014 it\u2019s\u00a0recommended to have them in\u00a0our diets, along with omega-3\u00a0nutrients \u2014 but a standard\u00a0American diet has between\u00a014 to 25 times more omega-6than omega-3 fatty acids,\u00a0says Wasserstrom, which\u00a0increases the risk of many\u00a0chronic diseases prevalent in\u00a0Western society. Omega-6 is\u00a0commonly found in walnuts,\u00a0peanut butter, meat, tofu,\u00a0mayonnaise, and corn, soy,\u00a0safflower and sunflower oils.<\/p>\n

Still, there\u2019s much to learn.\u00a0Research is evolving on how\u00a0diet can trigger epileptic\u00a0seizures, and early findings\u00a0suggest a keto diet may help\u00a0those patients, says D\u2019Amato-\u00a0Kubiet. She is in the midst of\u00a0her own research study that\u00a0will compare how people\u2019s\u00a0eating habits in adolescence\u00a0compare to adulthood.\u00a0Dupuis also spent this\u00a0summer researching the link\u00a0between plant-based diets and\u00a0hypertension.<\/p>\n

Additional research is\u00a0emerging thanks to a rise in\u00a0group-based interventions,\u00a0says Wasserstrom. For\u00a0instance, support groups\u00a0for people with the same\u00a0conditions, such as diabetes,\u00a0are growing in popularity.\u00a0These groups allow patients\u00a0to come together to learn \u00a0what dietary and lifestyle\u00a0changes they can take to\u00a0better manage their condition.\u00a0They also allow doctors and\u00a0researchers to follow a bigger\u00a0sample size of patients through\u00a0their treatments and better\u00a0understand what lifestyle\u00a0changes make the biggest\u00a0impact for the most people.<\/p>\n

For the average consumer,\u00a0it may seem like these disease-specific\u00a0findings aren\u2019t\u00a0applicable, but Dupuis urges\u00a0people to think otherwise.<\/p>\n

\u201cYoung people don\u2019t yet\u00a0take pills every day, we don\u2019t\u00a0go to the doctor every other\u00a0month. We aren\u2019t seeing the\u00a0consequences of what we\u2019re\u00a0doing today,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

While there is still much to\u00a0learn, D\u2019Amato-Kubiet advises\u00a0this for now: \u201cIf you can\u2019t\u00a0understand the ingredients,\u00a0don\u2019t buy it. If it has to go\u00a0through more than one window,\u00a0[such as with fast-food], it\u2019s\u00a0probably bad for you. And while\u00a0grocery shopping, only shop\u00a0on the outer perimeter of\u00a0the store.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you can\u2019t understand the ingredients,\u00a0don\u2019t buy it. If it has to go through more\u00a0than one window, [such as with fast-food],\u00a0it\u2019s probably bad for you. And while\u00a0grocery shopping, only shop on the outer\u00a0perimeter of the store.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"An<\/p>\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n

Roasted Vegetable\u00a0Grain Bowl<\/h2>\n
\n

A Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group recipe<\/em><\/h3>\n

INGREDIENTS:<\/strong>
\n1 cup quinoa, rinsed
\n2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
\n1 whole head of cauliflower,\u00a0cut into bite-sized florets
\n2 Tbsp. olive oil
\n1 can chickpeas<\/p>\n

Garnishes (optional):<\/strong>
\nSprinkle of toasted pepitas,
\npickled red onions, cilantro leaves<\/p>\n

Kale pepita pesto:<\/strong>
\n1\/2 cup pepitas
\n2 garlic cloves
\n1 packed cup chopped kale
\n1 packed cup cilantro
\n1\/4 cup lemon juice
\n1\/2 tsp. salt
\nground black pepper to taste
\n1\/2 cup olive oil
\n1\/2 tsp. maple syrup (or honey)<\/p>\n

DIRECTIONS:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Preheat oven to 425\u00b0F.<\/li>\n
  2. Add rinsed quinoa and 1 3\/4 cup of water to a\u00a0medium pot. Bring it to a boil, cover, reduce heat,\u00a0and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat\u00a0and let it sit, covered, for 10 more minutes. Fluff\u00a0with a fork (very important \u2014 a spoon will smush\u00a0your quinoa).<\/li>\n
  3. Place sweet potatoes and cauliflower on large\u00a0baking sheet. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil\u00a0and pinches of salt and pepper, toss to coat, then\u00a0spread evenly onto the sheet. Roast for 20 to 25\u00a0minutes or until golden brown around the edges.<\/li>\n
  4. Combine kale pepita pesto ingredients with 1\/2\u00a0cup of water in a blender, and blend until smooth.<\/li>\n
  5. Assemble bowls with a bed of greens, about\u00a01\/2 cup of quinoa, roasted vegetables, and\u00a0about 1\/4 cup chickpeas. Top with pickled red\u00a0onions, pepitas and\/or leftover cilantro. Drizzle\u00a0the pesto sauce on top and enjoy!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n","protected":false},"featured_media":23299,"template":"","categories":[977],"tags":[654,405,1452],"class_list":["post-23065","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature","tag-college-of-medicine","tag-college-of-nursing","tag-ucf-alumni","issues-1575","issues-fall-2022"],"yoast_head":"\nOur Brains on Food: UCF Nursing, Medicine Experts Examine Diet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A growing body of research shows diets rich in whole foods and plant-based foods increases our wit and decreases our risk of disease.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/pegasus\/our-brains-on-food\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta 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