We all know that the relationship between sport, good nutrition and the brain is very close, but to what extent do you know all the benefits that this trio brings? Today on our blog we talk about this amazing topic at World Brain Week.
What benefits does practicing sport have regularly for our brain?
Physical effort favors the release of hormones such as adrenaline, norepinephrine and serotonin. The practice of sport also helps to improve our blood flow to the brain, which in turn favors the establishment of new neural connections.
Regarding food intake, we must provide the brain with an adequate amount of energy and liquids so that it works in the best possible way. Micronutrients, for their part, such as vitamins and minerals, are responsible for important metabolic processes.
What sports modalities or training methods contribute to improving our brain?
Actually, there is no list of specific modalities that can help us, but we can say that the main thing is that movement occurs and that we have fun during the process. If we face training with a negative state of mind, we will end up distracting ourselves from worries for a long time.
On the other hand, in the same way that we put the body to the test, our brain also needs a certain stimulation to develop. The more effort we demand, the greater the blood circulation and the release of what are known as chemical messengers.
How long does it take for these types of exercises to take effect in the brain if we develop them regularly?
The feeling of satisfaction is already noticeable from the very moment we train. If we do sports on a regular basis, this sensation is maintained during the recovery process, facilitating it. In this way we simultaneously strengthen our resistance to stress.
It is also known that nutrition has a great influence on our mental health. In this sense, what are the benefits of a healthy and balanced diet?
We can take fluid intake as an example. Fluid is important for blood circulation in our brain, and a lack of it leads to increased blood pressure and compression of blood vessels. This causes our brain to not receive enough oxygen, which also affects other functions of the body.
The energy we get from macronutrients is also important. The brain of an adult person consumes almost 500 kcal per day. Here we have to make special mention of fat, since the brain is composed largely of it. However, micronutrients also have a great influence on our brain.
What micronutrients are important for our brain?
The vitamin B group has a great influence on the performance of our brain. These vitamins favor the creation of hormones. Also vitamin D3 has a positive effect on our brain and our immune system.
