Dates Strengthen The Nervous System
You are probably wondering why you should add dates to your diet. Dates are known as superfoods. They are full of vitamins and minerals. But did you know that dates strengthen the nervous system?
In this article, we will cover what the nervous system is. We will also discuss how dates strengthen it.
- What is the nervous system?
- Dietary interventions for the brain
- Food types to avoid for brain health
- Dates nutritional benefits
Not everyone might be aware of the importance of the nervous system. However, it is important to understand how essential this system is. We must also know how our nutrition plays a significant role. Some foods we eat may cause more than just discomfort. It may eventually lead to long-term damage to our brains! A healthy diet full of certain nutrients can prevent illnesses. It can also help strengthen our nervous system. That includes consuming dates more often!
What is the nervous system?
Did you know that your brain is part of your nervous system? This system is in charge of everything that is happening in your body. It manages your organs and internal metabolic processes. It also tells you how to breathe, digest, swallow, and blink. This system also controls how your heart beats. It is divided into the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. Meanwhile, the peripheral nervous system contains the nerves coming off of the spinal cord to the rest of the body.
The brain is one of the most important parts of this system. It contains neurons, which are your brain cells. These all have cell bodies with extensions called dendrites and axons. These parts allow the brain to send messages across the rest of the body. Non-neuron cells are called glia. They work to support neurons and the rest of the systems in place.
What is the function of the nervous system in our body?
As we discussed above, the nervous system is in charge of sending messages to the rest of your body. It is essentially responsible for everything that you do. This includes learning, memory, thinking, and movement. Even our sweating, shivering, breathing, and digesting is controlled by this system too. It also keeps our heart beating and initiates our fight or flight response. Things like seeing, smelling, touching, tasting, and hearing also rely on our nervous system.
Your nervous system is also responsible for more common processes. Examples of these are adjusting to keep you comfortable, managing how you sleep, and dealing with anxiety. Other uncontrollable factors like aging, puberty, and many more need this system. This is why in times of stress and anxiety, your nervous system will activate the fight-or-flight system. This will release a hormone called adrenaline, which allows you to get the boost of energy you need during stressful times.
Diseases of the nervous system
When your nervous system is not in balance, your health will suffer. People that follow an unhealthy diet are more at risk of experiencing diseases concerning the nervous system. So are those with a history of cognitive disorders. There are currently more than 600 neurologic diseases. Some of these lead to other comorbidities. These include decreased digestive health, risk of heart attack, iron deficiencies, and many more.
Some of these diseases of the nervous system include:
- Tumors
- Epilepsy
- Parkinson disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia
- Neuropathy
- Dementia
Dietary interventions for the brain
The best way to prevent neurological conditions is to eat a wholesome and healthy diet. This will also lower your risk for degenerative brain disease.There is abundant evidence among many studies that dietary factors are a big deal. They can keep our brains more moldable and plastic. This means that they can adapt, learn, and memorize new things.
There are many ways to keep your brain healthy. One of the most significant factors is consuming omega 3 fatty acids. You can find these acids in various healthy foods. This includes fatty fish, nuts, seeds, and oils. They also act as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents. In turn, it reduces the risk for diseases. It also helps lessen the damage to the brain cells.
There are three types of omega 3 fatty acids. These are the alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These nutrients are essential to the body. This is because our bodies are not able to make these on their own.
ALA is essential because it comes solely from diet. The EPA and DHA your body can make are also very small. This is why it is important to eat foods that are rich in these fatty acids.
Diets high in fatty acids can reduce the effects of brain injury. It also promotes better brain plasticity. Consuming foods like avocado, olive oil, nuts, and flaxseed is a great idea. It can help elevate the omega 3 levels in your diet.
Other foods you may want to include in your diet are turmeric and green tea. We recommend you to also eat fruits and vegetables that are rich in flavonoids and polyphenols. These foods are known antioxidants and anti-inflammatory too. Therefore, they can help prevent oxidative damage to your brain. You may also add some turmeric powder, berries, wine, and tea in your diet. It’s also a good idea to eat grapes, dates, and ginger.
Below you will see why fresh dates and dry dates can be a great addition to your diet. Eating them can do great wonders to your brain health. This is because they contain many of the nutrients your nervous system needs.
Food types to avoid to keep your brain healthy
Like what we’ve discussed, some foods can help boost your brain health and cognition. However, there are also foods that are incredibly damaging. Here is a list of foods to avoid! We all want to keep our nervous system strong.
- Sugar: Refined sugar like high fructose corn syrup, can raise cholesterol levels. It can also increase the risk of heart attacks. They may damage your bone health, and many more. They can also cause diabetes. Because of this, they also increase inflammation in the body. Your risk for stroke may also increase.
- Trans fats: Foods high in trans fats are genetically modified to last longer and be cheaper. This means that they are not high in omega 3 or any essential fatty acids. Instead, they can lead to fat accumulation. Trans fats increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. Consuming too much of these also lead to dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression.
- Processed foods: Just like trans fats, foods that are processed are not good for you. They may lead to inflammation and cell damage. They increase your risk for weight gain and high cholesterol. Studies have found that they can lead to brain damage as well. This is because they contribute to metabolic disorders.
- Alcohol: A little wine here and there can be good for you. However, excessive alcohol consumption is not. Binge drinking can lead to weight gain and high cholesterol. It also increases your risk for cognitive decline.
Dates nutritional benefits
Dates are fruits that come from the date palm tree. You may likely know them as dried fruits. Dates are incredible snacks! They can give you a boost of energy. They may also help you control your blood sugar levels.
You are now probably wondering how dates could be so good for you. Do you want to know the benefits of eating dates daily? If so, we recommend you take a look at the benefits of dates here.
Dates are very nutritious
This fruit contains a high number of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Dates are high in potassium, magnesium, copper, iron, vitamin B6, proteins, fiber, and more. This fruit is a great source of nutrients that can help keep your body energized and your brain healthy.
Dates are a great source of fiber
As mentioned above, dates contain a high amount of fiber. They are essential in keeping your body healthy. Fiber not only contributes to digestive health. It also flushes out cholesterol in the body. Fiber also helps healthy bacteria grow in your gut.
Dates strengthen the nervous system
Dates are more than just nutritious foods. They also strengthen your nervous system. For one, dates are neuroprotective. This means they help preserve your neurons’ function and structure. This is especially true if the nutrients are found in the date fruit extracts (DFEs) form. These extracts can help with blood sugar control. It also prevents neuron degeneration. You may be unsure about how healthy dates are. In this case, we recommend using a date fruit extract as part of your diet instead. It will still provide you with the health benefits!
Dates also contain a high amount of potassium. This mineral is essential in maintaining fluid balance in your body. It also aids in the nerve conductions in the brain. This means that the messages in your brain travel faster. Dates are a healthy way of obtaining this nutrient. It also has the benefit of not having added sugars!
The date fruit also contains various types of carotenoids and phytochemicals. These compounds are strong antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. They help prevent brain damage and oxidative stress. It also lessens the risk for cell death and brain bleeding, which is a type of stroke. Eating many varieties of dates can help prevent blood clots in your brain. It also fights daily damage done to the brain. These damages can lead to memory loss and cognitive dysfunction. They increase your risk for dementia and other mental illnesses.
Dates and their products also have a moderate amount of vitamin A. This vitamin acts as an antioxidant. It is also essential in keeping your eyes and vision healthy. This is important for brain function. More so, vitamin A can keep your eyes and nerve membranes strong.
Finally, dates are also a great solution for preventing cell damage. It also decreases the risk of chronic illnesses. These include cancers and diabetes. Your risk for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease is also reduced. All of these illnesses can lead to brain damage. It can also be a risk factor for developing neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, consuming dates daily can help make your nervous system stronger.
The nervous system plays a significant role in everything your body does. Consuming foods high in proteins, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants can help protect your brain. It prevents you from getting damage and inflammation. That is why eating dates daily is a good idea. It can help strengthen your nervous system. It also gives you other important health benefits. This will improve your overall health!
Summary
Your brain is in charge of all the processes in your body. Therefore, knowing how to take care of it is important. We recommend eating a healthy diet. Make sure to sleep more and get enough exercise. These can all help take care of your brain. Adding certain foods, like dates, can also strengthen and protect your nervous system.
Scientific Information
- Axon – part of the neuron located in the center of the cell.
- Glia – non-neuron cells that do not participate in electric signaling, but support neurons.
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids – essential fatty acids that the body uses for energy and tissue growth. These acids come from the diet, including fish oil and certain plant products.
- Antioxidant – compounds that help fight free radicals, chemicals, and harmful toxins that cause damage to the body.
- Flavonoids – a group of phytonutrients (plant chemicals) found in fruits and vegetables.
- Carotenoids – pigments in plants, algae, and fruits that are yellow, red, and orange. They have antioxidant properties.
- Neuroprotection – an effect that can help recover or regenerate the nervous system. This includes itsing cells, structures, and functions.
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