Water’s importance for brain health..

How Does Water Affect Your Brain?

According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the BRAIN and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water.The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%.

When your brain is functioning on a FULL reserve of water, you will be able to THINK faster, be more focused, and experience greater clarity and creativity. Water is also essential for delivering nutrients to the brain and for removing toxins.

Yeh, yeh, we know. Drink more water. We hear it all too often. But according to a new study, if you want your brain to do its thing and do it well, you might want to start knocking back your H20!

Not enough water may even impact brain structure.

We all know that water is one of the most important nourishments or nutrients, and not surprisingly it is for our brains as well.

water

Water makes up about 2/3 of our body weight and around 85% of the brain’s weight, and sometimes we don’t drink enough of it. Adequate hydration is essential for our body to work properly as it has a cognitive impact and is a key factor in brain activity.

Mild dehydration may result in changes in our attention and even memory. However, severe dehydration (i.e. losing over 2% of body weight in fluids) can lead to major alterations in cognitive performance and even death in the worst of cases.

Feed your brain!

Water is of major importance to all living things; in some organisms, up to 90% of their body weight comes from water. Up to 60% of the human adult body is water. Considering we are about 60% water, it isn’t surprising brain function goes downhill without adequate hydration!

Water is required by every cell in the body and important for all body functions. It helps transport oxygen and nutrients critical to the brain for optimal function, whilst providing cushioning and lubrication to the brain tissue.

A more recent animal study found that dehydration alters the regulation of cerebral circulation as it induces increased vasopressin levels and oxidative stress. This, in turn, could impact cognitive function.

So, staying hydrated is one critical factor for supporting the brain. Drinking 1.5 to 2 litres a day is the general recommendation, and important factors to consider include:

  • Alcohol and caffeine can be dehydrating as they make you want to pee more. So drink more water if consuming these.
  • Herbal teas and fluid from food like vegetables and fruit all count toward water consumed.
  • Sugar-sweetened beverages should not be considered a source of hydration.

When it comes to our chow, mostly eating real, whole foods will help brain health and function. Opting for heavily refined and packaged stuff typical of the Western diet not so much. In fact, regularly consuming trans-fat, highly processed, and sugar-laden foods, such as hamburgers, chips, donuts and soft drink, has been correlated with decreased hippocampal volume, negatively impacting memory and mood.

Instead, when deciding what to eat for your brain consider:

  • Focusing on eating mostly minimally processed foods
  • Include an abundance of antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruit, like leafy greens, spices, and berries
  • Enjoy a variety of colours
  • Have some good fat foods, like avocado, nuts (like walnuts), seeds (like flax and chia), and oily fish.

And getting good quality and length of sleep is imperative to be firing on all cylinders.

So drink up, eat well, and enjoy some snooze time. Your brain will thank you.

 

OTHER TRUTHS:

Drinking water improves brain power

Drinking water can improve one's brain health by simply increasing blood flow and oxygen to the brain – which, in turn, improves concentration and cognition (supporting memory function) and helps balance moods and emotions, reducing stress and headaches.

Dehydration affects brain function

Your brain is strongly influenced by your hydration status. Studies show that even mild dehydration, such as the loss of 1–3% of body weight, can impair many aspects of brain function.

How does water get to your brain?

Instead, water is primarily transported to the brain via a so-called co-transporter, which moves a certain amount of water when ions move across the tissue plexus choroideus. “It is brand new knowledge on a very important physiological process involving the by far most complex organ in the human body, namely the brain.

Water helps you concentrate

Water increases Energy & Relieves Fatigue
Since your brain is mostly water, drinking it helps you think, focus and concentrate betterand be more alert. As an added bonus, your energy levels are also boosted!

Other source: https://www.newworldai.com/water-and-brain-function/

 

How does swimming help your brain?

Swimming specifically provides extra benefits for the brain as the aerobic action affects neurotransmitters that influence mood and stress-reducing hormones. As an aerobic exercise, swimming strengthens the heart and helps it to grow.

It releases endorphins: A hard swimming workout releases natural feel-good compounds, called endorphins, helps to convert excess fight-or-flight stress hormones into muscle relaxation, and promotes the growth of new brain cells in brain areas that atrophies under chronic stress.

swimmingpool

Swimming Improves Your Memory and Makes You Smarter

Regular exercise reduces inflammation and insulin resistance in the brain, which fosters new brain cell growth. Swimming also improves mood, anxiety, and stress, which increases the brain's ability to think more efficiently.

Swimming has been shown to promote new neurons in the hippocampus. This has the ability to help with learning and memory, as well as helping with depression and mental health issues. As you exercise, regardless of the type, your hippocampus will expand.

Swimming Improves Brain Function

As an aerobic exercise, swimming strengthens the heart and helps it to grow. A healthy heart ensures blood is pumped blood efficiently around the body, which leads to better blood flow. Swimming increases blood flow, which means it can help improve memory, mood, mental clarity and focus.

 swim brain

 

Additional references::

https://accesshealthla.org/top-5-benefits-drinking-water/

https://www.yourheights.com/blog/health/what-does-water-do-for-the-brain

https://fitminds.ca/brain-health-lifestyle-water-water-water/

swim health 

To your success and a healthy YOU!