How additives dim your mental powers

ProCeSSeD foods have an enormous amount of additives, such as emulsifiers, stabilisers, flavourings, colourings, damaging fats and various sugars and preservatives.

Some are there to enhance the texture of the food, others (such as vitamins and minerals) are there to convince you the food is healthier than it really is. This is a worry, because additives may be doing real harm to your sensitive brain.

The problem is that ‘safe’ levels were set many years ago when safety issues were not as well understood and only a small percentage of available foods contained additives.

Today, there is a real risk of interactions between additives and we have no idea what the long- term consequences of consuming large amounts of additives could be.

Though many are tested individually (on laboratory animals) and found to be ‘safe’, in combination with other chemicals they can be very damaging to the brain.

eating too many processed foods can trigger chemical imbalances in the brain and body, made worse by inevitable digestive difficulties caused by those foods having had their natural fibre, nutrients and enzymes processed out of them.

For instance, tartrazine, which is used in soft drinks and orangecoloured snacks, leaches zinc out of the body, a mineral required for neurological functioning as well as growth.

Monosodium glutamate has been linked to seizures, dizziness, chest pains, nausea, tightness of the face and headaches, diarrhoea and stomach cramps.

It also causes specific neurons to become over- stimulated — they become incapable of switching off and end up dying.

Many artificial flavours cause health issues because they stop the synthesis of specific detoxifying enzymes, which means that any food with toxic effects can’t be broken down and eliminated from the body. This may cause damage to cells and, therefore, interfere with normal cellular function.

In 2006, researchers uncovered the frightening fact that some additives, mainly artificial colours, can affect brain development.

Blue Smarties were temporarily removed when the study showed the combined action of certain artificial colours stopped the normal growth of brain cells and interfered with the signals between them (today’s blue Smarties use natural colouring).

The focus was on children, but it is short- sighted to think adults would not be affected. We also have the capacity to grow new neurons, which may be hampered by these artificial additives.

It is important to keep in mind that additives can accumulate in the body, reaching levels of toxicity that have not been tested for, and they can act with other additives, which will increase their effects on the body and brain.

ASPARTAME MAY MAKE YOU HUNGRY

ASpArTAMe — an artificial sweetener found in soft drinks — requires a special mention as it is made up of three substances: aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol (wood alcohol).

These substances are released into the bloodstream when aspartame is ingested.

Although passed safe by the authorities, some observers believe that high levels of these amino acids in the brain can negatively affect the synthesis of brain chemicals and bodily functions controlled by the autonomic nervous system, such as blood pressure.

Some research has linked aspartame with memory loss, attention deficit disorder (ADD) and headaches. people with mood disorders also seem to be particularly sensitive to it.

And aspartame may actually increase appetite, not subdue it!

REDUCE TOXIC LOAD ON YOUR BODY

There are heavy metals such as lead, aluminium, arsenic, mercury, copper and cadmium in everyday pesticides and insecticides, and lurking in your home in the plumbing, building materials and paints.

Though household cleaning products and body care products are not foods, they influence brain function due to the toxic chemicals they contain.

It is important to know that many of these toxic chemicals can be absorbed into the body through the skin. These heavy metals are especially damaging to nerve cells, so avoiding exposure to them is very important for the optimal functioning of your central nervous system and brain.

As the brain is our most sophisticated organ, any damage will be far-reaching and noticeable — it is especially susceptible to heavy metals. The brain has a high fat content, which can lead to the accumulation of heavy metals in cell membranes.

Mercury is particularly attracted to the fat-rich neural membranes, and the high blood flow in the brain exposes neurons to the toxicity of heavy metals.

heavy metals also produce damage in cells, which reduces a cell’s ability to function optimally and leads to them being unable to replace themselves effectively.

And heavy metals cause changes in cellular membrane functioning, which in turn negatively influences the way cells absorb and use nutrients and how brain chemicals communicate with each other.

This leads to impairment in learning and development as well as normal cognitive functioning.

READ THE LABELS FOR ADDITIVES

BeIng hyper-vigilant with food labels gives you the power to choose foods that support your mental and physical health.

Any product with more than five ingredients (unless it is an organic sauce packed with different vegetables) is bound to be a poorer choice than a product with fewer ingredients.

It is important to read labels because the aim of most food manufacturers is to prolong the shelf life of the product to maximise profit. They do this by adding lots of additives, so always check the label for additives.

And packing your diet with unprocessed foods means you don’t have to read as many labels!

KEEP IT FRESH FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH

eAT more fresh foods and healthy fats! Vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, selenium and essential fatty acids ( eFAs) all help keep the cell membranes working optimally and so protect against the accumulation of heavy metals.

green foods containing chlorophyll allow the body to excrete heavy metals. Sulphur-containing compounds such as garlic, onions and eggs also help to eliminate heavy metals from the body.

Apples and citrus contain a compound called pectin, which aids the body in getting rid of heavy metals. When buying fruit and veg, remember that the pesticides and insecticides used on conventional produce act as nerve agents on bugs and have been linked to human neuro-developmental issues.

Choosing organic produce when possible is just basic protection for your brain.