An Interview with The Center for Optimal Brain Health

Here is a little interview I did with The Center for Optimal Brain Health.  They are doing some powerful work with the Alzhemier’s, dementia, and aging population here in Houston.

“Nicole Fennell is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a Masters in Nutritional Sciences. If you’re looking for a Nutritionist, check out Nicole’s website! https://chewsfoodwisely.com/

Q: Tell us a little about your role as a nutritionist and how you help people at Chews Food Wisely?

A: I believe in the power of real-food living. Following holistic ideology involves understanding the body as a synergistic system that must have all parts functioning well together versus isolating specific areas of focus. At a functional and biological level, our bodies are the byproducts of the nutrients we provide through our diets. Vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids together perform over 300 life-sustaining processes in the body. Deficiency of one nutrient can lead to a cascade of events that impair our body’s ability to function at its optimal level. Nutritional deficiencies have been shown to suppress the immune system which can contribute to diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic fatigue and mental illness. Nutrients are the most basic form of medicine we can give our bodies, so let food be thy medicine.

Q: From your standpoint, how do you see nutrition benefitting people’s cognitive health?

A: Having a healthy diet and consuming a diet that humans are meant to eat allows for our bodies to function at an optimal state as we are providing the tools necessary for biological function. Our brains are the direct result of what we put into our body, so providing it with the best and most nutrient dense foods is a key for the best performance. Beyond the biological purposes of a healthy diet for cognitive function, eating nutritious food also gives us a sense of well-being and is a great mood enhancer all on its own.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you would give to people about healthy nutrition and living a brain-healthy life?

A: Don’t fear fat! Dietary fat makes up half of our cell membranes and gives them the necessary stiffness and integrity needed to prevent breakdown and damage that leads to chronic disease. Some fatty acids, such as those found in olives and macadamia nuts, can even have an antidepressant effect and aid in increased integrity of neurotransmitters. Fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins such as alpha-lipoic acid and Vitamin E have neuro-protective properties and have been shown to protect against the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Good sources of fat include coconut & its oil, olives, olive oil, avocado & oil, macadamia nuts & oil, grass-fed butter or ghee, pasture raised animal meats, and wild game.”

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Houston, Texas 77005