Dr. David Perlmutter, M.D., FACN, neurologist and author of “How to Raise a Smarter Child by Kindergarten” says that the our brains are 60% fat, but what really matters is what fats are in our diets. He should know. He’s recognized recognized internationally as a leader in the field of nutritional influences in neurological disorders. I heard him speak at the recent Building Beautiful Minds event—a luncheon and expert discussion about the newest research and role of omega-3 fatty acids in children’s nutrition and brain health which was held at Scholastic Headquarters in New York City. So intrigued by his presentation was I that I caught up with him for a one on one which you can view in the video clip. It’s all about DHA, EPA, GLA and BDNF.
At the Building Beautiful Minds luncheon, a panel of experts presented the latest research findings as well as shared how to build and maintain children’s brain health. Your brain is forming 250,000 brain cells per minute, making 1.8 million connections per second. There are more connections there than there are stars in the universe! Neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life, is the keystone of learning. And we also know that what enhances these connections is BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor), a genetic transcription that comes from nutrition and physical activity. Aerobic activity and DHA, that critical Omega-3 fatty acid, turns on the genes that make BDNF. Genes are wrapped around proteins called histones that determine whether genes are open or closed. Through binding sights on the histones, we control whether genetic material is available for transcription or not.
So what’s the good news? The good news is that we actually have control over our genetic destiny. No longer are we bound by the imprint of DNA. Through lifestyle choices which include what foods we eat, the amount of stress we have and the exercise we take, we have the ability to change our genetic expression.
Back to the luncheon. Nutrition researchers Dr. Paul Montgomery and Dr. Alexandra Richardson (author of “They Are What You Feed Them”) reported on the DOLAB (DHA Oxford Learning and Behavior) Study which was carried out in the Centre for Evidence Based Intervention at the University of Oxford, in association with Oxfordshire Local Education Authority. The aim of this study was to look at the effects of dietary supplementation with DHA on children’s learning and behavior. The study involved 360 children aged 7 to 9 years from mainstream Oxfordshire primary schools. Benefits for reading were only evident among those children whose initial reading performance feel within the lowest 20% of the normal distribution which suggested that DHA supplementation should be thought of as a targeted intervention for the poorest readers rather than a universal one. However, in terms of behavior, the benefits may have broader effect, as reductions in parents’ ratings of ADHD-type symptoms were evident across the entire sample studied.
Okay, but how to get your kids to eat right? Fish, fruits, vegetables. Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D. and author of “Eat Your Way to Happiness” gave us some great guidelines:
– Show off…show how you enjoy eating fruits and veggies
– Load up and stock the kitchen
– Never give up…kids always say no the first time…try different ways, raw, steamed, grated, sneak them into foods….
– Juice vegetables…make muffins with pulp
– Canned soups, add extra vegetables; If “no” to vegetables, try fruit
– Watch out for sabotage…using food to soothe emotions
– Give a choice…not what do you want?
– Children should decide how much
…and take moderate dose vitamin.
In closing, numerous studies confirm that everyone, from infants to adults, benefits from an adequate supply of DHA. Throughout every stage of life, DHA is proven to be important for brain health. life’sDHA™, the source of DHA used in the trial, is a vegetarian and sustainable source of DHA. It can be found in hundreds of supplements and fortified foods and beverages. Additional information about life’sDHA is available at http://www.lifesdha.com.
Also of note, Building Beautiful Minds (www.beautiful-minds.com) has partnered with Adopt-A-Classroom, a nonprofit organization that increases opportunity for student success by empowering teachers with community partners and funds to purchase resources for the classroom. At the event, we will donate up to $25,000 worth of books and supplies to schools in need to help build the next generation of beautiful minds. Attendees can raise a hand by nominating schools or teachers they wish to support. Visit http://www.adoptaclassroom.org to learn more about this organization.
