HOW THE BRAIN USES FOOD

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Despite the brain only being 2% of the body weight, it demands such high amounts of energy. The brain uses 20% of the body’s nutritional intake to function 

 

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The foods we consume greatly affects brain function, including everything from memory to emotions.

 

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Studies suggest the quality of the foods consumed over the lifetime affects the structure and function of the brain.

 

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The food you eat also affects molecules in the brain that support cognition.

 

 

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Studies have shown that 700 calories are used daily just to make your brain function.

 

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Therefore, when you restrict, your brain is also starved which makes anorexic cognitions harder to fight.

 

 

 

“The brain is a clever and complex organ which just like any other part of the body... Needs food. When recovering from an eating disorder, people often underestimate the strength and fuel needed to fight against an organ living inside your body. Your brain! So, the more fuel given to your brain, the more strength if must rationalise your intrusive eating disorder thoughts and fight against them. When starvation mode is entered because of anorexia, the brain becomes undernourished and has been scientifically proven to shrink in size. Meaning it performs poorer cognitively and can’t tackle anorexia. It has also been proven that malnourishment increases depression and anxiety in the brain. When you don't eat enough to keep your body fuelled, your brain flicks into survival mode - essentially switching off the parts of our brain responsible for conscious, intellectual, logical reasoning. Leaving you with your more basic "survival brain" in the driver's seat.  More fuel in = more fuel to challenge anorexia. Your body uses food in unseen and mysterious ways. A large proportion of your calorie intake is prioritised to your brain! After all, it's the organ that controls the body, so it needs to be looked after!