Being highly metabolic, our brains require a lot of nutrients and oxygen to function properly, and these substances can only get to our brains through healthy blood flow.
We feel alert and energized when blood flow is at its best; we feel groggy and lethargic when it is low. So, you may be wondering how to increase blood flow to our brains naturally. Do suitable methods exist?
Read on to find out how to improve blood flow to your brain as this article provides the answer to that query.
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Why Increasing Blood Flow to the Brain is Important?
A constant blood flow provides the brain with the oxygen it needs to survive and thrive, as well as glucose, vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and other nutrients. Additionally, cerebral blood circulation removes substances like carbon dioxide, toxins, and metabolic waste products that the brain neither needs nor wants.
Since the brain is made up of more than 70% water, the blood supply to it is essential for keeping it hydrated. The blood transports the hormones and neurotransmitters required for brain function, as well as maintaining the brain’s constant temperature and pH (a measure of how acidic or alkaline it is).
To do all this, one liter of blood flows through the 400 miles of blood vessels in the brain every minute. But when circulation is restricted, brain cells suffer and can even die. There is strong evidence that reduced cerebral blood flow increases your risk of developing brain diseases like vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s. It is obvious that maintaining adequate blood flow to the brain is crucial for both brain health and function.
Signs of Insufficient Blood Flow to the Brain
There may be similarities between the signs of a stroke and those of decreased blood flow to the brain. If a person notices these symptoms, they ought to get immediate medical help. Quick treatment may reduce the damage done and can help with recovery. Key symptoms include:
- Slurred speech
- Sudden weakness in the limbs
- Difficulty swallowing
- Loss of balance or feeling unbalanced
- Partial or complete loss of vision or double vision
- Dizziness or a spinning sensation
- Numbness or a tingling feeling
- Confusion
- Vomiting or nausea
These symptoms could persist or just show up occasionally. Not all blood vessels that are narrow or blocked exhibit symptoms.
How to Increase Blood Flow to Brain Naturally?
Diet Improvement
Beets and Chocolate
The lining of blood vessels, the endothelium, produces nitric oxide (NO), which relaxes the inner muscles of the vessels to increase blood flow. “The continuous formation of NO in the brain is essential to life,” says prominent pharmacologist Dr. Louis Ignarro, who discovered that NO is produced by humans and that it lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow, was awarded the 1998 Nobel Prize in Science. He advocates passing up meat for soy and fish protein, eating antioxidant-rich produce such as pomegranate, blueberries, spinach and kale, and consuming lots of nitrate-rich food like celery and leafy greens which are converted to NO in the body. He specifically suggests dark chocolate and beets, which according to one study increase nitric oxide levels by 21% in just 45 minutes when consumed in juice form. In a Harvard study, older adults who drank two cups of hot chocolate per day for 30 days experienced improved brain blood flow and memory.
Resveratrol
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties make resveratrol a useful substance. Many people know that it’s found in grapes, red wine, raspberries and dark chocolate.
Resveratrol is known to help prevent the development of neurodegenerative diseases. And scientists are beginning to comprehend why. In addition to supporting your mitochondria and boosting BDNF, resveratrol can help repair the blood-brain barrier.
However, it can also assist you in enhancing the speed at which blood and oxygen are delivered to your brain. Participants in one study noticed a dose-dependent rise in brain blood flow after taking either 250 or 500 milligrams of resveratrol. There is evidence that as little as 75 mg can improve cognition and blood flow in the brain.
Additionally, a recent study discovered that chronic resveratrol supplementation boosts brain blood flow in post-menopausal women, enhancing their cognition and mood.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The best fats for the brain are omega-3 fatty acids. Since your body is unable to produce them, you must obtain them from food or supplements. One of the most crucial things you can do to support your nervous system and brain is to make sure you consume more omega-3 fatty acids.
Numerous studies have shown that they significantly lower brain inflammation, enhance memory, mood, and cognition, and guard against Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and mild cognitive impairment. They also organically improve circulation and blood flow in the brain.
Higher regional cerebral blood flow is significantly correlated with higher omega-3 levels, according to research. Additionally, one study discovered that taking an omega-3 supplement significantly increased brain blood flow when compared to taking a placebo. Cold water fish such as salmon, black cod, sablefish, sardines, and herring contain omega-3 fatty acids.
Unfortunately, most people don’t eat enough of these foods. So supplementing with krill oil should be considered. Krill oil is a special kind of fish oil that readily crosses the blood-brain barrier. I’ve tried a ton of fish oil supplements, but I prefer krill oil to them all.
Read more: Stimulate Appetite In Elderly: 5 Suggestions – Elder VIP
External Conditions
Light
Bright light exposure enhances blood flow to the brain. It is not always possible to spend time in the sun, even though natural sunlight performs best. As an alternative, you can use a lightbox, the kind used to treat seasonal affective disorder.
Movement
Fast walking, running, cycling, swimming, ball playing, weight lifting and yoga all help improve cranial blood flow, says Ignarro: “All arteries, including those in the brain, are stimulated to produce NO by exercise.” An increase in ongoing cranial blood flow of up to 15% was observed in one study of women over 60 who walked for 30 to 50 minutes three or four times per week. Yoga exercises like downward dogging and shoulder standing also raise blood flow in the head.
Play Music
Research using functional magnetic resonance imaging published in Scientific Reports found that blood flow in the brain increases when people listen to music they love, whether it’s Mozart or Eminem. In a recent study, Weightless, a song written by the British group Macaroni Union along with sound therapists, reduced participants’ anxiety levels by 65 percent and physiological resting rates by 35 percent.
Meditation
My preferred method of relaxation is meditation, which has been shown to improve cerebral blood flow. In one study, 14 people with memory problems followed a simple 8-week meditation program. And scientists discovered a notable increase in blood flow to the prefrontal cortex.
Logical memory and verbal fluency also improved after training. One study found that just five days of meditation—30 minutes per day—significantly increased the blood flow to the brain.
I meditate wearing the Muse headband. As you are meditating, it provides you with immediate feedback. That way, you know how well you are meditating. It greatly enhances how enjoyable meditation is. I previously wrote about it here, and you can get it through the Muse website.
Summary
There are many things you can do to restore normal blood flow to the brain, despite underlying medical conditions and contemporary lifestyle factors that may be to blame. The right foods, music, brain-strengthening activities, and mind-body practices like neurofeedback and meditation can all be beneficial. Additionally, you might want to consider taking one of the many supplements that have been shown to improve blood flow to the brain.
