Your Physical Brain

DeAnna Willman Photo Thom Bradley@Unsplash

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows this very well.

Psalm 139:13-14

The brain is an amazing part of God’s creation that is so seldom considered. It weighs about 3 pounds, and if you were to put your two fists together, you would have the approximate size of your brain. Yet, this smaller part of our body takes up 60% of our daily calories and nutrients, and it exerts more energy in one day than all the cell phones in the world combined.

The brain controls the body by giving off energy and chemical signals to every cell within the body. Those signals tell the body to give a hug, to cry a tear, to laugh, to run, to digest, to eliminate waste, to detox, to break down and use nutrients, to assign labels to what is experienced through the 5 senses, to react in fear or to rest and recover, to prepare for reproduction, to sleep or wake, turn on or off DNA, to rebuild and repair, even to destroy old cells and invaders, and so much more! There would not be enough time or space in this blog to touch on even a fraction of how the brain controls the body.

In order for the brain to function well it requires vitamins, minerals, proteins, (healthy) fats, and (healthy) carbs. A lot has been mentioned in media over the past couple of decades about Omega 3 essential fatty acids. But, decades before, women were instructed to load up on folate before becoming pregnant in order to help the developing brains of their unborn children. B vitamins have been touted for their necessity in cognitive function, mood regulation, and the production of neurotransmitters that make communication across the brain and body possible. Now the medical field is also recognizing the importance of Vitamin D for brain function and memory.

It’s not that these are the only vitamins and minerals that the brain needs. No! The brain needs all the vitamins and minerals you will receive in a high-quality supplement. (Yes, we need to supplement because our food is no longer as nutritious as it once was.) But the brain also benefits from eating foods such as walnuts, brazil nuts, avocado, coconut, butter, eggs, sweet potatoes, meats such as beef, chicken, lamb, and fish, fruits, and of course all the greens that many choose to avoid. Even plants such as rosemary, bacopa, St John’s Wort, peppermint, and so many more also benefit the brain and its functioning.

Let’s talk about exercise! 30 minutes of exercise, any kind, will give the brain more energy and increase the amount of oxygen and nutrients available to the brain. It also brings about the release of proteins that promote neuron health, memory, and thinking skills. Brain exercises are also needed to keep the brain healthy. Things such as puzzles, word games, suduko, math problems, and more also keep the brain sharp.

But what does this all have to do with the topic we have been exploring for several weeks now? The brain controls the body. A healthy brain is needed to keep sending healthy signals to the body. But it does not matter that you know all this if you do not CHOOSE to practice it. There is our connection.

The mind controls the brain which controls the body. If the mind is not healthy it will not make healthy choices. If the mind is steeped in negativity and toxic thinking, it will not make good choices for the brain, body, behavior, or relationships. At the very beginning I mentioned we are like a 3 legged stool made up of the mind, brain, and spirit. Our health requires that all three be healthy and strong. But, the mind leg of that stool is the one that will determine the health of the other two. The mind will choose whether to eat healthy and exercise or to eat what is not healthy and do without regular exercise. The mind will choose whether to learn the word of God and commune with Him on a regular basis, or it will choose not to do those things. I hope that we are all truly grasping this reality and its significance.

Next week we will return to the mind and take a closer look at the parts of the mind and each part’s function. This week I hope you will take a closer look at the choices you make on a regular basis regarding the health of your body and your spirit. Are those choices benefitting you and others? Are they lengthening and blessing your life? Are your choices hindering your health, behaviors and relationships? Are they giving honor to our King, Creator, and Savior? What is the result of your choices this far in your life?

Until next time….

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving YHWH your God, obeying His voice, and holding fast to Him for He is your life and length of days…. Deuteronomy 30:19-20a