The following information is courtesy of Delia McCabe, PhD
This information is highly relevant in our modern AI and techno-driven world, but never more so that in relation to our children. We are seeing laws to prevent under-16 year olds from being exposed to social media, but what about giving babies and toddlers the phone to keep them quiet? These tiny brains are super sensitive to over-stimulation, addiction and EMF damage. Are parents setting up their little ones to be addicted to screens even before they can read? A thought worth a lot of consideration.
‘Information overload’ is real!
In the first section I will mention what too few people are discussing:
1) Your brain doesn’t care what you expose it to …
Neuroplasticity is:
‘ … a process that involves adaptive structural and functional changes to the brain. It is defined as the ability of the nervous system to change its activity in response to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli by reorganising its structure, functions, or connections after injuries, such as a stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI). … ‘ (1)
Simply, two processes:
ONE
The creation of new connections between neurons that weren’t there before.
This is how new actions can lead to habits if we pursue those actions consistently – normally it takes about 90 days to form a new habit.
Neurons that fire together – regularly – wire together.
TWO
Neurons that no longer function optimally – have damaged – are supported by other neurons, who ‘pick up their slack.’
New connections are created, as a way to ‘detour’ to the place/s that the damaged/dead neurons previously sent messages.
A new set of neuronal connections, previously unused for those tasks, are formed to action what the damaged/dead neurons can no longer do optimally, or at all.
Unfortunately, it’s not a level playing field in relation to forming new neural pathways, or healing from damage.
Why?
Because there’s a third type of neuroplasticity, which you can think of as the dark side of neuroplasticity:
Bad habits are formed with greater ease than good habits, because what provides us with pleasure quickly (mostly bad habits) comes with a dollop of dopamine.
It’s why we more easily crave chocolate or coffee vs broccoli or green beans.
And: during our formative years our brains are more ‘plastic’ than when they’re fully formed.
We’re more vulnerable to learning habits that don’t serve us at any age, but when our brains are developing we’re more susceptible.
Why?
Because we don’t yet have a fully functioning prefrontal cortex (PFC), to inhibit our first, knee-jerk desire/s.
Which stops us from doing what we know feels good in the moment.
What does this have to do with technology?
Whatever type of technology we work with, we’re vulnerable to becoming dependant on it because of the high levels of dopamine that are synthesised when we engage with such.
And, technology also helps us save neural energy because we don’t have to work hard – cognitively – to gain information. We also don’t have to stretch our own creativity muscles.
Dopamine + Saving Neural Energy = High Risk of Dependency.
- The brain doesn’t care that what you’re exposing it to may not serve you long term – it simply changes shape according to what it’s exposed to – or not exposed to.
- And if it doesn’t use its neural connections they will atrophy.
- What we don’t use we lose.
- This is the magic – and downside – to neuroplasticity.
Takeaway: If you don’t choose to limit your interaction with AI/LLMs your brain may change shape in ways that won’t serve you long term. Establish boundaries around WHAT you use these agents for, and HOW you use them. Your creativity is worthy of being protected, as is your neural wellbeing. More information being made available to you does not mean it will serve your brains health across your lifetime.
2) Which ‘Superfoods’ are best for your brain?
By now you know that what you eat directly impacts your brain health.
When I first discovered this nearly three decades ago it was not common knowledge.
But, what’s that got to do with ‘Superfoods?’
They’re useful – on top of an already nutrient-dense brain diet – because our brain is our most metabolically active organ and therefore produces a lot of free-radicals, which need antioxidants to counter their negative activity …
And, ‘Superfoods’ contain loads of antioxidants!
Here’s a list of five of my favourites, and next month I’ll share another five:
- Acai (pronounced ah-sigh-EE) berries are found on a Brazilian palm tree, deep in the Amazon forests of South America. The colour of these bright berries carries their antioxidant power, which is especially useful to counter the copious quantity of free radicals that are produced in the brain.
Check that your berries are being sourced from a sustainable region, and that they are organic.
Check that there are minimum fillers added to them when they are in powder form. (2,3,4)
- Goji berries are very high in antioxidant potential, and are readily available in dried or juice form. These tiny berries, also called wolfberries, may be one of the most nutritionally dense foods on earth, and contains not just four unique polysaccharides but also vitamin A and C, fiber, iron and zinc, and all eight amino acids.
Make sure they’re organic, and dried in the sun, not in factories using artificial heat.
In addition, be aware that there have been cases of people who are allergic to other plant foods who are also allergic to these berries, and that extreme photosensitisation can accompany their consumption. (5,6)
- Maqui berries, also called Chilean Wineberries, are intensely purple and the size of small grapes. They grow wild on bushes in southern Chile and are rich in anthocyanins, and delphinidins, which are potent anti-inflammatory agents.
Keep in mind that processing may lower the amount of antioxidants available. (5,6)
- Chia seeds do contain more omega-3 than flax seeds do, but like flax seeds, it’s important to crush them to benefit fully from these nutrients.
Unfortunately, they cannot provide all our brains essential fatty acid (EFA) needs because we also need omega-6s for optimal brain health. (8)
- Hemp seeds have an amazing history, and they are now also becoming better known and appreciated for their great nutrient content.
Hemp seeds are nutrient-dense, containing 20% omega-3, 60% omega-6 and 12% omega-9. Hemp seeds also contain good quality protein. Hemp seeds can be enjoyed in the same way as other seeds, sprinkled over salads, in smoothies and in breakfast cereals. (9)
Again, choose organic seeds that have been refrigerated from field to store refrigerator and don’t heat them!
Without the correct, nutrient-dense, foundational ‘normal’ superfoods in our diet, exotic ‘Superfoods’ and supplements are not going to provide us with the benefits we may have been hoping for.
So, don’t believe all the ‘hype’ spread by suppliers of exotic ‘Super-foods!’ Real, nutrient-dense, fibre-filled, fresh produce should always be our first, foundational choice.
And be careful when buying the ones mentioned above – their growing, harvesting and storage conditions do affect their nutrient content and ability to nourish us – and our precious brain!
Takeaway: Adding nutrient-dense ‘Superfoods’ to an already
optimally nutrient-dense diet is a great idea, however, relying on them
to provide all the nutrients you need for an optimally functioning brain
(and body) is not. We need ordinary vegetables, fruit, clean protein
and good fats as the foundation of an optimal brain diet. Think of
‘Superfoods’ as the cherry on top of an already great brain diet.
Watch Delia speaking on this topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyaV4OE-Xek&t=154s
References and Extra Reading
(1) Puderbaugh M, Emmady PD. Neuroplasticity [Updated 2023 May 1]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.
(2) Amagase H, et al (2009) Lycium barbarum (goji) juice improves in vivo antioxidant biomarkers in serum of healthy adults. Nutr Res; 29(1): 19-25.
(3) Larramendi CH, et al (2012) Goji berries (Lycium barbarum): risk of allergic reactions in individuals with food allergy. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol; 22(5): 345-50.
(4) Gómez-Bernal S, et al (2011) Systemic photosensitivity due to Goji berries. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed; 27(5): 245-7.
(5) Escribano-Bailón MT, et al (2006) Anthocyanins in berries of Maqui (aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz). Phytochem Anal; 17(1): 8-14.
(6) Zafra-Stone S, et al (2007) Berry anthocyanins as novel antioxidants in human health and disease prevention. Mol Nutr Food Res; 51(6): 675-83.
(7) Schauss AG, et al (2006) Antioxidant capacity and other bioactivities of the freeze-dried Amazonian palm berry, Euterpe oleraceae mart. (acai). J Agric Food Chem; 54(22): 8604-10.
(8) Ayerza, A & Coates, W (2005) Chia: Rediscovering a Forgotten Crop of the Aztecs. USA: University of Arizona Press.
(9) Kaçar ÖF, et al (2025) Dietary hempseed and cardiovascular health: nutritional composition, mechanisms and comparison with other seeds. Front. Nutr. 12:1669375.