The MITOFLEX Diet: Boost Your Brain

Now that you know the foundations of integrative medicine, let’s talk about my personal experience working with an integrative nutritionist and the brain-boosting diet I now follow - which has changed my life.

While I first set out to see an integrative nutritionist to fulfill a requirement for my graduate program, I ended up gaining so much more in the process. Seeing that I had been medicated for childhood ADD for eight years, I went into these three appointments with the simple goal of discovering nutritional and lifestyle changes I could slowly implement to boost my cognition. Although my passion for nutrition which began three years ago has already granted me the ability to cut my prescription back over 50%, I still have the desire to go completely without this in the near future. Why? Aside from no longer having the desire to be a prisoner to my pill bottle for the rest of my life, chronic administration of my specific pharmaceutical stimulant, methylphenidate, has been found to result in reduced expression of neurotrophic factors (molecules that play an important role in neural regeneration) while increasing rates of neuroinflammation. In order to do so through dietary, lifestyle, and environmental changes, my integrative nutritionist dug deep – and I mean deep – into my current state of health, past medical history of both myself and my family, my lifestyle practices, and the environment I am currently surrounded by.

What do I mean by this? Before an integrative nutrition appointment, you are asked to fill out a few pages of questionnaires, asking you about the chemicals you are exposed to, what foods you eat, how you sleep at night, if you have a social support system, etc; all important factors that influence your health, whether our current medical system recognizes it or not. By unearthing the interconnected way these components work together in the creation of your current physical experience, you and your integrative nutritionist then personalize your dietary choices and lifestyle habits to best support your goals. Keeping my desire to address attention and cognition in mind, I personally gained so much insight into how a tailored, individualized nutrition plan could enhance these areas - underlined by the avoidance of foods known to trigger inflammation and mitochondrial decline, or the root causes of ADD. That being said, we concluded that the Institute for Functional Medicine’s MitoKeto Flex Food Plan was best suited for me - with some personalized tweaks of course.

WHY MITOKETO FLEX

As I mentioned previously, mitochondrial decline or dysfunction is a key root cause of attention-related disorders, as well as those marked by a decrease in energy production. Don’t remember what mitochondria from your high school biology class? Mitochondria are those structures inside the cell that are traditionally referred to as the “powerhouses” - they generate energy with the use of oxygen and nutrients from food. It’s important to note that there is a higher concentration of mitochondria in the cells of the brain, heart, nerves, and muscles, therefore these organs are more susceptible to a premature decline in function caused by a host of common insults. When working well, mitochondria help to reduce fatigue, pain, and cognitive problems all the while supporting muscle and burning excess fat. But, if you have trouble focusing, feel brain fog, or are sleepy all of the time, your mitochondria are most likely damaged, not operating at their prime. How does this happen? Damage to the mitochondria can actually be as simple as the result of eating foods that encourage generalized inflammation and pain. This damage then, over time, increases one’s risk of developing diabetes and various neurological conditions (such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, ADHD), as well as an overall feeling of low energy.

Don’t worry though, the good news is that this harm can be addressed and sometimes reversed with, you guessed it, nutrition. Through an increased intake of certain therapeutic foods that change the expression of your genes, an individualized plan such as MitoKeto Flex can help you protect and reverse such mitochondrial damage on a daily basis. In fact, research has shown that calorie and carbohydrate restriction, along with eating lean, clean (meaning pesticide and toxin-free) proteins, high quality fats and oils, and more plant foods is the most effective way to do just that. Why? Well, by molding your lifestyle and dietary habits around these key factors, you’re essentially instructing your body to produce more of the molecules that protect your mitochondria – most notably BDNF.

BDNF, brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), a protein that protects and generates neurons, is essential for higher level brain function and is found in lower levels in the cells of individuals with cognitive issues. With this line of thinking, increasing BDNF production through food can be a first line of defense against the development and progression of such neurological manifestations. Recent research into this subject has found that calorie restriction, the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, intermittent fasting, and ketosis, among other nutritional influences, activates the gene that produces BDNF. In a similar manner, research has also revealed that an elevated consumption of sugar effectively lowers levels of BDNF production. Noting that the standard American diet is typically underscored by high sugar intake, incorporating these previously aforementioned factors into one’s lifestyle can improve attention, cognitive, and overall brain function.

Taking all of this into consideration, I think it’s time that we get to the specifics…

FEATURES OF MITOKETO FLEX

Key Factors to Support Mitochondrial Health:

1. Protective antioxidants: While the breakdown of food in the mitochondria requires oxygen, the production of oxygen byproducts can also cause oxidation – essentially the “rusting” of cells. These byproducts, known as reactive oxygen species or ROS cause damage to healthy tissues like the brain. This damage can be reduced through an intake of nutrient-dense foods that contain protective enzymes known as antioxidants, as well as those that trigger your body to produce more of its own antioxidant enzymes. The wider the variety of spices and plant nutrients (otherwise known as phytonutrients) in the diet, the more enhanced the production of these antioxidants will be, thus protecting your cells and destroying free radicals.

2. Anti-inflammatory nutrients: Polyphenols in many plant-based foods like blueberries, strawberries, and walnuts exert an anti-inflammatory effect on the body which has been shown in both human and animal studies to increase cognitive function.

3. 3. High-quality dietary fats: High-quality fats such as DHA help to stabilize inflammation-producing blood sugar spikes, enhancing the communication between neurons and supporting the brain’s mitochondria. Similarly, consuming adequate amounts of omega-3 fats has been found to change gene expression in a way that increases energy production and neuroplasticity, or the formation of new neural connections.

4. High-quality Protein: Like healthy fats, high-quality proteins help stabilize blood sugar, which is vital for optimal brain function. In this way, protein minimizes hunger and cravings as well.

5. Low glycemic Impact: High-glycemic grains and sugars are defined by their ability to quickly and drastically spike blood sugar levels, leading to elevated insulin levels that go on to trigger inflammation. A heavily processed, high-glycemic load diet consisting of these refined carbohydrates grains is associated with accelerated mitochondrial dysfunction. Minimizing grain intake, especially those highly processed ones, instead focusing on a consumption of low- glycemic vegetables and fruits as the main source of carbohydrates effectively stabilizes blood sugar levels, protecting the mitochondria.

6. Gluten-free: Gluten is avoided while on the MitoKeto Flex Food Plan as modern-day refining and processing has enhanced its inflammatory nature. This inflammation ultimately goes on to destroy the integrity of the lining of the intestines, where nutrient absorption takes place, allowing for food particles, toxins, and other substances to leech into the bloodstream. This seeping of substances into the blood has a negative impact on brain tissue, affecting memory and cognition.

7. Intermittent fasting and calorie restriction: While memory and cognition are thought to be enhanced by an overall reduction of calories, intermittent fasting has been shown to turn on genes that reduce inflammation and prevent the death of cells. In this way, a reduction of caloric intake allows the brain to make new neurons by decreasing damaging free radicals, enhance its ability to generate ATP or energy, and increase the number of mitochondria physically present inside these cells.

8. Reduced carbohydrates (with ketogenic option): Ketosis, a state brought on by eating a diet lower in carbohydrates, appears to provide important fuel for the mitochondria, in the form of ketones, ultimately activating BDNF production.

Keep in mind, as with any diet, it's important not to be restrictive with it. If I had to quantify it, I'd say I adhere to these guidelines roughly 90% of the time. I'll be honest with you though, if I'm celebrating a friend's birthday and their cake isn't gluten-free, I'm not going to say no to it altogether. I'll have a smaller slice (not a corner piece...I've NEVER been an icing fan) to limit my intake of refined sugars, but other than that, I'm not going to fret about the small amount of gluten. In our modern day, food is often a celebration, and restricting yourself from taking part can be just as detrimental to your health as a little bit of icing here and there. Without this flexible mindset, I wouldn't be able to stick to such a nutrition plan long-term, preventing me from truly feeling the benefits. If you have any questions about this nutrition strategy, or would like to see the IFM's MitoKetoFlex Recipe Guide or Food Plan, as always comment down below or reach out to me on Instagram @thedecodeproject and I'll be more than happy to share.

Resources:

1. Markham, A., Bains, R., Franklin, P., & Spedding, M. (2014). Changes in mitochondrial function are pivotal in neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders: How important is BDNF? British Journal of Pharmacology, 171(8), 2206–2229. https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.12531

2. Puskas, L. G., & Kitajka, K. (2006). Nutrigenomic Approaches to Study the Effects of N-3 PUFA Diet in the Central Nervous System. Nutrition and Health, 18(3), 227–232. https://doi.org/10.1177/026010600601800305

3. Sadasivan, S., Pond, B. B., Pani, A. K., Qu, C., Jiao, Y., & Smeyne, R. J. (2012). Methylphenidate Exposure Induces Dopamine Neuron Loss and Activation of Microglia in the Basal Ganglia of Mice. PLoS ONE, 7(3). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0033693