The workings of a mind are deeply affected by bodily circumstances. Intoxication from alcohol, or exhaustion from sleep deprivation, illustrate this fact clearly.
The food we consume is one of the main factors that affect our health. Eating poor food will make a powerful mind less sharp, and eating healthy food will give us our best shot at being our most brilliant self.
But it goes the other direction as well. I think that an unhealthy intake of food can also be a consequence of weaker mental powers. If we have the ability to eat more healthily, and we want the good things that would be produced by such eating, then it doesn’t make much sense to come up with rationalizations to justify eating in unhealthy ways.
So these two things seem to lead to a downward spiral. Unhealthy eating and weaker intelligence reinforce one another, feed into one another. Each drags the other further down.
There are a few easy things we can do that are specifically beneficial for our brains. Maximize fibre intake, to reduce chances of stroke. Keep blood cholesterol (especially LDL) low, mainly by reducing trans fats, saturated fat, and dietary cholesterol, which seems to help with protecting against brain disease. Maximize antioxidants, especially by eating things like berries.
It just takes a moment to break the downward cycle. Just a single decision, and the descending spiral can be replace with an ascending one.
It’s worth giving it a little thought. The time and effort will be repaid a thousandfold.