"Food is not only important to help our body stay nourished, but our brain too. Whether or not we are aware of it, our brain is always active. We use our brain every day to complete involuntary tasks. This includes breathing and our heart beating. It also helps us to move around and complete our work for the day. Keeping our brain healthy is important to help us perform well, process information and maintain good brain function as we age."

The Canadian Physical Activity Guideline recommends 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise per week. The more physical activity, the better, underscore our sports nutritionists. This can include speed walking, biking, swimming, heavy yard work or aerobic dancing.

In addition, the guide recommends strength training of major muscle groups twice per week (24 hour Movement Guidelines, 2024). If you are having trouble increasing your activity level, you can start by increasing your NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis). You can do so by going for walking breaks, taking the stairs, use a standing desk and by completing small chores. It’s quite simple, really.

Furthermore, getting enough nutrition helps to make sure you are getting enough fuel to keep yourself moving.

Nutrition also plays an important role in maintaining long-term brain health. By making healthier food choices, we are able to process information more quickly, store memories for longer and complete our tasks more effectively.

There are six major nutrients that can help our bodies and brains stay strong. Let’s take a closer look at each one.