Plant-based diets exert their effects because they are filled with so-called phytochemicals, which endlessly tell your brain cells that they are, well, vegetables. These phytochemicals somehow persuade those antioxidant armies we discussed earlier to come out of retirement and start taking out the trash, free radicals and all. Combined with the way exercise boosts blood flow, critical for waste removal, you’ve got a powerful maintenance crew. Phytochemicals also persuade nerves to make more BDNF, jump-starting the process of making new neurons. That the body might think of eating vegetables as
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