Zen-cuisine and the Brain

 The brain was once thought of in very different ways than it is today. When I was in school, my science teacher taught that we were born with a finite number of brain cells. There was a definite limit to how long we could expect to learn new things because as we age, our brain cells are gradually used up! Our science texts book cautioned that the deterioration of this fixed number of brain cells could be accelerated by unhealthy living. Our brain cells would die off and not be replaced. And if damaged, the brain could not repair itself. This didn’t seem like such good news.

Nowadays this outdated thinking is labeled ‘neuromythology’. As Dr. Daniel Goleman, author of “The Brain and Emotional Intelligence: An Update” points out, recent discoveries in past decades have greatly expanded the science of the brain, positively altering our understanding of brain cells, their numbers, their functions and their life-span. We have learned that the human brain is highly adaptive and can repair, and reorganize itself by forming new neural connections. This ability is called ‘neuroplasticity’.

Neuroplasticity is the concept of a flexible or ‘plastic’ brain that continually reshapes itself, rewiring connections in our neural circuitry according to need. Using sophisticated brain imaging technology and state-of-the-art computer software, exciting new information is emerging. Neuroscience now tells us that rather than being a fixed closed system, incapable of change, our brains are highly adaptive. Yes, the brain can change itself. These changes take place through our experiences as we open to new information and sensory stimulation within our environment.

 Students in school  are no longer taught about a brain hard-wired from birth. Instead they explore how the brain is altered by ‘neurogenisis’ as new neurons are generated from neural stem and progentitor cells. Here’s a brief overview of the process. Each day the brain generates 10,000 new stem cells. Each of these cells splits into two new cells. One of these cells becomes part of what is called ‘the daughter line’: cells whose function is to make more stem cells. The other new cell in each pair moves to a different area of the brain as needed. In their new location, over the course of the next few months, these cells generate 10,000 new connections in the neural circuitry. Most often, these connections are forged in areas of the brain where new learning is taking place. 

Zen-cuisine celebrates this new knowledge, and endeavors to use these insights to enhance our experience of gaining new skills in the kitchen. The once-familiar adage that you can’t teach an old chef to make new recipes is now exposed as a myth. As long as you are able to spend time preparing food, the mindful cook can practice zen-cuisine, and enjoy new learning and creativity in the kitchen. Happy cooking! 

Find recipes for mindful cooking with a visit to Juicy Foods