Chewing Gum is Good for Your Brain!

Mothers and Fathers often give their kids advice. It’s not likely that your mom said, “Chew gum. It’s good for your brain.” Maybe she should have! I have found through my research that the muscular activity involved in chewing gum helps your brain and your body in several ways.

When you chew, the movement of the facial muscles activates the brain’s nerve supply and blood supply. Chewing helps us to maintain balance in the inner ear. Chewing creates an increase in the hippocampus area of the brain, enhancing and improving memory. The increase in blood flow to the brain can enhance cognitive function, for example, when preparing for a test. Chewing gum may increase your concentration and alertness during test taking and in other situations. When you chew gum, you continuously chew for a period of time to accumulate the benefits.

Let’s consider a potential drawback of chewing sugary gum: tooth decay. I don’t want to go to the dentist for a filling any more than the next person. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends chewing sugarless gum. I recommend chewing a sugarless gum with a natural sweetener rather than an artificial sweetener. Look for Xylitol or another natural sweetener when you choose gum. Also, look for the ADA seal to find products that the ADA has evaluated and designated as safe.

Chew gum for a limited amount of time and use your jaw muscles correctly. Also, limit the number of times daily you chew gum with Xylitol as it can have unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects if consumed in large quantities. Be a responsible gum disposer; wrap your gum in paper and throw it in the trash. This is good for the environment and keeps it out of the mouths of dogs to which gum and Xylitol can be harmful.

Chewing food is even more beneficial than chewing gum as you need the nutritional content of food. I’ll cover that in my next posts. Benefits of chewing beyond brain function are covered in my book, Stretch for Sports, available through the Stretch for Life website. I’d be happy to answer your questions on this and other blog topics. Email me at Stretch4Life@yahoo.com.