Feeding Your Brain
The brain needs proper nutrition, too. And you know what they say – the brain gets what you give the body in general. So if your diet is mostly junk food, high-calorie food bereft of essential nutrients and sugary drinks like soda and lattes, well, don’t expect your brain to be as brilliant as it was years ago.
The brain is a massive bundle of specialized cells that retain information, recall bits of information for you and makes sure that you don’t fall over when you’re walking. It’s the very center of the one’s emotions and thinking processes.
If you don’t give it proper nutrition (or at least, some proper nutrition), don’t expect it to be sharp and creative all the time. In this section of the book, we are going into an in-depth discussion of the differentbrain foods that you can utilize to bring you brain back to its former health.
These brain foods were by no means chosen because they can physically heal the brain, but these foods have been known to enhancethe mental process and various brain functions. Choose the ones that you think would work best with your lifestyle and personal preferences and start integrating the selected foods in your daily diet.
Wild Salmon
I have to reiterate here that you need to acquire wild salmon if you want to get the full benefits of eating this fish’s meat. Wild salmon is not only rich in protein and amino acids; it’s also rich in omega 3 fatty acids which are necessary for optimum heart health and brain health.
Wild salmon is also a safer choice when it comes to fish because wild salmon have been known to have low levels of contaminants (which can be found in both freshwater bodies and saltwater bodies).
Wild salmon can potentially help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease; it can also help keep your cardiovascular system working at optimum level.
Now, there really is no comparison between wild salmon and farmed salmon because farmed salmon (like most farmed sources of meat) are fatty because they haven’t been able to age like wild salmon. Wild salmon need to grow and move around a lot before they develop darker muscle tissue and higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids.
Cacao
The well-known chocolate bar was partially derived from the cacao bean. However, I do not recommend that you eat copious amounts of chocolate just so you can get the cacao content.
There are many cacao products out there are that have not been processed so much. Try to look for cacao drinks (cacao pounded into bars hard bars or light powder) and other similar food products.
Be aware that cacao itself is notsweet and buttery like the well-known chocolate. It’s actually bitter – but we’re not after the taste here, we’re after the brain benefits.
Current researches have suggested that cacao (not processed chocolate products) is actually an all-around health ranger that protects not only a person’s cognitive function but also one’s skin and heart.
Cacao is also rich in antioxidants, which is necessary for optimum health. The easiest way to get the benefits of this age-old health food is to mix cacao powder into any of your existing beverages (like coffee).
Never mind the taste, as it can be a little bitter. Just think about how the cacao will help your thinking process in the long run!
Matcha
I know that many people are getting into the habit of drinking tea now, and that’s a good thing. All forms of tea are rich in antioxidants that help prevent free radicals from taking over the body’s healthy tissues.
And tea is a highly regarded health drink that has actually been proven to prolong life, not just prevent certain types of disease. In fact, a study in Japan some years ago showed that people who drank tea 4-5 times a day lived significantly longer compared to people who didn’t.
Let’s pick it up a notch, shall we? If you really want to improve your brain power, you need to invest in something more potent than commercial teabags.
You need matcha. Matcha is actually just powdered tea plants. Compared to other teas, you’re not just infusing water when you use matcha. You’re mixing the matcha into the water and you’re going to drink the matcha along with the water.
Matcha has long been used in Buddhist ceremonies and monks routinely drink it to stay healthy and to keep themselves awake during long meditations. L-theanine is a basic component of matcha and this is really the compound that we’re after.
Monks who drink matcha are able to concentrate on their meditative practices for more than 10 hours at a time because of the tea they drink. Imagine putting that kind of focus power into your own work.
I bet your average productivity will increase in leaps and bounds! Matcha also contains epigallocatechin gallate, which has been hailed for years as a potentanti-aging compound. Combine this with a healthy lifestyle and I’m sure your brain will benefit from the big change.
Acai berry
Forget about the different products in the market that promise the moon and the stars – they’re usually fake. Acai berry has been bannered by so many different companies before that some people become apprehensive when they hear ‘acai berry’. It’s not the berry’s fault that people are trying to take advantage of its health benefits.
Why is acai berry in my list of brain foods? Here’s why:
1. It contains the highest level of natural antioxidants compared to other commercially available berries
2. Unbelievably, this berry contains high levels of protein which is a little unusual for fruits.
3. Because of its nutrient profile, it is considered a super food
To get the full benefits of acai berry, I suggest that you get it fresh or flash-frozen. Otherwise, well, we have to make do with what’s in the market. I do not recommend health pills that claim to have some levels of acai berry. You need something that hasn’t been processed so much to get the brain-healthy benefits.
Blueberries
If you can’t get acai berries, switch to an older and equally brain-healthy fruit: the blueberry. Now I’m not talking about the blueberries of cakes and deserts. If you eat too much of those things, you’re doing your body a great disservice by introducing high levels of table sugar and fat.
Blueberries are best eating fresh,with little or no additives. A cup of blueberries a day is like downing nature’s own brand of multivitamins.
Now, it should be noted that no food in existence can improve your brain power in seven days. The natural approach to boosting your brain power requires patience and continuity. You need to integrate an approach into your lifestyle to obtain the long-term benefits.
Coffee beans
Coffee beans are just as awesome as cacao beans because real coffee(minus the sugar, cream and other unhealthy things that people put into the final concoction) is actually a super food because of the number of nutrients that it possesses.
And then you also have caffeine, which naturally stimulates the body and the brain. Recent studies have shown that consuming coffee (minus the glops of fat and sugar) is good not only for the body in general but also for the brain.
In fact, recent researches have pointed out that regular consumption of coffee may prevent Alzheimer’s disease, which is a degenerative condition that affects not only the mental stability of a person but also the very structure of the patient’s brain.
Coffee is a health food primarily because it provides a steady stream of antioxidants. So how can you get the benefits of coffee without making yourself unhealthy? Well, my suggestion would be to get high grade coffee beans, ground these up and then brew them at home.
If you can consume coffee without creamers, artificial sweeteners or copious amounts of dairy and sugar, you are all well on your way to a healthier mind because you are giving the brain something that not only prevents diseases but also helps stimulate it directly.
Wholegrain food products
If you like eating breads and pastas, I suggest that you make a complete switch to wholegrain products so you would get better health benefits when you are enjoying your macaroni or spaghetti at home.
Anything that is whole grain is a good choice – go for it! The reason for this particular recommendation is that wholegrain food contains lots of B vitamins and folate.
These vitamins are necessary for normal body functions and recent studies have shown that if you increase your intake of foods rich in these essential nutrients, your recall will improve compared to those who don’t have vitamin B and folate rich diets.
Tomatoes
Who doesn’t love tomatoes? The versatile tomato can be used in so many dishes that people don’t even mind them anymore; however, did you know that tomatoes are rich in a substance called lycopene?
Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to be a protective of the brain. Chemicals like lycopene help prevent degenerative conditions like dementia, too. Apart from the lycopene, a single tomato contains the following nutrients:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin A
- Potassium
- Iron
- Tryptophan
- Vitamin E
- Copper
- Fiber
- Manganese
- Niacin
This is actually just half of the stuff that you can find inside a tomato. So don’t wonder why the humble tomato has been hailed as one of the best super foods in the world. It literally does give people a lot of benefits!
The brain needs proper nutrition, too. And you know what they say – the brain gets what you give the body in general. So if your diet is mostly junk food, high-calorie food bereft of essential nutrients and sugary drinks like soda and lattes, well, don’t expect your brain to be as brilliant as it was years ago.
The brain is a massive bundle of specialized cells that retain information, recall bits of information for you and makes sure that you don’t fall over when you’re walking. It’s the very center of the one’s emotions and thinking processes.
If you don’t give it proper nutrition (or at least, some proper nutrition), don’t expect it to be sharp and creative all the time. In this section of the book, we are going into an in-depth discussion of the differentbrain foods that you can utilize to bring you brain back to its former health.
These brain foods were by no means chosen because they can physically heal the brain, but these foods have been known to enhancethe mental process and various brain functions. Choose the ones that you think would work best with your lifestyle and personal preferences and start integrating the selected foods in your daily diet.
Wild Salmon
I have to reiterate here that you need to acquire wild salmon if you want to get the full benefits of eating this fish’s meat. Wild salmon is not only rich in protein and amino acids; it’s also rich in omega 3 fatty acids which are necessary for optimum heart health and brain health.
Wild salmon is also a safer choice when it comes to fish because wild salmon have been known to have low levels of contaminants (which can be found in both freshwater bodies and saltwater bodies).
Wild salmon can potentially help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease; it can also help keep your cardiovascular system working at optimum level.
Now, there really is no comparison between wild salmon and farmed salmon because farmed salmon (like most farmed sources of meat) are fatty because they haven’t been able to age like wild salmon. Wild salmon need to grow and move around a lot before they develop darker muscle tissue and higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids.
Cacao
The well-known chocolate bar was partially derived from the cacao bean. However, I do not recommend that you eat copious amounts of chocolate just so you can get the cacao content.
There are many cacao products out there are that have not been processed so much. Try to look for cacao drinks (cacao pounded into bars hard bars or light powder) and other similar food products.
Be aware that cacao itself is notsweet and buttery like the well-known chocolate. It’s actually bitter – but we’re not after the taste here, we’re after the brain benefits.
Current researches have suggested that cacao (not processed chocolate products) is actually an all-around health ranger that protects not only a person’s cognitive function but also one’s skin and heart.
Cacao is also rich in antioxidants, which is necessary for optimum health. The easiest way to get the benefits of this age-old health food is to mix cacao powder into any of your existing beverages (like coffee).
Never mind the taste, as it can be a little bitter. Just think about how the cacao will help your thinking process in the long run!
Matcha
I know that many people are getting into the habit of drinking tea now, and that’s a good thing. All forms of tea are rich in antioxidants that help prevent free radicals from taking over the body’s healthy tissues.
And tea is a highly regarded health drink that has actually been proven to prolong life, not just prevent certain types of disease. In fact, a study in Japan some years ago showed that people who drank tea 4-5 times a day lived significantly longer compared to people who didn’t.
Let’s pick it up a notch, shall we? If you really want to improve your brain power, you need to invest in something more potent than commercial teabags.
You need matcha. Matcha is actually just powdered tea plants. Compared to other teas, you’re not just infusing water when you use matcha. You’re mixing the matcha into the water and you’re going to drink the matcha along with the water.
Matcha has long been used in Buddhist ceremonies and monks routinely drink it to stay healthy and to keep themselves awake during long meditations. L-theanine is a basic component of matcha and this is really the compound that we’re after.
Monks who drink matcha are able to concentrate on their meditative practices for more than 10 hours at a time because of the tea they drink. Imagine putting that kind of focus power into your own work.
I bet your average productivity will increase in leaps and bounds! Matcha also contains epigallocatechin gallate, which has been hailed for years as a potentanti-aging compound. Combine this with a healthy lifestyle and I’m sure your brain will benefit from the big change.
Acai berry
Forget about the different products in the market that promise the moon and the stars – they’re usually fake. Acai berry has been bannered by so many different companies before that some people become apprehensive when they hear ‘acai berry’. It’s not the berry’s fault that people are trying to take advantage of its health benefits.
Why is acai berry in my list of brain foods? Here’s why:
1. It contains the highest level of natural antioxidants compared to other commercially available berries
2. Unbelievably, this berry contains high levels of protein which is a little unusual for fruits.
3. Because of its nutrient profile, it is considered a super food
To get the full benefits of acai berry, I suggest that you get it fresh or flash-frozen. Otherwise, well, we have to make do with what’s in the market. I do not recommend health pills that claim to have some levels of acai berry. You need something that hasn’t been processed so much to get the brain-healthy benefits.
Blueberries
If you can’t get acai berries, switch to an older and equally brain-healthy fruit: the blueberry. Now I’m not talking about the blueberries of cakes and deserts. If you eat too much of those things, you’re doing your body a great disservice by introducing high levels of table sugar and fat.
Blueberries are best eating fresh,with little or no additives. A cup of blueberries a day is like downing nature’s own brand of multivitamins.
Now, it should be noted that no food in existence can improve your brain power in seven days. The natural approach to boosting your brain power requires patience and continuity. You need to integrate an approach into your lifestyle to obtain the long-term benefits.
Coffee beans
Coffee beans are just as awesome as cacao beans because real coffee(minus the sugar, cream and other unhealthy things that people put into the final concoction) is actually a super food because of the number of nutrients that it possesses.
And then you also have caffeine, which naturally stimulates the body and the brain. Recent studies have shown that consuming coffee (minus the glops of fat and sugar) is good not only for the body in general but also for the brain.
In fact, recent researches have pointed out that regular consumption of coffee may prevent Alzheimer’s disease, which is a degenerative condition that affects not only the mental stability of a person but also the very structure of the patient’s brain.
Coffee is a health food primarily because it provides a steady stream of antioxidants. So how can you get the benefits of coffee without making yourself unhealthy? Well, my suggestion would be to get high grade coffee beans, ground these up and then brew them at home.
If you can consume coffee without creamers, artificial sweeteners or copious amounts of dairy and sugar, you are all well on your way to a healthier mind because you are giving the brain something that not only prevents diseases but also helps stimulate it directly.
Wholegrain food products
If you like eating breads and pastas, I suggest that you make a complete switch to wholegrain products so you would get better health benefits when you are enjoying your macaroni or spaghetti at home.
Anything that is whole grain is a good choice – go for it! The reason for this particular recommendation is that wholegrain food contains lots of B vitamins and folate.
These vitamins are necessary for normal body functions and recent studies have shown that if you increase your intake of foods rich in these essential nutrients, your recall will improve compared to those who don’t have vitamin B and folate rich diets.
Tomatoes
Who doesn’t love tomatoes? The versatile tomato can be used in so many dishes that people don’t even mind them anymore; however, did you know that tomatoes are rich in a substance called lycopene?
Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to be a protective of the brain. Chemicals like lycopene help prevent degenerative conditions like dementia, too. Apart from the lycopene, a single tomato contains the following nutrients:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin A
- Potassium
- Iron
- Tryptophan
- Vitamin E
- Copper
- Fiber
- Manganese
- Niacin
This is actually just half of the stuff that you can find inside a tomato. So don’t wonder why the humble tomato has been hailed as one of the best super foods in the world. It literally does give people a lot of benefits!