You probably never thought about how the food you eat affects your brain, but it does! Have you heard the phrase “You are what you eat� This is true for all parts of your body. If your brain is working at its best you are better able to handle moods, have enough energy to complete what you want it to do, and your mental performance is enhanced.
Your brain accounts for only 2% of your body weight, but consumes about 20% of the calories you take in. It is a picky eater, but continuously hungry. It needs the right kind of sugar and fuel to make it run the best it can – much like a car that requires the right kind of gas and oil to keep it running right.
The right food (fuel) will help your memory, allow you to concentrate better, keep you on top of things, reduces stress, and even prevents deterioration of brain cells from dementia. The wrong foods will have the opposite effect – like feeling that you’re in a “fog,†memory lapses, and an overall feeling that you’re just not right.
Just because the brain is a “picky eater†doesn’t mean there are only a few foods will help to improve your memory power. These food groups will help all parts of your body, not just your brain. For example: protein and vitamin rich foods, without any artificial additives, are recommended to get a better grade on a test as well as gives you the energy to run a race.
We all know that being overweight puts a strain on your heart and other organs. The added possibility of diabetes and restriction of blood from clogged arteries are conditions that restrict blood and the right sugars going to the brain, can cause the mind not to function correctly. An abused body can lead to a dysfunctional brain. To improve your mind you have to improve your body.
Another surprise – Diets can often dull the brain. In fact, many studies have shown that counting calories, carbs or fat grams, can be truly distracting — to the point that it taxes short-term memory. This is because diets often bring a person to cut out many foods that would otherwise be good for them – especially sugars. According to Leigh Gibson of Roehampton University in England, the front areas of the brain are extremely susceptible to falling levels of sugar. “When your glucose level drops, the symptom is confused thinking,†he said.
This doesn’t mean you can go out and splurge on chocolate and sugary foods. High blood sugar levels slowly damage cells everywhere in the body, not just the brain. According to a study by the University of Wisconsin, excessive food can not only cause weight gain, but bring on memory problems commonly associated with Alzheimer’s – so think twice before you take in that extra piece of fudge.
To get the best results, eat several small meals a day instead of three big ones. By “grazing’ on the right foods throughout the day you keep your sugar level balanced and your brain can keep fueled.
You may be amazed that some food many think as bad for you are actually brain food, taken in moderation. Surprisingly, Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is actually a “super brain foodâ€, along with almonds, cashews and walnuts. Doctors even preferred these over so called “diet†foods.
Other super powers include: red cabbage (good for easy blood flow); broccoli (improves iron content); strawberries (raises the level of thought); yogurt, tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, green tea, eggs, avacados, egg plant, blackberries, blueberries and acai berry.
Dieticians and Doctors recommend a diet rich in a balanced mix of fresh, organic vegetables and fruits, the addition of protein, vitamins and carbohydrates, and a small dose of “unsaturated†fats, to achieve the desired effects for the body and to help improve the memory power.
Resources:
The BrainReady Top 5 Brain Health Foods : http://www.brainready.com/blog/thetop5brainhealthfoods.html
“Psychology Today†– What is Good Brain Food? – http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200310/what-is-good-brain-food
Live Science: Brain Food – How to Eat Smart – http://www.livescience.com/3186-brain-food-eat-smart.html