Feed your brain

THE PRINCIPLE

What you eat affects your brain functions – for better and worse

As reported in Psychology Today, what you eat has a major effect on how well your brain functions: ‘It’s becoming pretty clear in research labs around the country that the right food, or the natural neurochemicals that they contain, can enhance mental capabilities – help you concentrate, tune sensorimotor skills, keep you motivated, magnify memory, speed reaction times, defuse stress, perhaps even prevent brain aging.’

For specific guidelines personal to you, consult your doctor or a nutritionist, but as a general guideline, here are some foods that may help you gain mental sharpness:

  • Canola oil, walnut oil, salmon and sardines for their Omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Eggs and skimmed milk for their choline content.
  • Curries for the chemical curcumin.
  • Cocoa and cranberries for their antioxidants.
  • Coffee, for its stimulant effect. (However, it’s not clear how much is too much. You’ll get better results by sipping it over the course of the day rather than having several large cups at various points, and green tea may be a healthier alternative.)
  • Fresh fruit for its glucose. (The actual fruit is preferable to juice because it contains fibre and is slower to break down in your system, therefore giving you more sustained energy.)
  • Water: whether from the tap or bottled, you need water to stay hydrated and a good goal is to drink eight glasses of water over the course of a day.

It’s also a good idea to avoid blood sugar spikes by eating smaller meals more frequently, and combining carbohydrates with protein (for instance, combine an egg with a piece of toast, or a serving of salmon with a potato). In the last few years, a low-glycemic diet has found favour, and you can find many books on the topic that give you the ratings of various types of food.

If you currently are eating too much fatty food, drinking lots of sugary soft drinks and consuming chocolate bars, crisps and other junk food, you may be doing a disservice to your brain as well as your body. Try changing your diet and notice the effect on your mood and your thinking.

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