#food #real #junk #brain #brainpower #focus #claitity #traders #investors
“There is pill to prevent cognitive decline, no single almighty brain food can ensure a sharp brain as we age, but eating real food enhance brainpower” — Paul Ebeling
There is science behind food, mood and learning.
The connection between diet and emotions stems from the close relationship between our brain and our gastrointestinal tract, the 2nd brain.
This is how it works: Our GI tract is home to billions of bacteria that influence the production of neurotransmitters, chemical substances that constantly carry messages from the gut to the brain. Dopamine and serotonin are 2 examples.
Eating healthy food promotes the growth of good bacteria, which in turn positively affects neurotransmitter production.
A steady diet of junk food, on the other hand, can cause inflammation that hampers production.
When neurotransmitter production is in good shape, your brain receives these positive messages loud and clear, and your emotions reflect it. But when production goes awry, so goes your mood.
Eating your way to focus and concentration.
The Big Q: What should I eat to increase my focus and clarity?
The Big A: Foods linked to better brainpower
Research shows that the best brain foods are the same ones that protect our heart and blood vessels, they include the following:
- Green, leafy vegetables. Leafy greens such as spinach, and broccoli are rich in brain-healthy nutrients like vitamin K, lutein, folate, and beta carotene. Research suggests these plant-based foods may help slow cognitive decline.
- Fatty fish. Fatty fish are abundant sources of omega-3 fatty acids, healthy unsaturated fats that have been linked to lower blood levels of beta-amyloid—the protein that forms damaging clumps in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Try to eat fish at least twice a week, but choose varieties that are low in mercury, such as salmon, cod, canned light tuna, and pollack. If do not like fish ask your doctor about taking an omega-3 supplement, or choose terrestrial omega-3 sources such as flaxseeds, avocados, and walnuts.
- Berries. Flavonoids, the natural plant pigments that give berries their brilliant hues, also help improve memory, research shows. A study done by researchers at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that women who consumed two or more servings of strawberries and blueberries each week delayed memory decline by up to 2.5 yrs.
- Coffee and some teas. The caffeine in our morning cup of coffee or tea might offer more than just a short-term concentration boost. In a Y 2014 study published in The Journal of Nutrition, participants with higher caffeine consumption scored better on tests of mental function. Caffeine might also help solidify new memories, according to other research. Investigators at Johns Hopkins University asked participants to study a series of images and then take either a placebo or a 200-milligram caffeine tablet. More members of the caffeine group were able to correctly identify the images on the following day.
- Walnuts. Nuts are excellent sources of protein and healthy fats, and one type of nut in particular might also improve memory. A 2015 study from UCLA linked higher walnut consumption to improved cognitive test scores. Walnuts are high in a type of omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Diets rich in ALA and other omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to lower blood pressure and cleaner arteries. That is good for both the heart and brain.
- And do not forget Dark Chocolate at 72%+ cocoa!
Junk food can cause other long-term damage and eating unhealthy foods like French fries, greasy pizza, and candy can increase your risk of developing depression, obesity, heart disease, and cancer. Consume too much junk food, and you could die earlier than those who make healthy choices with their diet.
The Worst Foods for our Brain are these:
- Diet Sodas and all Drinks With Artificial Sweeteners.
- French Fries
- Doughnuts
- White Bread and White Rice
- Non Organic Red Meat
- Sword Fish and Ahi Tuna
- Bottled Dressings, Marinades, and Syrups.
Eat healthy, Be healthy, Live lively
