Your brain needs food.Are you feeding it?
Nerve cells that release the neurotransmitters acetylcholine, dopamine, histamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin act together to stimulate the higher cortex and produce a sharp and attentive state.
An imbalance in the production and/or distribution of any of these chemicals will ZAP the brain’s ability to act alertly.
Vitamin C - red bell peppers, sprouts, parsley, citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, broccoli, cabbage and leafy greens
Protein - fish, 3oz portions of lean meats, eggs, cheese - (high in B12)
Magnesium - apples, blackberries, blueberries, celery, cherries, figs, grapes, oranges, lemons, limes, papaya, peas, plus, potatoes, squash and (raw) walnuts
Carotenoids - carrots, sprouts, apricots, kale, celery, sweet potatoes, spinach, squash, colored peppers, tomatoes, oranges
Fats - good fats like in olives and olive oil, avocadoes, raw nuts and seeds
Flavonoids
- onions, broccoli, cabbage, turnips, cauliflower, bean sprouts, basil, cantaloupe, peppers and mint (plus other orange colored fruits & veggies)Vitamin E - nuts, seeds, nut oils, whole grains, grain sprouts, wheat germ and nut butters
Tea - green and peppermint tea have antioxidants and provide a nice boost!
BREATHE!!! - ...get some O2 up there!
HYDRATE! - drink water!
Brain Zappers:
· Simple sugars - Vitamin deficient, high sugar foods can deprive the brain of needed vitamins.
· No sugar - the brain functions on glucose, which your body gets from food - if you were to eat NO food that contains natural sugar (like the first couple weeks of the Atkins diet), your brain would be forced to eat ketones which is hard on the liver and produces free radicals! Gasp!
· Wrong fats - excessive saturated fats can clog blood vessels causing oxygen and vitamin deprivation.
· No Fat - your brain needs fat! It IS fat! Eating a total fat-free diet is detrimental to your brain! Nerve signals must pass through fat-rich cell membranes, and brain cell membranes need to refresh themselves with new fatty acids continuously...but not just any fatty acids - Omega-3s!!!
· Stimulants - stimulants (such as caffeine, nicotine and other drugs) produce a short-lived surge of concentration power, however it produces a chronic stress-like effect which creates harmful free radicals, disrupts sleep and sabotages the efforts of maintaining brain health as you age.
Stimulants have been shown to dim memory and possibly cause a DECREASE in brain mass! Yikes!
What do you do when you need a brain-boost?
- take a break: stretch a bit, take a little walk and a few deep breaths
- drink a glass of water
- munch on a few raw nuts and a piece of fruit or have a cup of plain yogurt
