Food For Thought
Thanks to @boetter for the image.
We spend a lot of time focusing on the outside, on our physiques or how we look. But there’s a plenty to think about on the inside, too. Especially that thing you’re thinking with.
Shouldn’t your brain be at tip-top form? You can feed it knowledge all day long, but it needs to be healthy to retain and process that info. It needs the right fuel to work, just like any organ.
So what can you eat to make your brain work better?
Omega-3 Fatty Acid
Before it ever had the science to back up the claims, fish has been considered a brain food. One theory suggests that this notion came about because human civilizations grew around coastal areas, where aquatic life would be available for eating. Nowadays, we have the research that shows fish is good for the brain.
Salmon, halibut, tuna, and various other fish contain an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids, which are very important to brain function. There are even popular theories that increased fish consumption can aid in relieving depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental problems.
H2O
What’s fish without water? Your brain contains a lot of water, and needs plenty to function correctly. For most people, the longest part of their 24 hour day spent without hydration is the 6 to 8 hours spent sleeping, and that lack of fluids contributes to the grogginess felt in the morning hours. One helpful hint to lose that sluggish feeling: water. You’re brain craves it, your body needs it, and its right there, ready to use.
Complex Carbohydrates
The brain is a busy place. It makes enzymes and neurotransmitters that need energy to do what they do. Brain cells get energy from glucose, and glucose comes from carbohydrates. Simple or refined carbs, like from a sweet snack or a soda, can give a quick but short lived boost. Plenty of people get caught in a cycle of sugar highs and crashes. In fact, the body tries it’s best to get rid of those refined sugars as quickly as possible, which will do a number on the kidneys and liver, just like alcohol. What isn’t flushed out naturally gets turned into the bad kind of fat.
For the long haul, we need some complex carbohydrates, like those found in natural foods, like oat bran, barley, potatoes, and beans. Be sure to include these in your daily diet and you won’t have room for the bad stuff. Now that’s smart!
For a list of foods that promote brain function follow this link: http://4mind4life.com/blog/2008/07/18/brain-foods-list-of-50-good-brain-foods/