Food for thought - food for your brain

Everything that you eat affects your brain’s performance. When you consume food, it’s broken down into energy that’s distributed throughout the body, and the brain receives a large portion of it. Despite just clocking in at 2 percent of a human’s body weight, the brain requires about 20 percent of energy taken in to keep running.

Certain foods can affect our moods, behaviors & even our intellect. What you eat determines who you are and what you’re capable of. Of course with the right amount of exercise and activities you do do in your day, affects your personality and cognitive thinking. One of many complicated sciences of life.

Below are some fascinating foods that keep you upbeat and help with memory and concentration.

“Water"
Oh yes good, simple WATER! Studies show, that when you get dehydrated, your brain also performs at very low levels, In order to maintain high levels of brain function and thought processing, keep yourself hydrated. Drop all sorts of fizzy drinks, overtime they can be hazardous to health. You are more prone to diabetes and such from fizzy drinks. Only water can, and will keep you functioning at optimum levels, compared to people that don’t drink water as much. Try to consume at least 8-16 glasses of water a day minimum!.

“Egg Yolk"
There are some nutrients that the body cannot produce or doesn’t make enough of. Such as choline, which can be found in egg yolk. Choline promotes memory and muscle functions. A decline in choline intake can result in liver disorders and especially in mental instability as you grow older. It is important to include choline from eggs in your diet. Other sources of choline can be found in cod fish, peanuts, spinach, cauliflower and kidney beans to name a few. Although having a hard boiled egg would be more than sufficient. Choline also stems from the B vitamin family, it can be broken into 3 categories which are, Energy distribution, bodily functions, growth and development. Again very important for the brain. highly recommended since the body cannot produce this, choline must be attained in one’s diet.

“Blueberries
Not only do blueberries taste good, but they are one of the most potent antioxidant foods on the planet. They are small and densely packed with a variety of potent phytochemcials that can do wonders to normalize and improve health, including direct benefits to the brain. Blueberries have been shown to actually reverse some of the aging that occurs in the brain.
Blueberries are full of other health-promoting qualities as well, and my only caution for them is to watch how many you eat at once due to their sugar content. Other small, darkly colored berries, like cherries, raspberries, gooseberries and mulberries provide similar health benefits.

“Dark chocolate"
Rich in cocoa content, This simple and delicious chocolate can boost your brain power and alertness. Purely for the fact that its loaded with antioxidant properties (specifically flavanol antioxidants). Similar to green tea and berries, Dark chocolate (cocoa content) has a higher dosage of flavanols. it is quite healthy assuming, you consume it moderate amounts, further reducing risks of stroke and heart related ailments. Moreover Dark chocolate, has proven to repair damaged blood vessels in smokers, reduces blood clotting, inflammation and helps lower blood pressure. Besides it tastes good, makes you feel nice (natural stimulant), maximizes awareness etc. Enjoy yourself, but a noteworthy caution, since its chocolate, it can very well come with high amounts of calories. Other than that you’re good to go with its very healthy properties.
“Yogurt, Milk and Cheese (Vitamin D)
Foods with High concentrates of vitamin D are very important to keep the brain functioning and developing on a superior level. Not only that, Vitamin D also helps bone structure, Boosts your immune system, reduces risk of asthma, rheumatoid arhritis, cancer & increases your defenses to low levels of radiation. Vitamin D is particularly awesome in increasing your thought functions. Keeping you with an everlasting superb mind!.
“Whole grain foods, for the whole brain nutrition
Whole grain foods may consist of whole wheat breads, wheat millet’s, wheat wild rice and other such cereal grains. There are many benefits to whole grains. Top most dealing with your heart and brain. It reduces the risk of cardiovascular related diseases and promotes smooth blood flow to the brain. It also oversees the delivery of glucose into your system. Think of it this way. If your brain is an engine, then glucose is the fuel. glucose plays an important part in cellular structure in the body and especially your brain. It is important to acquire glucose into your system to keep it running on peak levels. Recommended on a daily basis.

“Salmon (omega 3 fatty acids)"
Whether grilled, poached, smoked or with a slice of ham. Salmon is considered to have the highest amount of omega 3 and other proteins. This is highly recommended for brain power, structure and development. I can’t begin to stress how wonderful a brain food salmon is. Although if you are a seafood, especially a fish fanatic, always be sure to watch for methyl-mercury which is a highly toxic compound of mercury itself. It can only be dangerous if you do not watch this level in your consumption of fish or shellfish to be specific. nevertheless, Salmon as a brain food is madly sought after, purely for its taste and nutritional value!. Recommended 3-4 times a week.

“Tomatoes"
Eat more tomatoes!There is good evidence to suggest that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells which occurs in the development of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s.

“Spices for super health"
Certain spices can help blood flow to the brain better, faster and smoother. increasing productivity and function of the brain overall. Not only that, These spices which i’m about to list are quite high in antioxidants, helping you fight off free radicals in the body as well. Which in turn helps reduces the risk of heart cancer, diabetes and chronic diseases.
1. Oregano
2. paprika
3. ginger
4. rosemary
5. thyme
6. cinnamon
7. turmeric


These spices like cinnamon to be specific can greatly help with blood pressure and help with the flow of insulin and blood sugar regulating it properly.


“Unhealthy / Bad Foods For The Brain"
1. Artificial sweeteners
2. High concentrated sugary drinks / fizzy drinks / cokes etc.
3. Alcohol
4. nicotine
5. energy drinks
6. greasy foods
7. candies (high sugars)
8. hydrogenated fats
9. High glycemic index foods (Rice cakes, weetabix, doughnuts, waffles, white bread)
10. processed foods


All the above, at some point will wear and tear if not deteriorate your brain overtime. It is important to know that with the bad foods mentioned above, can either kill brain cells, reduce blood flow and oxygen to the brain, clogging of arteries, destabilization of sugar levels in the blood. Get used to eating and living healthy during your day. its the small things that count, and remember moderation is key. Even overeating is very unhealthy!