Tag: turmeric

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Brain Health

Brain health is essential to overall health. The brain is a “point of communication” that controls the body. Brain health has a direct impact on our thoughts, feelings, and movements. Nourishing the brain is paramount to maintaining proper health.

There is a group of foods that are proven to nourish the brain and help protect it from oxidative stress. These foods are like a premium fuel source for our brain. In a previous post, 10 Awesome Brain-Boosting Foods, I listed 10 nutrient-dense foods, full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help better our brain, mood, energy levels, and overall health. This time, the focus is going to be on 5 of those brain health foods: dark chocolate, nuts, fatty fish, turmeric, and green tea. I find myself consuming these almost every day!

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is good for focus and concentration. It can boost endorphin levels. The flavonoids in chocolate can help enhance memory and cognitive function by boosting blood flow to the brain. Go for at least 75% dark chocolate, organic and fair trade, if possible. My favorite is 90% dark chocolate (as I have to watch my blood sugar closely).

Nuts

Likewise, eating nuts helps with memory and cognitive function. Nuts are loaded with brain-healthy fats including omega-3 fatty acids (in some) and nutrients like vitamin E, which are good against oxidative stress-related damage and cognitive decline. My favorites are pistachios, almonds, and walnuts. The latter offer quite a bit of omega-3 fatty acids.

Fatty Fish

Fatty fish, with its high omega-3 fatty acid content, is beneficial to overall brain health, including memory and learning. It also helps to stave off cognitive decline. Omega-3 fatty acids help strengthen the brain cells’ membranes and the synaptic connections between neurons. Look for environmentally friendly, low-mercury, and wild-caught fish like sockeye salmon and sardines.

Turmeric

Turmeric (which has the active ingredient curcumin) helps with lowering inflammation, increasing antioxidant levels, enhancing the brain’s oxygen intake, and improving cognitive function. Turmeric is great in a vegetable dish, soup, or smoothie. I have also been taking a curcumin supplement for years now.

Green Tea

Green tea aids with enhancing brain health in numerous ways, such as: preventing cognitive decline and bettering memory, anxiety, focus, alertness, and task performance. Green tea has antioxidant qualities, anti-inflammatory properties, and anti-tumorigenic effects, among other things. I love consuming green tea every afternoon.

So, which brain foods are your favorites?    

Until next time!

Reference

Seymour, Jacqueline. “Health Coach Tip – Eat Your Brain Healthy.” Frank Lipman MD, 17 Nov. 2021, drfranklipman.com/2021/11/17/health-coach-tips-eat-your-brain-healthy/. Accessed 25 Nov. 2021.

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“Premium Fuel” For Your Brain

One of my favorite childhood memories is when my brother and I would go on a ski trip on Easter with my grandmother. There is nothing like skiing all day to increase your appetite. And in the mountains, we would buy some delicious little blueberry pies at a local pastry shop. Of course, now I would only eat a pie if it was made with paleo-friendly ingredients, but did you know that blueberries are one of those foods highly beneficial to the brain? There is a group of foods that are proven to nourish the brain and protect it from oxidative stress. These foods are like “premium fuel” for your brain. Here’s a list of 10 of these awesome brain-boosting foods:

Avocados

Avocados‘ monounsaturated fat helps to support healthy blood flow. Avocados also enhance spatial working memory and attention span.

Blueberries

Blueberries, with their high amount of flavonoids and flavonols, can help protect the brain from oxidative stress. They help lessen the effects of brain aging and can aid with memory.

Bone broth

Bone broth is rich in glycine, an amino acid that can help with improving memory.

Broccoli

Broccoli is high in vitamin K, which is good for cognitive function and memory. 

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is good for focus and concentration. It can boost endorphin levels. The flavonoids in chocolate can help enhance cognitive function.

Eggs

The choline in the eggs helps with boosting the brain and improving memory, especially when it comes to both verbal and visual memory.

Green Leafy Vegetables

Green leafy vegetables are high in vitamin E, which helps lessen the effects of brain aging. They are also a good source of folate, which helps to enhance memory. As a side note, kale, Swiss chard, and romaine lettuce all have nutrients that can help with preventing cognitive impairment and dementia.

Salmon, Sardines, Caviar

Salmon, sardines, and caviar are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help lessen the effects of brain aging too. Omega-3 fatty acids help strengthen the brain cells’ membranes and the synaptic connections between neurons.

Turmeric

Turmeric (with its active ingredient: curcumin) helps with lowering inflammation, increasing antioxidant levels, enhancing the brain’s oxygen intake, and improving cognitive function.

Walnuts

Walnuts are rich in antioxidants and vitamin E, good against brain aging, beneficial to the neurons. Walnuts are also rich in zinc and magnesium, helping with your mood.

In Summary

Consuming nutrient-dense foods like the ones mentioned above, full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants is a sure way to better your brain, your mood, your energy levels, and your overall health. I eat each of these on a regular basis, some of them every day. Most of these are simple whole foods, easy to prepare and can make great snacks too. To your brain health!

Until next time!

References

Greenfield, Ben. Boundless : Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body & Defy Aging. Las Vegas, Victory Belt Publishing Inc, 2020, pp. 82-4.

Kwik, Jim. Limitless. Hay House Inc, 2020, pp. 130–32.

You can also find me on Instagram.