Healthy and balanced eating is on most people’s New Year’s resolution list. However, not many people fully understand what it means. It’s not all about losing weight and getting ripped! In this post, we are going to focus on healthy eating for brain health and function.The brain controls all of the biological functions of the body and it never stops working until the moment we die. For it to be able to do such an amazing task successfully, it needs a lot of nutrients on a constant basis.What you eat can have a huge impact on your concentration, decision making, learning, memory, mood and general mental well-being. Making some changes to your diet can help you reduce mental fatigue and brain fog, and achieve a lot more every day.There are foods that have a positive effect on your brain and others that cause harm to brain cells and functions. Science has shown that certain foods can contribute to the development and worsening of mental disorders like dementia, ADHD and depression.
You can think about it as putting a bad quality oil into your car. Very shortly you will start having problems with it; it won’t perform as well as it used to, and it can eventually damage the engine.On the other hand, there are numerous brain-healthy foods that provide nutrients the brain needs to function properly. Below is a shortlist of some of the top foods and nutrients that promote a sharper brain:Berries, cherries, red cabbage, and eggplant contain anthocyanins; compounds that destroy free radicals responsible for damage to body and brain cells. Studies show that berries can help reduce memory decline and keep your brain sharp.Salmon and other fatty fish are full of omega-3; a healthy fatty acid that is highly beneficial for your body and brain. People whose diet is rich in omega-3 show better mental capacity and a reduced risk for neurodegenerative diseases. Fish is also rich in phosphorus; a mineral that is important for proper cognitive function.Potassium improves oxygen flow in the brain and promotes mental clarity. You can easily find this mineral in many fruits and vegetables including tomatoes, beet greens, white beans, apricots, bananas, carrots, and oranges.Iron also plays a role in carrying oxygen to the brain, and a deficiency in this important mineral can have a negative effect on brain function. Iron is present in high amounts in red meat, seafood, raisins, spinach and other leafy greens, legumes, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and other seeds and nuts.Choline is an important nutrient for the brain as it is used to produce acetylcholine; a neurotransmitter that has a role in memory and other cognitive functions. There is some evidence that choline may help fight Alzheimer’s disease. Choline can be found in red and white meats, eggs, seafood, beans, and other foods.As you can see, it is not hard to feed your brain
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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