Friday, January 20, 2012

Love your Brain, Love your Body, Love your Life - Enrich your Life and Arm Yourself with a Weapon to Fight Alzheimer's, Targeted Nutrition

What is Targeted Nutrition? Feel a cold coming on? Eat an orange or other citrus fruit, why? High in vitamin C. Finished a workout? Hydrate and eat a banana to replenish lost fluids and potassium. These are just a couple of examples of “Targeted Nutrition” that help our body function properly or maintain good health. Why would it be any different for our brain? Your brain is only 2% of our body mass, yet it uses 20% of the body’s energy, it needs massive amounts of energy, in comparison with the other organs in our body. It also needs the proper materials (targeted nutrition) to build, heal and grow itself. 
What does our brain need and want?
  • Vitamin C & E - Antioxidants are for cell protection from free radicals.
  • Vitamin D - for focus and concentration.
  • B vitamins -  for memory, nerve, cell and neurotransmitter function.
  • Vitamin K - enhances cognitive function.
  • Calcium - improves nerve function.
  • Magnesium - improves blood flow.
  • Zinc - memory and thinking skills.
  • Choline - aids in memory and brain development.
  • Omega 3 Fatty Acids (ALA, EPA, DHA) - improves communication between the cells; attention management, and mood balancing. Also contain anti-inflammatory substances.
  • Glucose - supplies your brain’s energy; your body creates it from the carbohydrates you eat, your brain needs at least 125 to 150g per day to function. Be careful, too much is counter productive.
How can we get all these “brain boosting” nutrients? Let’s look at some super brain foods.
  1. Wholegrain Foods - whole grain bread, oatmeal, brown rice, barley, popcorn etc. Supplies, glucose, vit. B6.
  2. Walnuts - omega-3 & 6, vit. E, vit. B6
  3. Cashews - magnesium
  4. Almonds - riboflavin (B)
  5. Pecans & peanuts - choline
  6. Blueberries - have compounds that turn on key systems in the brain to enable proteins to help with memory or other cognitive skills. An antioxidant.
  7. Strawberries - antioxidant, improves communication among brain cells.
  8. Blackberries - antioxidant, particularly anthocyanins, which fights degenerative brain diseases.
  9. Sunflower seeds - thiamine (B vitamin), boosts mood and brainpower.
  10. Pumpkin seeds - zinc, vit. A & E, omega-3 & 6.
  11. Freshly Brewed Tea- enhances memory, focus, fights mental fatigue. Contains polyphenals (antioxidant) which help maintain a steady supply of glucose.
  12. Eggs - choline, antioxidants.
  13. Avocados - contain mono-unsaturated fats to help maintain healthy blood flow.
  14. Tomatoes - lycopene (antioxidant).
  15. Broccoli - a super food due to its overall nutrient content; for your brain it’s Vit. K.
  16. Red Cabbage - polyphenol (antioxidant).
  17. Spinach - slows down the effects of age-related declines in brain function, helps protect from oxidative stress. Improves learning capacity and motor skills.
  18. Yogurt and Calcium rich foods - improve nerve function. Yogurt contains an amino acid called tyrosine which is responsible for producing the neurotransmitter dopamine and noradrenalin.
  19. Chocolate! - Dark and Milk - antioxidant, enhances mood, focus and concentration. MORE IS NOT BETTER, indulge in moderation :o)
  20. Beans - stabilize glucose levels; 1/2 cup every day.
  21. Wild Salmon, sardines & herring - rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.
Eat with your brain in mind, it’s the greediest organ in the body, keeping it properly nourished is vital to creative thought, positive mood, memory and overall good health.

0 comments:

Post a Comment