Key Messages
Unlock The Power Of Neuro-Nutrition: The Surprising Secrets To Boosting Your Brain Health Through Food
Brain health and mental clarity don’t have to be a mystery any longer!
There is actual science that backs up how you can improve your brain’s functioning.
The Brain Food book goes over the cutting-edge nutrition research that shows what to eat and what to avoid in order to get the most out of your brain.
Through its pages, you’ll discover why water is essential for intelligence, what makes certain foods ultimate ‘brain food,’ and even how nutrient synergy helps more than just adding one plus one.
Plus, you’ll get recipes and meal plans to help you make sure you’re giving your brain everything it needs to maximize its performance.
So don’t wait any longer – take control of your diet and let the science-backed magic of Brain Food help you boost your brain health and mental clarity today!
Food Is The Most Important Factor For Optimal Brain Health And Preventing Alzheimer’S Disease
What you eat can make or break your health.
It is absolutely essential to understand the power of food in regards to your wellbeing and longevity.
Alzheimer’s Disease has been seen as an inevitable result of aging or bad genes – with approximately 5.3 million people living with Alzheimer’s in the US, and 46 million people with dementia around the world – it is clear that something else is going on here.
It turns out that fewer than 1 percent of cases are actually attributed to genetic factors – and medical science now points towards lifestyle choices being at the source of the majority of cases: 70 % of strokes, 80% heart attacks and 90% type 2 diabetes have been linked back to unhealthy lifestyle choices.
This means that our DNA does not have to be our fate!
Hydrate Your Mind: Discover The Link Between Brain Function And Water Intake
It’s no secret that staying hydrated is essential to good health.
But did you know that it can also help boost your brain power? Researchers have found that drinking eight to ten cups of water a day can increase your brain performance by an impressive 30%.
Dehydration, however, leads to accelerated brain shrinkage.
Fortunately, these effects of dehydration are reversible with just a few days of increased water intake.
To truly get the most out of your water consumption, make sure you drink hard water – either from your tap or spring-bottled varieties – rather than purified water.
This kind of water contains beneficial minerals like calcium and magnesium and helps the brain absorb nutrients more efficiently.
Still looking for alternatives beyond plain old tap or bottled drinking water? Refresh yourself with coconut or aloe vera juice – both naturally packed with antioxidants and electrolytes!
Or try this delicious Spicy Raspberry and Orange Water recipe: steep one gallon cold water overnight with a cup of raspberries, a thinly-sliced orange, two sliced cucumbers, a handful of fresh mint leaves, and two cinnamon sticks; then add some ice cubes before serving!
Eating The Right Fats Is Crucial For Brain Health And Cognitive Function
When it comes to supporting your brain, not all fats are created equal.
Your body contains two types: storage fat, which is the visible, squishy stuff used to store energy, and structural fat, which literally supports your cells – this is the only kind of fat that your brain contains.
When it comes to what you eat, your brain loathes saturated fats and loves unsaturated fats.
Saturated fat can only be found in animal sources such as red meat, butter and whole-fat dairy products.
Many diet books will claim that saturated fat is necessary for optimal brain function but this isn’t always true; in fact it’s been shown that consuming more than 25 grams of saturated fat per day can increase a person’s risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s four-fold!
Unsaturated fats like monounsaturated (found in avocados, oats, olive oil etc) and polyunsaturated (like omega-3s and omega-6s) are much better for you.
Omega-3 fatty acids are particularly important and can be found in cold water fish such as salmon, plus walnuts and flaxseeds.
Caviar contains an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids and has also been proven to boost memory function – if you’re feeling a bit strapped for cash try some salmon roe instead!
The Power Of Amino Acids: How Protein-Rich Foods Help You Sleep, Think, And Feel Better
Amino acids are essential for proper brain functioning.
We take in amino acids through our diet, and they are broken down into neurotransmitters that your brain uses to send signals throughout the body.
Neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine affect how we think, feel and sleep.
Abnormalities in these neurotransmitters can lead to cognitive issues such as depression, which can then impact attention and memory.
To ensure your brain is getting all the amino acids it needs to remain healthy, you should add more tryptophan-rich foods to your diet, such as raw cacao, oats, spirulina, pumpkin seeds or animal products like fish or full fat goat’s milk.
Neurons absorb tryptophan better when paired with carbohydrates so be sure to include some carbs with your meals.
Finally, The Brain Food Book provides a delicious recipe for wild Alaskan salmon that provides an excellent source of tryptophan – just make sure to top it off with some coconut oil for maximum absorption before pairing it with brown rice for dinner!
And don’t forget – a glass of warm milk with honey before bed is always a childhood classic that aims give you those much needed quality zzz’s!
Taking Care With What Kinds Of Carbohydrates We Eat Is Important To Maintain Healthy Brain Functioning, As Glucose From Carb-Rich Foods Is Crucial To The Brain’S Activity
The almost instantaneous source of energy that your brain needs to function properly is glucose.
Whether you’re trying to stay alert during a long day of studying or simply want to keep your neurons firing on all cylinders, consuming the right carbohydrate-rich foods can be crucial in maintaining or improving cognitive performance.
Glucose is the primary form of energy that fuels your brain, with adults requiring 62 grams over 24 hours for optimal functioning.
Fortunately, there are plenty of natural sources rich in glucose such as red beets, onions, turnips and rutabagas as well as fruits like kiwi, grapes, and dates.
Pure maple syrup and honey are also good options for providing our brains with necessary fuel.
At the same time we need to be aware of ‘bad’ sugars found in sodas and other sugary foods which can cause inflammation, type 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders linked to an increased risk of dementia.
Therefore reducing processed sugars while focussing on complex carbs and starches – including sweet potatoes – berries, grapefruits, pumpkin and carrots makes it easier for our bodies to break down glucose without spikes that bring about sudden mood changes.
Eating Whole Foods Is The Key To Unlocking Maximum Brain Benefits From Vitamins
Vitamins play an important role in brain health and cognitive performance, which means it’s crucial to make sure you’re getting enough of them.
Vitamins C and E protect your brain cells and tissues from the damaging effects of free radicals, toxins and pollution, while Vitamin B6 is key for the production of neurotransmitters.
In fact, some studies suggest that as much as 25% of stroke cases could be prevented if individuals ate more foods rich in Vitamin B!
But simply popping a pill isn’t enough – consuming vitamins in whole food form can actually bring extra benefits that supplements can’t generate.
That’s because eating carbohydrates together with proteins may boost serotonin production and consuming omega-3s with B vitamins might help promote mental sharpness.
If you’re looking for food sources hiding in plain sight then consider almonds and flaxseeds (rich in vitamin E), citrus fruits, berries – even dandelion greens!
The author’s grandmother would rinse one pound of dandelion greens before boiling them for 8-10 minutes until tender but not mushy before drizzling with lemon juice, salt and olive oil.
Meanwhile Pistachios, tuna, shellfish, organ meat, sweet potatoes, leafy green vegetables, cabbage are all high in Vitamin B6.
Finally eggs are a great source of choline which promotes memory function – though stick to two or three per week!
It’S Time To Start Looking After Your Gut If You Want To Look After Your Brain
Having a healthy gut is essential for an overall feeling of wellbeing.
Our early ancestors ate mainly grasses, seeds and fruits which were naturally rich in fiber and contained prebiotics and probiotics that were beneficial to their gut microbiome.
Contrastingly, the modern Western diet is filled with heavily processed meats, grains, and dairy products – all of which can be damaging to your gut health.
Pesticides saturate our food supply, as well as growth hormones, antibiotics, and even poisons such as arsenic found in some commercially produced meats.
This can lead to an imbalance of microbes in our digestive system leading to poor digestive health (and ultimately a ‘sad’ brain).
It’s important to make informed choices about what you put into your body – particularly when it comes to select organic produce from the ‘Dirty Dozen’ (the 12 most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables).
Eating a balanced diet rich in fiber-rich foods that contain prebiotics and probiotics – such as broccoli, berries, legumes, leafy greens, onions and artichokes – can help to keep your gut healthy by flushing away waste products, bad bacteria and toxins.
The key message here is – A healthy gut leads to a happy brain.
Studies have shown that changes in the gut microbiome influence the risk of mental disorders like anxiety or depression; therefore maintaining good digestive health through probiotic intake could be effective preventative treatment.
The Secret To Long Life: Healthy Diet, Exercise, And Connections
Inhabitants of the five blue zones where centenarians tend to experience long and healthy lives share a common lifestyle that plays a vital role in their longevity.
Eating healthy food, exercising daily, and building strong relationships are three of the most important components for maintaining optimum brain health – and this is evident in the habits of those who live in these wondrously long-living pockets of people.
These centenarians typically begin their day with a large breakfast, followed by moderate lunch and an early small dinner.
This practice naturally incorporates intermittent fasting, which has been shown to increase life span in lab animals by up to 30%.
For maximum benefit, create a 12-hour fasting window between dinner and breakfast while drinking lots of water!
The diet they follow is centered around fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes and grains that provide essential vitamins to stimulate memory formation, assist neurons recovering from injury; plus promote new brain cell growth.
Fish or meat is only eaten about five times per month in small portions.
The alcohol consumption consists mostly of red wine as it’s full of anti-aging antioxidants when taken with food.
Also coffee is also consumed moderately – no more than two espresso shots or two Americano cups – which helps ward away dementia.
Wrap Up
At the end of Brain Food, the message is clear: Eating well and in moderation can help you reach peak mental performance, stay healthy, and age gracefully.
To support this message, Brain Food provides us with a few actionable pieces of advice.
Among these is to check the materials that make up our cookware.
Aluminum and copper are two potential toxins that could sneakily enter into our bodies through water pipes or our cookware.
To avoid this problem we should replace any aluminum pots and pans as well as microwavable plastic containers and synthetic nonstick surfaces like Teflon with healthier options such as cast iron, stainless steel, glass, or traditional ceramic.
Taking these steps will ensure we’re taking care of our brains -and life- to its fullest potential!
