1. Oily fish (mackerel, sardines salmon…)
for brain maintenance
More than 50% of brain mass is made up of lipids, and over 70% of these are fatty acids
that belong to the well-known Omega 3 group.
These fats are crucial to the production and maintenance of brain cells,
preserving the fluidity of cell membrane.
They also play a part in neuron activity.
Weakening brain function and memory trouble can often be traced back
to a deficiency in Omega 31.
Oily fish are one of the best sources of Omega 3, but if fish isn't to your taste,
consider nut oils and rapeseed oil as equally rich alternatives.
2. Pulses (lentils, chick-peas...)
for brain energy
The brain is said to be glucose-dependent, which means it uses only glucose to function.
It consumes more than 5g an hour, but doesnt know how to store it.
It therefore has to be regularly supplied your diet via the circulatory system.
It has long been proven that the most difficult task within intellectual performance,
the capacity to memorise, depends on the level of glucose in the blood2.
But beware of indulging in sugary foods and confectionery; though easy to snack on,
they can lead to such strong fluctuations that your system can react violently and
reduce blood sugar to below its normal level. The brain cannot tolerate this and the
drop in blood sugar leads to fatigue and a shorter attention span.
The sugars that are said to be complex and which have a low Glycaemic Index
(GI) are therefore crucial. Pulses are rich in these complexsugars, and their GI
is one of the lowest.
This really works to allow the regulation of glucose in the blood and its supply to the brain
without creating a reaction of hyperglycaemia. If pulses arent to your taste either,
consider wholegrain foods, especially cooked al dente.
4. Liver (veal, beef, chicken…)
for intelligence
The brain accounts for around 20% of the bodys oxygen needs, and iron is needed to get oxygen
to the brain by means of the bloods haemoglobin. Liver is one of your diets assets guaranteed
to contain this valuable metal. Equally, liver is one of the most important sources of Vitamin B.
Since the mid 1980s, it has been shown that these vitamins, mainly B9, B12, B1 and B6,
improve cognitive function and the results of intelligence tests. If you dont like liver, consider,
beef or nutritional yeast as a supplement.
6. Shellfish for brain function
Though rich in Vitamin B12 and in protein (notably lysine, a precursor to dopamine,
a powerful neurotransmitter), it is mostly the oligo-elements in seafood and crustaceans
(oysters, clams, shrimp etc.) that are good for brain function.
Oligo-elements are crucial in order to fight and prevent stress and its inconveniences.
Some of these can be described as therapeutic weaponsas they have a hand in fighting anxiety,
mental fatigue and nervous disposition.
Manganese, copper, lithium, zinc and iodine have this effect too and
can also be found in seafood.
If you dont like shellfish, consider eating wholemeal bread, algae
(which has iodised salt as in table salt) or wheat germ.
8. Spinach for good memory
All leafy vegetables share a richness in Vitamin B9 (or folates), which is known to play an active role
in the development of a foetusnervous tissue and also in the renewal of blood cells.
One of the signs of Vitamin B9 deficiency is reduced awareness and memory deterioration3.
This phenomenon, observed in people of advanced age with folate deficiency, can probably be
explained by the fact that Vitamin B9 is needed for the maintenance of dendrites
(arborisation of neurons, where B9 levels are high).
If you dont like spinach, go for watercress, lambs lettuce, iceberg lettuce,
broccoli or different types of herbs.
Of these, rosemary is worth noting as it has certain flavonoids (notably apigenin) in its aroma,
which possess stimulating properties affecting concentration and memory through encouraging
cerebral blood flow.
No comments:
Post a Comment