The Brain Nourishment: Improving your Mood, Memory and Focus with Food

According to a study from the Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care, junk food stimulates the award system in your brain, the same way as cocaine. This means, having a Big Mac Meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner can lead to a full-blown addiction. However, other supplies in your local super-market can also have a significant effect on your health and behavior. Fish Oil for Better Concentration You concentration depends on the information running freely between your cells, and for that to happen, your nerve fibers need to be isolated. Your brain requires a substance called myelin in order to isolate your fibers. Thankfully, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and most importantly, fish oil are rich with Omega-3 oils, which help your brain build and maintain myelin, according to a Harvard Medical School research. Therefore, if you need to concentrate before a big exam, have a teaspoon of fish oil or sneak in a couple of walnuts between meals. Eggs and Soybeans can Boost Your Memory We tend to remember events better when we are roused emotionally or intellectually because our brain cells tend to make new connections when they are highly stimulated. The key neurotransmitter that keeps the cells in your brain excited is called acetylcholine – a drug that mimics the effects of acetylcholine has been found to improve the memory of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Choline, a precursor to acetylcholine, can be found in eggs, soybeans, avocados and liver. Coffee keeps you Alert The most widely used psychoactive drug and a well-known remedy for sleepiness; coffee attaches to the brain’s nerve cells and blocks the actions of adenosine, a neurotransmitter that makes us feel tired and drowsy. By blocking adenosine, coffee encourages your brain to be more active, giving you an energy boost in the process. However, if you consume too much coffee, your body might start producing more adrenaline, and while your brain might start working faster, you will feel too anxious to think clearly. That is why, according to Mayo Clinic, you should not drink more than four cups of coffee in a day. Protein-rich Natural Mood Lifters Everybody probably knows that higher levels of dopamine give you more pleasure, drive and enthusiasm. However, many people do not know that a quick dopamine high is usually followed by an even quicker drop, so you must be careful with intake. A dopamine rush can be caused by sugary and fatty foods, such as candy and energy drinks. Therefore, if you need a quick mood boost, you should eat a few grams of chocolate. Chocolate produces a lot of dopamine in your body, partially because it also contains anandamide (also known as the “bliss molecule”), a molecule similar to the active substance found in cannabis. Conclusion Even though your brain only weighs around 3 pounds, it uses up around 20% of your daily calorie intake, so if you want to keep your memory and intellect sharp – a brain nourishing diet is a must. In addition, if you want to enhance your focus, memory and brain stamina, you should check out healthy, cognitive supplements such as the Lucid Smart Pill. Keeping your brain fit is one of the many reasons to clean up your diet – your brain is shaped by what you eat, too much sugar, fat or just about anything can have permanent effects on your brain function. Recent research from MIT indicates that we develop new brain cells throughout our lives and certain foods we mentioned above in combination with physical exercise helps your brain create them.