Get Your Brain Working Better

So now we know what happens if you don’t eat the right kinds of foods and how it affects our minds. So what does our brain need to keep our thoughts clear and planning our successful futures?

There are some sorts of foods that have been found to be great for brains. They are as follows:

Protein

Protein fuels the brain like nothing else. It helps your body build and fix the insides, and helps to keep you focused. It also stops you feeling hungry so it means you have more time to focus on your work.

The best sort of protein to eat is lean protein. To build your brain power eat the following:

Fish, eggs, nuts (walnuts have particular powers), seeds, beans and pulses, tofu and other soy, and dairy products.

Carbohydrates

Now before you jump up and down with glee planning a donut run, these aren’t your processed carbs. You need complex carbohydrates that have plenty of fibre, are low in sugar and have plenty of antioxidants. Go for vegetables that are strongly coloured. In fact try to eat a rainbow of vegetables every day, from red capsicum to orange carrots to green spinach.

Berries, citrus fruits, stone fruit, broccoli and any of the brassica family (this includes cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and more), spinach, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes.

Fats

You need fat to create all important hormones to help you focus. A diet too low in fat can not process the rest of the food you eat. However the fats you eat need to be high in omega threes and sixes, and have a lot of other beneficial vitamins and nutrients in them.

To eat fats that give your brain the kick it needs, focus on nuts and nut butters (you can make your own), avocadoes and olive or avocado oils. You need less than you think you do- but once you begin to eat all the other foods, your body will start to self moderate and correct.

Can I Have my Coffee?

Ok caffeine junkies, admit it, you don’t know how you’re going to get that coffee habit in check. It started with one coffee and now you’re running on a caffeine high. Many people do feel more focused after having caffeine and it can feel like it helps you think faster and better. However many studies have shown that it actually prevents you from focusing on complicated things that need you to string a whole range of ideas together. Like with any drug, our brains begins to build up resistance and the coffee trick isn’t going to work anymore.

If you need to wake yourself up, try to drink a glass of cold water first. If you try to take coffee out of your diet, cut down slowly rather than go cold turkey unless you have time for a three day migraine that will leave you feeling pretty wiped out, grumpy and basically horrendous to live or work with.

Antioxidants

SO why do we need antioxidants? Foods high in antioxidants help our brains to work better. They help reduce the impact of free radicals on our brain and body. A free radical is made naturally when a cell converts oxygen into energy.

We actually need free radicals in our bodies. They help our body to get rid of dangerous toxins and keep our bodies clear and clean. But if there are too many free radicals, it can damage how our body works and results in tissue damage and cells dying. To combat this, eating foods that are high in Vitamins E and C are recommended (such as avocados, oranges, citrus fruits and nuts.)

We Need Magnesium

Our brain stays safe from toxins that affect the brain specifically with magnesium. TO make sure your brain has the protection it needs, eat lots of nuts, seeds, leafy green vegetables (dark salad leaves and spinach is great) and any unprocessed whole grains such as whole rolled oats, and whole wheat.

Stress Less with Vitamin B

Vitamin B is one of the feel good vitamins. We need to have good levels of Vitamin B, particularly B6 and B12 to help keep our memories sharp and our mood good. It helps create serotonin and the other two feel good hormones dopamine and epinephrine. Protein is a good source of B12, in particular chicken, fish, veal, beef and pork. If you are a vegetarian it may be advisable to take a Vitamin B supplement.

Unwind With Water

We’ve mentioned before how important water is. Our brain is made up of around eighty percent water, so it’s important to keep it well hydrated. Our ability to concentrate is often easily positively impacted just by a few glasses of water. This is plain water- not water with carbonation, sugar, caffeine, or milk added to it.

Stress hormones increases when we are dehydrated. As you’ll have noticed about your own bodies, the more stressed you are the less you can work. So drink water and re focus.

If you want a perk me up drink any mate tea is good, as is green tea. Green tea is caffeinated so still watch your intake. Herbal teas can make the water intake feel a little more interesting.

Focus Foods

Next time you’re working against the clock and you know you need to get it done but that stomach is hungry, try packing away some nuts, a little tin of tuna or chomp down on a chicken leg. If you start to feel sleeping, and you’ve lost your appetitive it might be you are not hungry because you are not eating and your body is shutting down.

Eat fish, nuts and fruit to retain your focus and refresh your thinking. It’s like a reboot of your system.