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When
it comes to improving brain power, choosing the right foods is essential. The
nutrients you ingest, day in, day out, will help you use your brain more
efficiently. The more you are using your brain, the more it will grow new
connections, new cells, and improve your ability to problem-solve and store
memories.
Making
sure you eat fresh, local organic produce is also crucial. This will get your
brain functioning at its peak, because these foods are much closer to their
natural state and have a much higher availability of phytonutrients, vitamins
and minerals. Consuming highly processed foods that are filled with numerous
chemicals are not nutritious, and can actually slow the connections and
neuronal firing in your brain.
I
should also mention that drinking plenty of water (at least 2 litres or more a
day) is very important to help the brain function properly and to hel Tis the
season for peaches! Now is the time to get in as many organic peaches as you
can, to help nourish your body and invite it with as many vitamins, minerals
and phytonutrients as possible! It is important to purchase organic peaches
because conventional peaches are sprayed with nasty pesticides and herbicides
which will eradicate any beneficial components in the peach. Read on to learn
about the 8 incredible benefits of the amazing peach!
Eye
Health
Peaches
are a great source of beta carotene (a compound that is converted to vitamin A
in the body, and which is crucial to the health of our retinas). Individuals
with sight problems are often deficient in beta carotene, so consuming peaches
will help up your beta carotene levels and nourish the health of your eyes.
This compound also helps prevent night blindness and age-related macular
degeneration.
Protection
Against Toxins
Peaches
are a great way to cleanse out toxins from your colon, kidneys, stomach and
liver. The high fibre content pushes out any toxic excess waste matter from
your colon, and helps protect against colon cancer. Peaches are also rich in
potassium which reduces kidney related diseases and reduces your chance of
developing ulcers.
Aids
in Weight Loss
Including
lots of fresh ripe juicy fruit in your diet is a great way to help control your
hunger and lose weight. Peaches contain natural fruit sugars, so they do not
raise your blood sugar or insulin levels (only processed sugary foods do this –
refined & artificial sugars which deposit as fat in your body). The
sweetness of this fruit also controls any food cravings you may have, so it is a
win-win situation!
Fights
Cancer
Peaches
are incredibly high in antioxidants. Particularly, they contain an antioxidant
called chlorogenic acid (concentrated in the skin and flesh of the peach) which
is known to protect the body from cancer and other chronic diseases. This
antioxidant is also responsible for reducing inflammation in the body (helping
those suffering from arthritis) and helps slow the aging process.
Cardiovascular
Health
Peaches
are high in iron and vitamin K which are two important substances for keeping
the heart healthy. Vitamin K prevents the blood from clotting and protects
against a myriad of heart diseases. Iron keeps the blood healthy and strong and
prevents against iron-deficiency anemia. The lycopene and lutein in peaches also
significantly reduce your risk of developing heart disease. Do your
cardiovascular system a favour and go eat some peaches!
Kidney
Cleansing
The
potassium in peaches are great for reducing kidney related diseases and helps
to cleanse your bladder. The concentration of potassium and other vitamins in
this amazing little fruit allows your body to maintain normal kidney and liver
function. Eating peaches will help prevent nephritis and a variety of other
kidney diseases as well as help eliminate kidney stones.
Skin
Health
The
levels of vitamin C in peaches are very high! Vitamin C is an essential
ingredient that benefits the youthfulness of our skin (and also helps keep our
immune system high!). Peaches help slow the aging process so they reduce the
formation of fine lines and wrinkles on the skin (thanks to the antioxidants
like vitamin C and chlorogenic acid). Rubbing some peach on your skin as a
temporary mask is another great way to slough away dead skin and to allow the
peach enzymes to nourish and refreshen your skin.
Antioxidants
As
we have seen throughout the previous seven points, peaches are very high in
antioxidants, ranging from lycopene to vitamin C to chlorogenic acid. All of
these antioxidants serve to keep your body healthy and in tip-top shape.
Antioxidants help scavenge free radicals in the body which would normally cause
life-threatening diseases and illnesses like cancer, auto-immune diseases and a
variety of other illnesses. Providing your body with a diet rich in
seasonally-ripe fruit is the best way to ensure you are getting more than
enough antioxidants.
p
you feel more alert. After all, your water constitutes over 85% of your brain’s
weight.
8
Foods that Boost your Brain Power
Berries (blueberries, blackberries,
cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, red grapes, goji berries, mulberries,
seabuckthorn, golden berries, boysenberries, saskatoons, etc.)
Berries
are a great food for increasing brain power because of their high antioxidant content.
They have been shown to prevent nerve-related degeneration and decline in both
cognitive and motor function because they reduce inflammation and improve
neuronal cell longevity. The polyphenolic compounds in berries also protect
against neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease as well
as depression.
Asparagus (and other foods rich in folic
acid like okra, spinach, collards, sunflower seeds, romaine lettuce and beans)
Why
are foods that are high in folic acid great for the brain? This vitamin has
been found to improve memory and cognition in healthy adults aged 50-70 years
old. Folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin which improves cognitive
functioning, especially with respect to memory and information processing
speed. Consuming foods rich in folic acid like asparagus and spinach will help
your brain tremendously!
Avocados
Avocados
are a great healthy fat to include in your diet and they are high in vitamin E.
They contain essential fatty acids which are necessary for maximum brain power
as well as supporting proper brain growth and development. Omega fatty acids
help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and help boost your
memory and ability to learn new things!
Carrots (and other foods rich in beta
carotene and vitamin C like mangos, oranges, broccoli, tomato, cantaloupe,
peppers, and rainbow chard)
Beta
carotene rich foods may reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Beta carotene is
an antioxidant that prevents oxidative stress in the brain which normally damages
brain cells leading to rapid brain aging and associated cognitive decline. In
studies with groups of individuals taking beta carotene and comparing them to
controls (no beta carotene), it was found that the brain was able to function
much more efficiently, particularly with respect to verbal memory.
Hemp
Seeds (and
other healthy nuts & seeds like chia seeds, walnuts, almonds, pistachios,
cashews, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds)
Hemp
seeds are high in omega fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory and help
protect the nervous system. How do they do this? To put it simply, they “feed”
and repair the myelin sheaths that protect our nerves, which if not protected,
can lead to serious health issues like multiple sclerosis (a disease caused by
myelin sheath damage). Omega fatty acids in hemp seeds and other nuts and seeds
also help lift depression and those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and can
reduce the harmful effects of chronic stress.
Dark
Green Leafy Vegetables (think
collards, kale, swiss card, beet greens, green & red leaf lettuce,
dandelion greens, and dark green herbs like basil, mint, parsley, cilantro,
dill, arugula, and watercress)
Dark
leafy green vegetables are known for their ability to keep the brain sharp
through aging. These greens are rich in folate (a B vitamin, as mentioned
earlier) and can protect against cognitive decline in older adults. Folate
helps reduce blood levels of homocysteine (a blood marker of cardiovascular
disease), which when high, have been linked to lower cognitive test scores.
Leafy green vegetables are also very mineral and vitamin dense, which help keep
our brain sharp, and our thoughts clearer.
Bananas
Bananas
are a great brain food. For one, they help lift depression due to their high
tryptophan content (a protein that the body converts into serotonin), which
helps you relax and improve mood. Secondly, they are remarkably high in
potassium (same with medjool dates!) which is a mineral that helps send oxygen
to the brain and thus makes you feel more alert. They are also rich in B
vitamins which are very important in calming the nervous system and protecting
the myelin sheath around our nerves.
Watermelon (and other water rich foods
like melon, zucchini, cucumbers and celery)
Ensuring
you stay hydrated is a great way to keep your memory sharp, moods balanced and
motivation strong. If you are dehydrated (which more than 95% of the population
normally is), you reduce oxygen flow to the brain and could temporarily shrink
neurons. Consuming water rich foods like watermelon, cucumbers and celery will
prevent this from happening and can help you focus better on the tasks at hand.
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