What You Need to Keep Your Neurons Firing
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Posted On :
Aug-16-2011
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Article Word Count :
519
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No doubt you have heard at least some of the evidence that continues to build around diet and good health. There are a number of poor lifestyle choices that can lead to major health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer.
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No doubt you have heard at least some of the evidence that continues to build around diet and good health. There are a number of poor lifestyle choices that can lead to major health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer.
The best diet for your brain is, in a nutshell, a well-balanced one. This is the kind of diet that’s also healthy for the rest of your body. A well-balanced diet includes whole grains, a wide variety of colorful fresh fruits and vegetables and moderate amounts of protein. It also supplies just enough calories to fuel your daily activities.
Of course, any well-balanced diet includes some fat, too—but not just any kind of fat. A diet that is healthy for cell membranes, including the cells in the brain, appears to be one that includes “monounsaturated fats” and “polyunsaturated fats” that are high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Want to stay a genius — or, at least, keep your “smarts” as you age? Here is a list of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acid to include in your weekly diet:
• anchovies
• flax seed
• herring
• mackerel
• salmon
• sardines
• tuna
• whitefish
Of course, that doesn’t mean that you should pack your diet with fat — even the monounsaturated or polyunsaturated kinds — because fat contains a lot of calories.
Your Brain Needs Vitamins
A “brainy” diet should also include adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals that your body needs for health. Of course, the point is not to load up on any one particular vitamin or mineral so that you will have optimum memory, for example.
The best approach is to keep all vitamins and minerals at adequate levels so that they can work together. That’s one of the reasons that it’s so important to eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables each day. If you find this a bit of a struggle, you may want to consider supplementing your diet with a multivitamin.
The B Vitamins
Nutritionists have known for some time that significant deficiencies of the B vitamins can lead to memory problems. Likewise, research suggests that increasing intake of certain B vitamins can help enhance memory.
Vitamins C & E
You’ll need to get enough of vitamins C and E, too. These two together could help sharpen a dulled memory. Vitamins C and E are powerful antioxidants and may help ease some of the stress that is put on your brain cells by free radicals.
Vitamins C and E are considered to be “safe,” so make sure that you are getting at least an adequate daily intake of both. Supplementing with higher doses of these vitamins should not cause any harm, but it is still best to consult your health-care provider first.
Magnesium
Magnesium has been dubbed an “anti-stress” mineral, and for good reason. It helps with many essential metabolic functions in your body. Studies show that it may also be important in learning and memory.
Magnesium plays a big role in the production and transfer of nerve impulses, in muscle contraction and relaxation, in protein synthesis and in many biochemical reactions.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_What You Need to Keep Your Neurons Firing_73791.aspx
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Author Resource :
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Keywords :
heart disease, The best diet for your brain,
Category :
Health and Fitness
:
Medicine
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