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The Four Types of Foods
That ZAP Your Brain Power the Most
by www.SixWise.com
Do you ever feel foggy after lunch? Can't think straight
after certain meals? It's not all in your head. The food you
eat has a very real, and very significant, impact on your
mind -- including your ability to think clearly.
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A simple rule to know which foods are bad for your
brain? If it's bad for your heart, it's likely also
bad for your brain.
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"There are certain nutrients that are important for
a healthy brain and there are certain foods that you need
to avoid, such as alcohol, because they destroy brain cells,"
says Dr. John Westerdahl, director of Wellness and Lifestyle
Medicine for Castle Medical Center in MidWeek.
So if you value your brain power, which foods should you
steer clear of?
1. Excessive Alcohol
Alcohol is a neurotoxin, which means it can poison your brain
and kill your brain cells.
2. Refined
Foods
White flour, white sugar, white rice and other highly processed
foods (including soda) cause wild fluctuations in your blood
sugar, from very high to very low (hypoglycemia). Though your
brain is fueled by sugar (glucose), to run optimally it
needs to receive a steady supply of fuel throughout the day.
If you eat mostly refined foods, it can cause imbalances
in your brain that cause you to feel irritable, distracted,
tired or fidgety.
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3. Trans
Fats (hydrogenated fats)
Trans fats are found in fried foods, margarine, baked goods,
vegetable shortening, bread, cookies, snack crackers, salad
dressings, granola bars, cereals, frozen dinners and much
more. These artificial fats raise your triglycerides, which
may contribute to hardening of your arteries (atherosclerosis).
This, in turn, increases your risk of not only heart attacks
but also strokes (or "brain attacks"). Trans fats
have also been linked to other mental problems ranging from
ADHD and dyslexia to autism.
In fact, in 2004 researchers at the Society for Neuroscience
meeting in San Diego, California reported that rats raised
on junk food (which often contains trans fats) could barely
find their way around a maze, and had a harder time remembering
how to solve problems they had already solved in the past.
4. Certain Food
Additives
MSG,
which is used as a flavor enhancer in many packaged foods,
is an excitotoxin. According to Dr. Russell Blaylock, an author
and neurosurgeon, excitotoxins are "a group of excitatory
amino acids that can cause sensitive neurons to die."
Other food additives to avoid include the food coloring Blue
1, which has been linked to brain tumors in mice.
What SHOULD You Eat for Brain Power?
Now that you know what to avoid to keep your brain in tip-top
shape, here's what to look for, and indulge in:
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Fresh fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants
are excellent for your brain power!
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Leafy vegetables, like spinach
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Fruits, especially blueberries and apples
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Seeds and nuts, especially walnuts
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Wild-caught, low-mercury fatty fish (salmon)
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Organic
eggs
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Organic, grass-fed meats and chicken
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Whole grains
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Green
tea and black tea
Recommended Reading
Seven
Activities to Keep Your Brain Sharp
Improve
Your Memory Quickly With These Nine Tips
Sources
MidWeek.com
NewScientist.com
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