After my recent concussion,  I am now especially interested in my brain and giving it extra special care to bring it back to its normal, healthy state.  Perhaps you have suffered a brain injury, or Alzheimers is a reality in your world or you feel your memory playing tricks on you or you just want to get through your exams with ease. I know that you will take something away from this information that will help you.

There are many ways to improve your brain power.  You can do a lot of research and find a lot of information.  I know.  I have done a lot of research.  For now, I will focus on your diet and things that you can easily add to take care of your noggin’.

1.  Omega 3 Fatty Acids…These are linked to reducing inflammation of the brain and regenerating your nerve cells.  Usually you will find that seafood, especially deep sea fish, are recommended.   Vegan options that  I recommend are flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds and leafy greens.

2. Antioxidants…These are super important to your brain’s overall health, helping you think and concentrate better and also slow down the aging process.  Eating foods rich in antioxidants is one of the best things that you can do for your brain and also for your entire body.  The best sources are darkly coloured vegetables (kale, spinach, parsley,  broccoli, cabbage, etc) and fruits containing phytochemicals (especially blueberries and avocado).

3. B Vitamins…B vitamins, especially B6, B12, choline and folic acid help to stop our brain from shrinking.  Yikes!  What a thought!  These vitamins are important food for our nervous system so that it can easily send information to our brain and then back to the rest of the body.  Food sources that I would recommend are dark greens (there they are again!), avocados, bananas, nuts (especially walnuts for B6), asparagus, broccoli and nutritional yeast.

4.  Vitamin E…Vitamin E consumed with lots of Vitamin C is known to keep your mind in good shape for years to come.  You can still do those math problems from high school, I promise!  Excellent food sources are broccoli, spinach, mustard greens, olives, sunflower seeds and other seeds, and almonds.  All fresh fruits and vegetables eaten in their raw state have lots of Vitamin C!

5. Iron…Our brain relies on iron for learning and memory.  It is known that ADHD, lowered IQ and learning disabilities are often linked with iron deficiencies.  Consider eating iron-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, sea vegetables, nuts and seeds, dried fruits especially apricots, spinach and broccoli.

I know that there are many more foods that can help the brain.  The big talk lately has been coconut oil helping reduce the effects of Alzheimer disease.  Here is more information about that. For now, I hope that you have an understanding of how important whole foods are in our diet and how they benefit our brain function.  When in doubt, reach for delicious, fresh food!

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