MO FOOD FOR THOUGHT

My apologies for not posting for some time, my daughter and I visited my family in the Netherlands and it took me some time to get over my jet lag and catch up with work and household chores. We had a great trip and I'll blog more about my food and health findings in Europe.

Yesterday I had the privilege to talk at a church "green group" meeting and I am happy to see that more and more people are becoming aware of the importance of providing our bodies with healthy and nutritional foods. Below follows additional info on brain foods.

From increasebrainpower.com:
"Brain foods" are those foods which improve brain function. A diet heavy in omega-3 fatty acids, for example can help keep the blood vessels of the brain clear of blockages and allow nerve cells to function at a high level. So you may want to eat your fish twice a week (A major source of omega-3s) or take a supplement.

It is equally important, however, to recognize the foods that diminish brain power. Alcohol and some other drugs just kill brain cells directly, but there are many less obvious brain-attacking foods. Artery clogging foods can lead to restricted blood flow to the brain, and high-glycemic-index (processed) foods can cause terrible blood-sugar swings that make both your body and your mind irritable and sluggish.

Good Brain Foods
Avocados
Bananas
Beef, lean
Brewer's yeast
Broccoli
Brown rice
Brussels sprouts
Cantaloupe
Cheese
Chicken
Collard greens
Eggs
Flax seed oil
Legumes
Milk
Oatmeal
Oranges
Peanut butter
Peas
Potatoes
Romaine lettuce
Salmon
Soybeans
Spinach
Tuna
Turkey
Wheat germ
Yogurt

Bad Brain Foods
Alcohol
Artificial food colorings
Artificial sweeteners
Colas
Corn syrup
Frostings
High-sugar "drinks"
Hydrogenated fats
Junk sugars
Nicotine
Overeating
White bread

Final note on brain foods from this incredible website:
In studies, children scored higher on tests when on a regimen of daily vitamin supplements. "Experts" will tell you that if you eat a balanced diet, you don't need supplements, which, given the culture here, is really just a sales pitch for vitamins here, isn't it? Who eats a perfectly balanced diet?

A final, final note. Putting the right food in helps, but it's important to get it out too. That's why I nominate fiber as the unsung brain food hero. I don't know how many times I've heard or read about somebody's mind clearing up once their system was cleaned out.

Be well, MO