We all have trouble staying focused sometimes. Stress, hectic schedules, multi-tasking, lack of sleep, fatigue, depleted energy, social distractions, and lots of other conditions can contribute to a lack of brain power. There are simple solutions however that can help give you a brain boost and keep your brain working its best for you. Making sure your brain is nourished with the nutrients it needs to promote cognitive functions is one of the easiest simple solutions to start with.
Brain Food
The brain in particular needs glucose, amino acids, and essential fatty acids to be healthy. Glucose is the sugars your body makes by digesting carbohydrates. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Healthy fats are also essential as brain food since the brain is around 60% fat. While these three types of nutrients in general are necessary for healthy brain function, there are some that are especially important.
Fat For Brain Power
The omega-3 essential fatty acid, Docosahexaenoic acid or DHA, is vital for the cerebral cortex that is concerned with memory, language, creativity, emotion, attention, and communication between brain cells. Supplementing the diet with DHA has been found to help improve memory loss, ADD, depression, Alzheimer’s, dementia, and mood swings and since around 70% of people don’t get enough omega-3, adding additional DHA can help give you additional brain power.
Amino Acid for Brain Power
The amino acid acetyl-l-carnitine or ALC works like an antioxidant for the brain by providing protection from the damage free radicals do. This amino acid has been found particularly useful for improvement of focus, clarity, memory, mood, being able to think fast, and for energy production. It also boosts the sensitivity brain cells have to insulin so that they can use glucose for fuel. It is also in small enough molecules to be able to cross the blood brain barrier which some other amino acids like l-carnitine can’t do. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Of the United States Of America reported results from a study showing that acetyl-l-carnitine supplementation boosted mitochondria functioning causing improved memory.
More Brain Power Nutrition
A healthy, well-nourished brain is obviously going to be able to work at its best. You know AFA bluegreen algae is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet and that it has the omega-3s and amino acids the brain craves. The form of AFA that is the heart of the algae with the cell wall removed provides nutrients in a form that can easily cross through the blood brain barrier.
Turmeric is a spice that contains curcumin that works as an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory for the brain. Curcumin can help improve the blood flow to the brain, boost serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain, and help with some types of memory loss. Ginkgo extract that comes from the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree also works as an antioxidant for the brain, helps improve blood flow, and balance chemicals in the brain and has been found useful in improving memory. A great way to add ginkgo biloba to your diet and get the great nutrition of AFA bluegreen algae is with this supplement that has a combination of organic wild bluegreen algae, eleuthero, Ginkgo biloba, Lion’s Mane, bee pollen, wheatgrass juice, and noni. And if you prefer drinking your nutrition, this liquid shot of nutrients for renewing mind and body gives you ingredients like organic wild microalgae, Cognizin(R), Sustamine(R), green tea, vitamin D, carnosine, and blueberry extract.
As important to the brain as what you feed it is, avoiding certain foods can also help keep you focused. One of the worst things we do to our brains is choosing sugary, fatty, preservative filled snacks. If you are looking for more brain power, choose foods and snacks instead that give you healthy proteins, healthy fats, and antioxidants. Nuts like almonds and walnuts make great brain food snacks as they give you protein and healthy fats. Other healthy snack options include smoothies made with antioxidant providing fruits and protein from milk or a powder supplement like this one with 22 grams of whey protein or this snack bar with sprouted grains, greens, bluegreen algae and almonds. Foods with zinc, iron and magnesium help you stay focused better, so when you start finding yourself distracted or having trouble concentrating make sure you have foods in your diet like lean beef, pork, oysters, poultry, sesame seeds, milk, yogurt, miso, whole grains, seaweed, and maca root powder.
If you need to be able to focus better, help your brain out by avoiding eating those foods that work against it and adding in the nutrients that help it work better. Take good care of your brain and it will pay you back with the brain power you need.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products on our website.
Sources:
http://bebrainfit.com/brain-supplements-mental-edge/
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/brain-boosters-5-supplements-for-maximum-mental-acuity.html
http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/6102.html
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/20-foods-to-snack-on-for-enhanced-productivity.html
