Feed your mind
‘You are what you eat’ – How many times have you heard that? It used to be thought that this maxim only applied to our bodies, but now there is overwhelming research evidence that what we eat has a significant effect on the performance of our brains.
The four main ingredients
Led by leading nutritionist Patrick Holford, the FOOD FOR THE BRAIN charity suggest there are four main ingredients in the optimum diet to support a healthy and alert mind. They are:
- Foods with a low glycemic load.
- A good intake of vitamins and minerals.
- Plenty of essential fats.
- Avoiding foods that contain chemical additives or create food allergies.
1. Foods with a low glycemic load.
A low glycemic load (GL) diet, low in sugar and refined carbohydrates, improves learning, attention and reduces anxiety and aggressive behaviour
What this means to you
- Always eat breakfast
- Encourage low GL meals and snacks
- Minimise sugar - use xylitol if a substitute is necessary
- Swap sugary snacks with fresh fruit - apples, pears and berries are best
2. A good intake of vitamins and minerals.
A diet high in vitamins and minerals, and supplementation with vitamins and minerals, improves IQ and concentration.
What this means to you
- Eat more whole foods, fresh fruit and vegetables
- Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement
- For children with learning and behavioural difficulties, test for homocysteine.
3. Plenty of essential fats.
A diet high in essential fats, especially omega 3 essential fats, as well as supplementation improves attention and reading, and reduces anxiety and aggression.
What this means to you
- Eat oily fish 2 to 3 times a week
- Eat seeds (especially flax and pumpkin) daily
- Supplement a capsule of EPA, DHA and GLA, eye q from Equazen is a good balance of all these.
- Discourage fried foods and foods containing hydrogenated fats
4. Avoiding foods that contain chemical additives or create food allergies.
A diet low in chemical additives and allergic foods among those with allergies and chemical sensitivities improves learning, concentration and behaviour. (This factor is significant for a minority of children, not all, especially those with learning difficulties.)
What this means to you
- Limit use of chemical additives in food
- Encourage more non-wheat foods eg oats, rice, corn
- For children with learning or behaviour difficulties and symptoms associated with allergy test for the possibility of food allergy
- Eliminate allergens
What next?
If this has wet your appetite for finding out more about how your brain works then our brainoids is probably for you. If you want to take all of this stuff and apply it practically then perhaps a trip to memory street or learning junction might be more your thing.