How to Develop A Brain-Healthy Diet

by Dr. Karen Wolfe for Tools For Healthy Living:New research reveals that nutrition can be a powerful influence on the health of our brain. The brain accounts for two percent of our body weight and uses 20% of available energy as well as needing a lot of nutrients. If our daily nutrition fails to support our brain’s needs, the brain cannot function correctly.Keeping the brain healthy and well-nourished is a task that should be high on our to-do list. There’s a lot of evidence to suggest that what we do for the brain now can have a big impact on how it functions in the years – and decades – to come. According to the most current research, a brain-healthy diet is one that reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes and encourages good blood flow to the brain.Here are my Top Ten Nutrition Ways to support Brain Health

1. The brain needs carbohydrates. Choose your carbohydrates carefully, favoring low-glycemic, complex carbs over simple carbs and sugars. Complex carbs like whole grains will help keep glucose levels steady and fuel your brain throughout the day without the crash connected to processed grains like those in white bread, cake and cookies.
2. Flaxseed has great protein and fiber. Add them to yogurt or salad to give your brain a boost.
3. Flavonoids found in plant-derived foods such as blueberries, apples, citrus fruits, black and green tea boost the brain’s ability to form new neurons.
4. Eat lots of fruits and veggies with vivid colors for a full range of brain-healthy phytochemicals and antioxidants. Blueberries, strawberries, spinach, kale, oranges, sweet potatoes, eggplant, grapes, and some dark chocolate, are examples of nutrient-rich foods.
5. Vitamin D serves important functions in brain health. Review your vitamin D level on a regular basis.
6. The healthy fats, omega-3s and omega-6s, are excellent – and necessary – for brain health.
7. Sufficient lean proteins help build structures and enzymes in neurons.
8. A person’s selenium intake throughout life may influence how well they retain cognitive function as they age, according to a study published in the “American Journal of Epidemiology.” One brazil nut a day fulfills your selenium needs for several days!
9. Greens are filled with magnesium and can help dilate blood vessels, boosting blood flow throughout the body and brain.
10. Foods rich in carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin such as red and orange peppers.