Unfortunately, there is no pill you can take to increase your brain power. It would be wonderful if there were such a supplement, but there is no shortcut to the learning process. Some of us learn a little faster or maybe a little easier, but our brain power only excels with hard work and diligence. However, while there may not be a magic ingredient that can make us more intelligent, there are things we can do to improve our overall brain function. One of them is simple mental exercise, such as reading or doing puzzles. And, there are foods that can make you smarter, in a manner of speaking.
The human brain is one of the most fascinating organs on the planet. It controls thousands of operations every second of your life, from before birth until death, all without your conscious knowledge. At the same time, it can create things like Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, discover how to harness the power of nuclear fission, or even just carry on a conversation with several other brains, all at once. Even the most powerful supercomputers we can design are light years away from the computing power of even a modest human brain. And true to the laws of physics, you can’t get something for nothing. Your brain makes up about 2% of your total body weight, but it requires 20% of all the energy you take in just to keep running. Everything you eat or drink affects your brain’s performance. All that you consume is broken down and distributed throughout your body, including your brain. This energy, in the form of nutrients, is transported to the brain by the bloodstream, which is powered by the heart. Therefore, anything that improves circulation or your heart health will also improve your brain function. Likewise, anything that restricts blood flow to the brain will have an adverse effect on it.
Brain-Boosting Foods to Include in Your Diet
Some of the most beneficial things you can eat for your brain are foods that contain fats and sugars. This may come as a shock to you, as the popular idea is to avoid these. However, your brain is the only organ in your body that derives all of its sustenance from glucose, and it is your body’s second-highest area of fat deposition, after fatty tissues like love handles and the caboose. However, not all fats are created equal. Your brain needs polyunsaturated fats, also known as Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Saturated and trans fats can actually impair brain function. As a rule, we all get plenty of Omega-6 in our normal diet, but most people could benefit from some supplemental Omega-3s. These improve brain function by increasing the conductivity of synapses within the brain, meaning more nerve signals can travel faster. It’s similar to putting a bigger battery in your flashlight—brighter and for longer periods of time. Some foods that will help increase your Omega-3 levels include pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, coconut, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, avocados, olive oil, and oily fish such as salmon, tuna, herring, and sardines.
Other foods that can make you smarter are those that supply a steady dose of glucose. Your brain can only use so much glucose at a time, and any unused glucose will be stored in fat cells. When you run out of available fat cells, your body will create more fat cells, often in places you’d rather not have them, like the areas previously mentioned. So the trick is to supply the brain with just what it needs for immediate use, and keep supplying it at regular intervals, rather than trying to flood it with more than it can use. It’s better to eat smaller, more frequent meals than to gorge and then go the rest of the day without eating. This approach can actually prevent weight gain. One reason most diets don’t work is that when nutrient intake drops below a certain level, the body goes into panic-starvation mode, lowers metabolism, and even shuts down some non-essential services to conserve remaining nutrients for the brain and vital functions. The trick to losing weight is to balance calories with physical activity to make your body use its stored glucose without triggering starvation-panic mode, also known to athletes as ‘bonking’ or ‘hitting the wall.’ Symptoms of this switch-over include dizziness, nausea, and lack of energy or stamina. Glucose supplies the entire body with energy by being converted into ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is required for all cellular metabolic processes. The brain requires more ATP than all the other parts of the body combined. Good sources of sugars that can be easily turned into glucose are starchy vegetables such as potatoes and corn, whole grains, fruit, and raw vegetables. Blueberries are one of the best foods for improving brain function because they not only supply the needed sugars, but they are also very high in antioxidants, which help protect cells from the ravages of free radicals. Processed sugars, such as those found in sweet bakery items and candies, are very difficult for your body to process and can have negative effects on your health. They should be used in moderation or avoided altogether if possible.
More foods that can help brain function are proteins such as eggs, beans, soy, and meats. Red meat has gotten an undeservedly bad reputation lately, but in reality, it is one of the few complete foods you can eat. The problem with red meat is overindulgence—8 oz. per day is plenty. Otherwise, you can stick with poultry, which is much lower in fat, or fish. Pork is a good source of protein but has a higher fat content, despite being called “the other white meat.” Leafy green vegetables, green beans, and even milk can all help improve brain function.
There is one herb that deserves mention: Ginkgo biloba. It has been used for thousands of years as a supplement to improve brain function. Modern studies suggest that Ginkgo biloba might be an effective treatment for some cases of dementia, poor circulation in the legs, and as a memory-enhancement supplement, especially for older adults. It seems to work by dilating blood vessels in the brain, allowing better circulation, and by softening plaque deposits on blood vessel walls.
You need to keep in mind that while there are foods that can make you smarter and increase the flow of knowledge through your brain, you still have to put the knowledge in there. Keeping your brain active is the second part of a mental one-two punch to improve your thinking.
One Response
Eating red meat is good, but too much consumption can lead to health problems such as heart diseases and obesity. The best pork is that which is obtained from pigs that feed on natural pasture.