3 best foods for BRAIN health
BRAIN health
Our master controller is our brain and this blog is about making you aware of the 3 foods that our brain cells love. These 3 top foods we recommend for brain health twill help to keep you mentally alert and as sharp as ever.
The 3 foods are foods that you are more than likely already incorporating into your diet, but make sure you include them on a regular basis.
The 3 foods are:
1.Omega 3 Fatty Acids
The best source of omega 3 is oily fish. These include salmon, mackerel, sardines and anchovies. Omega 3 is used to build brain and nerve cells and is essential for memory and memory. These essential fatty acids are not made by our body as it does cholesterol so we need to eat foods that contain Omega 3. Currently it appears that 80% of the population are deficient in omega 3. Not good news if you are trying to make more brain cells.
The Australian Heart Foundation recommends a daily intake of 500mg of marine-sourced omega 3’s per day. Most people are lucky to get a fresh serve of fish once a week. Two to three serves of fish is required to get the recommended weekly does of omega 3.
If you haven’t been eating the recommended amount of fish for a while, then you can get your omega 3 levels tested. One such test it is called Omega-3 Index test. Supplementation may be required to bring your levels up to an ideal level. Then maintaining with 2-3 pieces of fish a week should follow.
What about vegetarians or vegans? How do they increase their omega 3 intake. Adding flaxseeds and walnuts and their oils to your diet will help. Chia seeds do contain some omega 3. You will need to consume very high amounts of these as compared to marine foods to your diet, as their levels are considerably lower than in oily fish. There are some algae based supplements that have recently come onto the market and contain hight levels of omega 3. Metagenics have released a product for vegetarians and vegans called MetaPure Algal oil.
2. Water
It’s the most important building block for the brain. It makes up all the cells in the brain. When we haven’t consumed enough water we can feel foggy, have a decrease in mental clarity and perhaps experience headaches. Daily intake of water should be 2-3 litres and this amount should increase with exercise, hot weather or coffee consumption.
3. Dark coloured berries
These contain an important antioxidant that helps consolidate memory’s and even more important as we age. Berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberry are not only high in antioxidants but are very delicious addition to your diet.
An extra tip…
There are also numerous other foods for brain health so let me throw one more in….
Dark Green leafy vegetables such as spinach or silver beet contain vitamin E which is important for neurological function.
If you aren’t already including these foods into your daily diet then pick one and start adding it to your shopping list or including it in your day.
If you have any questions please feel free to comment below – we love to help. 😊
Find out what a visit looks like from a patients perspective. CLICK HERE. More information on increasing the number of brain cells, CLICK HERE.
For regular updates be sure to follow us on our Facebook and Instagram
