To boost your mental power and speed up your memory recall, include these foods in your diet:
1. Eggs Eggs contain choline which is essential for boosting memory. They are also an important source of cholesterol which is the building block of hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain so having very low cholesterol can be just as damaging as high cholesterol. You only obtain 20% cholesterol from your diet so 2 eggs a day for 5 days won't raise your cholesterol that much. Buy organic, not just free range! Best eaten with a runny yolk either boiled or poached - yum!
2. Bananas Our brains need potassium to help keep them alert, B vitamins to nourish the nerves and magnesium to keep us calm and relaxed. The perfect post-workout snack or try a banana smoothie for a fast nutritious breakfast.
3. Walnuts Full of Omega 3 oils for brain and nervous system development - just take a look at a whole walnut kernel - remind you of something...
4. Blueberries We've all heard how blueberries are antioxidant superfoods, rich in flavonoids, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and macular degeneration. However, new research at the Harvard Medical School found that those who ate blueberries experienced slower cognitive decline by up to 2.5 years.
5. Oily Fish Oily fish like sardines, salmon, mackerel contain Omega 3 oils and good quality protein which are both essential for brain development and function. Unfortunately our seas are so polluted nowadays that it is essential to source smaller fish to avoid heavy metal accumulation such as mercury. Avoid larger fish: tuna, swordfish, flake (shark), marlin, catfish, orange roughy (deep sea perch).
6. Coconut The common myth that coconut oil is bad for you has been widely dispelled by current research advocating the numerous health benefits of coconuts. Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids which are heat-resistant so it is the safest oil for cooking as it doesn't turn into harmful hydrogenated fat that elicit damaging free radicals that attack brain and body cells.
7. Avocado Good oils like vitamin E and Omega 3 oils make this creamy fruit a delicious addition to any salad or smoothie - antioxidant and nourishing for brains all round!
8. Spinach Popeye may have looked all muscle but he obviously had some brains too. Spinach is rich in iron to improve energy and concentration levels as well as antioxidants to prevent ageing of the brain.
9. Almonds New research has found 30gm daily of raw nuts including almonds boosts serotonin levels, making you feel happier and decreasing hunger. Source: Journal of Proteome Research
10. Water A lack of water is the number 1 trigger for fatigue with a mere 2% drop in body water triggering fuzzy short-term memory problems, trouble with basic mathematics and difficulty focusing on the computer screen. Keep a jug of water on your desk or carry a bottle with you - the Elixir of Life!
