Food can be viewed as medication as well as fuel: what we eat largely determines our health and influences our brainpower. A study carried out at the University of Auckland shows that a group of children with minor brain damage, ADHD and learning difficulties demonstrated many changes through a change in diet, becoming more intelligent and emotionally stable. The children were given food that contained fewer metals and processed products, fewer soft drinks, sugar and allergens and healthier, fresh products and water.
Eat slowly and do not read / watch TV at the same time.
According to nutritionist Zoe Harcombe, the body needs essential fats, proteins, 13 vitamins and 16 minerals daily to stay healthy. The single food Harcombe credits as containing all the vitamins and minerals the body needs is liver — which she describes as the ultimate superfood.
A balanced diet is more important than the disproportionate consumption of so-called superfoods.
Importance of breakfast: after a night's sleep, the body has just about used up its entire supply of glucose, and the brain functions exclusively on glucose. Breakfast therefore provides the brain with fuel.
Example of a breakfast adviced by a dietetician (William Grosselin):
Dinner: it's better to have the fruit 2 hours before the meal.
To reach optimum health, you should opt for a diet made of about 75% of alkaline-ash forming foods and reduce the amount of high protein, acid-ash producing foods (foods can leave end-products called ash that can make your urine acid or alkaline).
Alkaline-ash foods include fresh fruit and raw vegetables (especially tomatoes, limes, avocados, grapefruits, soy, navy beans, beets, radishes, jicama, cucumbers and kale).
Acid-ash foods include all animal products, whole grains, beans and other seeds. The usual western diet often contains large daily portions of meat, which should be limited as it produces acidic-ash residue.
When you take in more protein than your body needs, your blood cannot store it, so the excess amino acids are converted into organic acids that would acidify your blood. But your blood never becomes acidic because as soon as the proteins are converted to organic acids, calcium leaves your bones to neutralize the acid and prevent any change in pH. Because of this, many scientists think that taking in too much protein may weaken bones to cause osteoporosis.
The British Dietetic Association considers that all fruits and vegetables are classified as superfoods, as they all have their individual nutrient properties that help to promote good health and well-being.
With regard to nutritional value, broccoli scores high amongst the vegetables.
Of all the vegetables tested by the scientists at the John Hopkins University of Baltimore, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts and other types of cabbage had the largest effect in combating cancer. The main substance responsible for this is sulphoraphane, which all these vegetables contain (young plants contain 30 times more of it than older plants). For this reason it is advised to buy broccoli shoots, available from health food stores.
In order to preserve as many nutrients as possible it is important not to keep fresh fruit and vegetables too long, and to cook them as briefly as possible. When vegetables are cooked in water, many vitamins and minerals are lost. Through steaming vegetables, for instance, it is possible to avoid this.
Vitamin C may be the most effective at protecting yourself from sickness because this vitamin encourages your white blood cells to work more efficiently so your body is able to destroy germs before they make you sick. Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, strawberries, kiwis, red bell peppers and broccoli are nutritious sources of vitamin C that boosts your immunity.
Antioxydants (which act against oxidative particles released at the production of energy from nutrients, also present in cigarette smoke and air pollution): vitamin C and E, particularly contained in blueberries.
Brazil nuts (to be eaten non-salty and non-whitened) are very rich in selenium, an antioxidant which preserves the skin's elasticity and favours the renewal of cells — more than half of Brazil nuts' non-saturated fatty acids (41% of 70%) are linoleic acids, which play a role in the production of cellular membranes. A lack of selenium can convey aggressiveness and depression.
Brazil nuts contain a high concentration of Vitamin F, protecting against dryness and irritation, fortifying hair and preventing hair loss. A deficit of Vitamin F may cause damage to the kidneys, heart and liver, and deteriorates the immune system.
Brazil nuts also contain Vitamin E.
It is advised to eat of lot of peanuts when you have a lot of brain work to do, because of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine which is contained in choline - also liver, lean meat, eggs, soybeans.
Vegetable oils (olive, sunflower, nut, linseed oil aka flaxseed oil) are rich in Omega 3 acids. Olive oil contains Vitamin E.
Figs and dates are considered one of the oldest foods used to build the immune system according to certified clinical nutritionist Frances Sheridan Goulart, as they contain high levels of protective antioxidants that may help your body fight off germs and bacteria. These fruits also provide a healthy dose of potassium, which aids your body in staying well.
In addition to getting plenty of fiber and minerals, regularly eating oats can bring an immunity-building benefit, strengthening the body's ability to fight off germs and bacteria. Oats can also boost the body's ability to respond to illness, which may allow a quicker recovery. A bowl of oatmeal for breakfast is one way to eat oats. They can also be baked into breads, cookies, muffins and cakes or sprinkled on cereals.
Dark chocolate (min 70% of cocoa), seeds (sunflower, sesam), Brazil nuts, almonds are rich in magnesium, which is used for the formation of bones and teeth, which stimulates cerebral plasticity and memory, and which decreases the stress level.
Amino acids, the fundamental constituant of proteins, are necessary for the transporation of oxygen in the body, for immunity and for neural transmission.
Tryptophan for instance can exist in small molecules which are transformed into serotonin in the brain — this neurotransmitter plays an essential role in enhancing people's moods — and can be found in parmesan, gruyere cheese, salt-cod, parsley, soja, sunflower seeds, marrow seeds and oats.
Tyrosine and phenylalanine are 2 other amino acids, which are precursors of dopamine — another neurotransmitter acting against depression. They can be found in almonds, avocados, bananas, pumkin seeds, dairy products, carots, asparagus and spinach.
Oily fish contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which are absolutely crucial. They are not produced by the body, so it is vital to eat foods that contain them. They represent the oil that lubricates the brain; they are therefore crucial to its maintenance, and several studies point it out dramatically. Omega-3 also activate the production of melatonin, the hormone which regulates sleep and the biological rhythm; it acts against depression, ADHD, chronic fatigue and chronic pain.
It is recommended to eat fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel, trout or herring regularly (2 to 3 times a week). Attention though: consumption of cod parings, fried haddock fillets and other fried fish is not recommended because they are not genuinely fatty fish but rather fish that have been fried in acid: this is Omega-6 and we already eat more than enough of that. Unfortunately, farmed fish contains fewer Omega-3 fatty acids than wild ocean fish.
Oily fish is also a great source of vitamin D.
Jacqui Lowdon from the British Dietetic Association said that eggs are the most natural source of protein one can get. They are also a great source of vitamin D.
2-legged animals provide a more healthy meat.
Chicken without skin is better.
Free-range animals translate into tender meat. The leaner and bigger muscles add more meat. What's more, the animals are reared and well cared for and that shows in the quality of the meat.
Goose is so much more flavoursome — a cross between turkey and duck with good strong flavoured dark meat and the skin crisps up nicely. The fat is great for roasting potatoes, there is less meat than on a turkey but it's more beefy and rich.
Excessive cholesterol harms the heart and circulatory system, increasing the risk of heart disease; so it is unwise to eat a diet overloaded with red meat, fried foods, cream, and so on.
The book Vitaliteit by Bakker and Martina presents an overview of drinks arranged according to harmfulness. The list is as follows (in harmfulness order):
1. fresh spring water, mineral water or filtered water
2. freshly squeezed vegetable juices
3. freshly squeezed fruit juices
4. herbal tea
5. organic vegetable juices
6. organic fruit juices
7. grain coffee
8. tap water
9. fruit juices from a carton (without sugar or preservatives)
10. canned fruit juices (without sugar)
11. soya milk
12. tea
13. broth
14. decaf coffee
15. buttermilk/yoghurt
16. coffee
17. beer/wine
18. lemonade
19. coke
20. spirits (e.g. Whiskey, rum)
21. milk
Water is crucial to the brain (75% of water). Our bodies are made of 80% water. Drink plenty of water each day to stay hydrated and to allow the body to flush toxins from the blood and the liver. Drink pure water, not soda or juice, for best results.
Why isn't milk healthy?
Coffe / tea / chocolate milk
Caffeine is a natural stimulant; in small quantities it stimulates our vertebral cortex, which makes us more alert. As soon as caffeine enters the bloodstream, the chemical starts to act. In the brain, a calming substance, adenosine, is prevented from working properly. The body naturally produces adenosine all day long and the higher the concentration becomes, the more you feel like having a nap. Close to bedtime, adenosine tells you that your body needs sleep.
In cases of large doses of caffeine, adverse effects occur especially because a large concentration of caffeine would stimulate the brain centres that control breathing and the activities of blood vessels. This results in an increased heart rate and a higher blood pressure. Furthermore, coffee is likely to restrain the intake of vitamin B-1, calcium, iron and other important nutrients to the brain.
The WHO stipulates a limit of 250mg of caffeine per day. Anything higher is considered as caffeine poisoning and is linked to a long list of pernicious symptoms. This means a maximum of 2 cups of coffee per day (130 mg of caffeine per cup, as compared to about 50 for a cup of tea, 40 for a glass of coke, 100 for a chocolate bar).
It often happens that a drop in the caffeine use (during the weekend for example) leads to a negative change in the mood, as a result of withdrawal symptoms.
Sugar is not advised: eat little or even not.
Whole wheat bread is the best.
Probiotics: healthy flora in the gut supports immune function. Do not abuse them though, as your body will stop producing its own and rely too much on external supply.
based on:
- The Business Brain Book, Jan-Willem van den Brandhof (2008)
- Super Immunity Foods: A Complete Program to Boost Wellness, Speed Recovery and Keep Your Body Strong, Frances Sheridan Goulart (2009)
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