Good Morning!
Food For Thought: Boosting Memory
Most researchers agree that the best way to protect your memory is to eat plenty of antioxidants and nutrients commonly found in fruits and vegetables. Brain cells are especially vulnerable to toxins because the brain generates more free radicals per gram of tissue than any other organ. Antioxidants also protect neurons by keeping blood vessels supple and open, ensuring the flow of nutrients to the brain.
In a study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers tested people who ages ranged from 65 to 90 and discovered that the people with the best ability to memorize words and do mental arithmetic were those whose diets included the most fruits and vegetables. Coincidentally, the same group of people ate the least artery-clogging saturated fat. Of all the fruits and vegetables studied, blueberries and blackberries contain the most potent antioxidants, anthocyanins.
As well as eating a diet rich in antitoxidants, taking extra vitamins can help preserve memory, especially as we age.
Try to maintain a meal schedule! At the start of your day, it is important to have a big high protein breakfast. This will jump start your metabolism, will not spike your blood sugar and will "feed the brain". After class, if it is between breakfast and lunch, have a handful of nuts or good fats like cheese or yogurt with fresh or dried fruit. Lunch is the balancing act! Students tend to load up of the simple carbs found in rice, white bread and processed soups and other canned foods, instead of the complexed carbs found in beans and root vegetables. To keep your blood sugar from spiking and wanting to hit the pillow instead of class, go for the high protein and Omega rich options like tuna, salmon or sardines with beans, and root vegetables. Study time can be a real distraction if you are hungry. Avoid the coffee, dounuts, bagels and cookies and go with green or black tea, or herbal tea. Have handy a tray of fresh vegetables and fruit, cut and ready to eat. Drinking plenty of water will stave off hunger, keep you full, hydrated and awake. This kind of snacking will get you through your study time much quicker and with less distractions!
Boosting Memory
Start your day right with these memory boosting supplements that give you antioxidant power, anti-aging protection, a lift in energy and encourage your memory function.
People who take Vitamin C regularly, consistently score higher on memory tests. Vitaman E is complimented by Vitamin C and work in great synergy to improve brain function. Vitamin C acts primarily in cellular fluid. Vitamin C scavenges free radicals and cleans up waste products. In addition to its anti-oxidative activities, vitamin C benefits many other body functions.
Carotenoids, of which beta-carotenes are the most popular, are found in many fruits and vegetables, animals, plants and microorganisms. The body converts beta carotene into Vitamin A. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for vision, growth, cell division, reproduction and immunity.
Super Omega 3 Fish Oil is known for being rich in unsaturated fatty acids and provides rich OMEGA-3 fatty acids, (Pure EPA 360mg/DHA 240mg). Alaska Deep Sea Fish Oil are made from natural marine lipid concentrate and are essential to normal human cell and tissue growth and maintenance. If not found regularly in the diet, the diet must be supplemented. These fatty acids are especially abundant in brain cells, nerve relay stations (synapses), visual receptors (retinas), adrenal glands, and sex glands.
As we age, a neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, may decline. This chemical is responsible for the excitatory actions in the brain. A shortage of acetylcholine in the brain has been associated with Alzheimer's disease. Some help maybe available in this brain-saving supplement, phosphatidylserine, or PS. It is reputed for its ability to stimulate production of the acetylcholine. Consider taking 100mg of PS three times a day for 12 weeks.
Iron should be considered. Taking 8 mg for men with the recommendation for women is 18 mg. Iron is vital to the body's formation of red blood cells, which help carry and store oxygen throughout the body. Plant sources of iron include dried fruits, whole grains (including wholemeal bread), nuts, green leafy vegetables, seeds and pulses. Other foods rich in iron but which are usually eaten in smaller amounts include soya flour, parsley, watercress, black molasses and edible seaweeds.
Zinc is an essential mineral that is found in almost every cell. It stimulates the activity of enzymes, which promote biochemical reactions. Zinc supports a healthy immune system, is beneficial for wound healing, will maintain your sense of taste and smell and is needed for DNA synthesis. Foods that contain zinc include oysters (the most zinc), red meat and poultry. Other good food sources include beans, nuts, certain seafood, whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dairy products. Zinc absorption is greater from a diet high in animal protein than a diet rich in plant proteins.
Vitamin B12 bounds to the protein in food. Hydrochloric acid in the stomach releases vitamin B12 from proteins in foods during digestion. Once released, vitamin B12 combines with a substance called intrinsic factor (IF). This complex can then be absorbed by the intestinal tract. Vitamin B12 helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells. It is also needed to help make DNA. Vitamin B12 is naturally found in foods that come from animals, including fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products. Fortified breakfast cereals are a particularly valuable source of vitamin B12 for vegetarians.
Folic acid and folate are forms of a water-soluble B vitamin. These occur naturally in food and can also be taken as supplements. Foods such as leaf vegetables including spinach and turnip greens are high in folate as is dried beans and peas, fortified cereal products, and some other fruits and vegetables. Some breakfast cereals (ready-to-eat and others) are fortified with 25 percent or 100 percent of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for folic acid.
Andrew Pacholyk, MS. L.Ac
http://www.peacefulmind.com/student.htm
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