From sleeping to thinking, feeling to remembering, your brain plays an important role in nearly everything you do on a daily basis.
So what, exactly, is a diet fit for a mastermind? The most outstanding single brain booster is DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), a member of the omega-3 essential fatty acid family found primarily in seaweed, algae, and cold-water fatty fish, such as wild salmon, tuna, lake trout, sardines, mackerel, herring, and anchovies. The other omega-3 relatives are EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) and ALA (Alphalinolenic Acid). All three are vital to health, but according to recent research, DHA is the best for maintaining optimal brain function. The best time of day for consumption of DHA is around supper or towards the evening. The best time of day for consumption of other omega-3 oils is in the morning. If you are concerned about toxicity in fish (tuna, for example, is often high in mercury), or live in a land-locked area where fresh fish isn’t plentiful, consider fish oil capsules with DHA or seaweed/algae sourced DHA. Look for a brand that is pharmaceutical grade fish oil, molecularly distilled for purity, and contains a natural preservative such as vitamin E and/or rosemary oil.
A recent study from Chicago’s Rush Medical Center found eating fish just once a week cut odds of Alzheimer’s by an amazing 60 percent.
For more foods and nutrients that feed the brain, stay tuned for the next blog Care & Feeding the Brain.