SEPTEMBER HEALTH NOTES
THE BRAIN HEALTH ISSUE
HOW TO HAVE A BETTER and SMARTER BRAIN.

No this is not the medicine spoon - it is the daily dose of healthy fat, oil rich in omega 3.

Who would not like to think better, focus, and have a clear mind. Let alone not age?

Are you one of those who thinks it is just the way you are and there is nothing to do about it? Think again. Our food becomes our brain. Sounds strange? I agree, but reality is we don't even know how much our food choices affect our bodily functions, including our brain. You might think that your food choices only affect the scale. NOPE. Not the case. We know that health issues are related to food, but most of us probably did not know that our brain health is depending on our food choices as well.

So here we go. Get a better brain.

BRAIN DRAIN:

There are certain foods and toxins you would want to limit or avoid because they cause inflammation. There is more and more evidence that a chronic even low-grade inflammation is affecting our health and our brain function. Illness such as stroke, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other neurological conditions, but even cancer is seen connected with inflammation.

These are some of the most common foods that you would want to avoid:

Alcohol
Artificial food colorings
Artificial sweeteners
Cola and High-sugar "drinks"
Corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup
Drugs
Fatty and fried food. Animal food high in saturated fat.
Frostings
Hydrogenated and trans fats.
Junk food
Nicotine
Overeating
Processed food that is high in additives, preservatives, and coloring
Refined sugar (candy, cookies, white sugar)
Simple carbs (white bread and white flour products, cookies and cake)

BRAINY SOLUTIONS:
This means you are clever for choosing these
because they can enhance your brain activity and health.

BRAIN FOOD:

Complex carbs from wholegrain. Carbohydrates are brain food. For several reasons; our brain is a sugar and carb hog and uses 20% of the body’s carb supply. That does however NOT mean any sugar will do. The brain needs a constant supply and even fuel which means a good quality “sugar”. When the brain receives a steady supply it can keep going without the erratic swings in energy and mood. Some carbohydrates will be calming (wholegrain) and some give more of a spike (simple sugars).

Fresh and organic fruits. The fiber in these foods help slow down the absorption of the sugars and give a more steady supply of fuel. That also means that a whole apple is a better brain food than apple juice. By the way. A study has shown that 2-4 apples a day can protect your brain against aging. Not only that, it keep the doctor away too. Apples are one of those foods that give us a lot nourishment without the calories, since it is also considered a catabolic food.

Fresh and organic vegetables. This is the brain food with the lowest glycemic index and rich in fiber to supply a continuous source of brain fuel.

Fat and your brain. The brain is the most metabolically active organ in the body and is basically made of fat. Does this change your mind about EVER eating bad fat again? Yes, the foods we eat are not only used by the brain, but actually end up in the brain. Saturated fat make sluggish brain cells because it can raise the level of homocysteine, which is toxic to the brain. This can mean memory problems, mood disorders, and increased risk of Alzheimer's.

Your best healthy fat choices are mono-unsaturated fat from cooking oils, such as olive oil, and from poly-unsaturated fat and the essential fatty acids from omega 3 fatty acids.

Foods to choose are rich in omega 3, such as omega enriched eggs, fatty cold water fish such as Alaskan wild salmon, deep green leafy vegetables, flax oil and freshly ground flaxseeds, nuts and seeds. Watch out that you do not have too much omega 6 fatty acids from vegetable oils like corn, sunflower, and peanut oil. Do note, it is not enough to add omega 3 rich food and oil, you have to also omit trans fat to have a healthy brain. You can also get omega3 as supplements.

More Brainy choices: Food and Lifestyle that can make you Smarter.

Avocados, Berries (especially blue and black), Beans, Broccoli, Brown rice, Brussel sprouts, Catfish, Cod, Collard greens, Flaxseed oil, Herring, Orange roughy, Omega enriched eggs, Legumes, Leafy greens, Nuts and seeds, Oatmeal, Onions, Peas, Purslane, Salmon, Sardines, Seeds (pumpkin and flax), Sprouts, Soybeans, Spinach, Walnuts and walnut oil.

Supplements and spice:
Turmeric, ginger, and garlic are anti-inflammatory spices, and help the brain.

CoQ10, Vitamin B, E and C, anti-oxidants, and wholefood supplements such as GlycoNutrients.

And do not forget to be active, positive, loving, and compassionate:

Manage stress: Our brain activity is increased when we stress less, get our rest, and do not multi task. When being interupted all the time by phonecalls, checking messages and email our IQ is lowered.

Move: As for as exercise go. Apart from making you feel better and be more healthy you can also increase your smartness by working out. Exercise enhances circulation and brain chemicals which improves creativity, reaction time and information retention. Researchers have found that participants score higher on tests after 25 minutes aerobic exercise.

Love: As for love and compassion. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is right. Neuroscientist Richard Davidson as well as a study with Monks has found that thinking positive, loving, and compassionate thoughts can permanently change the the way the brain works.As it is often said: emotions follow thoughts.

Participants in the studies practiced love and compassion, which affected their brain-action, connection, and built new circuitry at a higher speed. Wow. Go for it. Love your co-workers.

Meditate: Both the study with the monks and Davidson concluded that a daily practice of focusing on loving kindness for even just 10 minutes could alter the brain waves and make us both smarter and healthier.

Click here for resource and more information.
And for the study with the Tibetan Monks:

My conclusion is.
- Take really good care of yourself. You deserve it and the excuse, that you cannot because of work, does not count anymore because self-nourishment actually makes you better at the doing of what you need to do.
- Choose wholefoods rich in anti-oxidants, omega 3 fatty acids, and wholegrain.
- Be open minded and open hearted. Experience life fully and share with others.
=You will be both healthier, happier, and smarter.

Yours brainy, Jeanette

Save The Date: September 29th, 5pm - 10pm.
Special Brain Healthy Tasting Event.

Come to Stone House Olive Oil Company @ 273 E 10 (1st & A) (212) 358-8700 for an evening of taste.
There will be amazing olive oils to taste and choose from,
amazing food for a healthy brain prepared with olive oil,
plus great conversation and information about how to
stay, or become, both healthy and brainy.

"If we know what Good Mind is, we always have a place to BE"
PATH FOR LIFE self-nourishment center
- where wellness is nurtured. We support people in change with functional nutrition counseling and integrative mindbody therapies. We are a resource, support, and inspiration when bridging the gap between old habits and a new approach to self-care. We are advocates for health and teach you how to take charge of your life by making simple, effective, and lasting changes in food choices, eating patterns, lifestyle awareness, body-mind perception, and self-nourishment habits.
Monthly Health Notes Archive:
The Heat Alert Issue, August 2006
The Green Issue, July 2006
The Grilling Issue, June 2006
The Color Issue, May 2006
The Spring Cleansing Issue, April 2006
The Fat Issue, March 2006
The Heart Issue, February 2006
The Water Issue, January 2006
The Self-Care Issue, December 2005
The Fishy Issue, November 2005
The Strength Issue, October 2005
The Age Issue, September 2005
The Stress Issue, August 2005
< click here to go to the Path for Life web site >