Brain Health: 6 Simple Tips to Keep Your Brain Well Fed

Brain HealthYour Brain is Starving

What if I were to tell you that your brain is starving? Believe it or not, there is a good chance it is. Our brains, like our bodies, need to be fed, and when they are not fed they can become exhausted and simply do not work right. A tired brain is easy to spot. When our brains are not fed properly it is impossible to learn, retain memories, or even to think rationally. You may find yourself hypersensitive and becoming distraught easily. For people who suffer from brain fog, even simple daily task can become difficult.
Here are 6 simple things you can do to ensure that your brain stays healthy.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

1. First off, get a good night’s sleep. Believe it or not, one of the most common causes of poor brain function is simple exhaustion. The ability to think or even to retain new memories can be dramatically impaired when we do not get adequate sleep.  Poor sleep habits are also associated with depression, emotional lability and increased risk of accidents.

To ensure your sleep is restful, don’t drink caffeine or consume chocolate a full 8 hours before bedtime. And avoid computers and television viewing right before bed. Instead, treat the place you sleep like a “safe haven,” free of loud or disturbing noises.  Make sure to get to bed early, and treat sleep as a vital component of maintaining a healthy mind and body.

Consume More Omega-3’s in Your Diet

2. Consume more foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. The brain uses Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly the types known as “EPA” and “DHA”. This important family of oils helps our brain remain active, and improves cognition and mood function as well. Low consumption of omega 3 oils is associated with depression and poor attention span.

Currently, on the market, there are several products, that have a rich array of Omega 3’s, like fish oil, flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and even DHA rich algae. Amazon.com offers many brands of Omega 3’s that are of very high quality, such as the Seven Sources vegan Oil by UDO’s, Nordic Naturals Ultra EPA/DHA, and Metagenics EPA/DHA 700.  Make sure to include these important foods in your diet every day.

Take a Good-Quality B-Complex

3. Take a good quality B-complex. B vitamins are important in a number of vital processes that take place in the brain, such as their ability to help the brain make neurotransmitters (the molecules our brain uses to create to help improve our mood). My favorite B Complexes are the B-Complex from Thorne Research.

Take a Good Quality Magnesium Supplement

4. Take a Magnesium supplement every day. The best quality magnesium for the brain is Magnesium glycinate. Magnesium not only calms the brain, but also helps the muscles relax as well, and can be taken just before bed to help improve sleep. My favorite for brain health is Magnesium Calm by Natural Vitality.  and in capsule form, I especially like Magnesium Glycinate by Metagenics.

Learn to Breath Deeply

5. Learn to breathe. Spend a few moments a day dedicated to breathing either through a daily workout routine or by simply sitting quietly and contemplating your own breath. Breathing relaxes the mind and helps bring oxygen to the brain helping improve brain function.

Continue to Learn

6. But most importantly of all, remain curious about the world, and continue to learn and grow. Research shows that people who remain truly curious about the world around them tend to be happier and more productive in their daily lives and personal relationships as well. Happy learning!

To find out more about my work, please visit my webpages at DoctorWhimsy.com

I look forward to helping you on your journey to health!

Dr. Whimsy Anderson, ND

 

 

Dr. Whimsy

I am a Naturopathic doctor, Medical Intuitive, Energy medicine/Healing touch practitioner and Tarot reader. I practice the old wise woman ways and have always been drawn to traditional medicine. I practice in the greater Los Angeles area. Tel: (323) 762-3982 Office@DoctorWhimsy.com

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