Make a plan to eat healthy foods for your body and your mind.By Lee Murphy
MS-MPH, RD, LDN
Knox County Nutritionist
Photography by Jimmy Chiarella
Start With Breakfast
The benefits of breakfast are profound: you jump-start your metabolism, you help your body stay at a healthy weight, and you allow your brain to begin focusing on the tasks ahead of you that day. Actually consuming a meal or snack after awaking from your overnight fast is the first step. However, in order to optimize your brainpower, it doesn’t stop there. A breakfast loaded with sugar and empty carbs is a recipe for failure and inattention. Instead, try a higher protein breakfast with whole grains—this will help to steady your blood sugar throughout the morning, helping you stay alert and/or preventing any energy dips that cause you to lose focus at work, home or in the classroom. A balanced breakfast—high in protein and carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits and/or vegetables—ensures a varied supply of nutrients along with enough calories to sustain mental and physical energy until the next meal.
Protein Primer
Wondering how much protein is contained in everyday foods? Each food below contains 6-8 grams of protein:
* 1 ounce lean meat, fish, poultry, cheese, soy-based meat substitutes
* 1 cup (8 ounces) of milk, yogurt or soy-based dairy substitutes
* 1 extra-large egg
* ½ cup legumes, beans or lentils
* 2 tablespoons peanut butter
If you love carbs for breakfast, the idea is to start with your favorite (or your child’s favorite) whole-grain carbohydrates, such as waffles, toast or fruit. Then, add in high-protein foods such as eggs, meat, peanut butter, yogurt, cheese/other dairy products or beans. Combine these foods in creative ways, like:
* Top whole-grain waffles with cottage cheese or melted 2% cheese instead of syrup or fruit.
* Spread peanut butter on apple slices, a halved banana or celery sticks.
* Fill a whole-wheat tortilla with scrambled eggs, black beans, 2% cheese and chopped tomatoes.
* Spread a toasted, whole-grain bagel or muffin with any type of nut butter.
* Swirl crushed fruit into plain yogurt and top with dry, whole-grain cereal, oatmeal, or chopped nuts.
* In a real pinch, grab a hard-boiled egg and piece of fruit.
And More Vegetables
In terms of aging, diet and mental status, a recent study found that women who ate more cruciferous and leafy vegetables in their 60’s, including broccoli, cauliflower, green lettuces and spinach, had a lower rate of decline on a battery of learning and memory tests. The more of these vegetables they ate, the better they performed.
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables has long been promoted for its heart-healthy benefits and cancer-fighting potential, so it’s not surprising that such a diet is also good for your brain!
Fruits
Prunes
Raisins
Blueberries
Blackberries
Strawberries
Raspberries
Plums
Oranges
Red grapes
Cherries
Vegetables
Kale
Spinach
Brussels sprouts
Alfalfa sprouts
Broccoli florets
Beets
Red bell peppers
Onions
Corn
Eggplant
Source: USDA
Antioxidants
Antioxidants, a component of many fruits and vegetables, have specifically received a great deal of attention in regards to being dietary factors that may help stave off mental decline with aging. Antioxidants, which include vitamins C, E and beta carotene (a form of vitamin A), reduce oxidative damage to cells. Human studies of antioxidant use have yielded mixed results—but this is partly because our diets are generally quite varied, which makes it difficult to prove that health benefits are the result of any one dietary factor. Animal studies, on the other hand, have shown consistent benefits for diets rich in antioxidants. In either case, here is a list of common produce items that are high in antioxidants and beneficial additions to any diet:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3s are a particular type of polyunsaturated fat that are found in fatty fish. Scientific literature indicates that omega-3s are important to maintaining brain function in early development and throughout life. They may also help protect the brain from aging. Fatty acids seem to work, in part, by counteracting free radicals that cause oxidative damage to brain cells. Some research suggests they may even help improve the efficiency of nerve signal transmission.
Some of the best, pure sources of omega-3s are wild salmon (fresh, frozen or canned), herring, sardines, sablefish, anchovies and farmed oysters. If you do not consume adequate amounts of fish (or you’re worried about related contaminants), you may want consider an enterically-coated fish-oil supplement.
Make Exercise a Habit
Don’t forget that—young or old—you can increase your focus by ensuring that your entire body is healthy. Whether going for a walk after supper, hitting the gym at lunchtime, heading to the park on the weekends, or throwing the ball around in the backyard, it’s important that you (and your child) stay active. The more oxygen flow to your brain (which is increased by exercise!) the more mentally focused you can potentially become.
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