Eating To Increase Your Brain Power

Twice a year, during finals week at universities across the country, thousands of bleary-eyed students camp out in the library or their living rooms, surrounded by stray soda cans and crumpled candy wrappers, some with their arms figuratively hooked up to an IV of coffee.

Unfortunately, this is merely a dress rehearsal for life in the "real world," where it's very common for people on all levels of the corporate ladder to arrive at the office early and leave late, sometimes skipping breaks and staying all night to finish that important proposal or marketing report.

Or what about frequent business travelers who spend weeks at a time on the road, catching little sleep in unfamiliar, uncomfortable motel beds? A steady diet of candy bars and soda, while providing quick boosts of energy, can do much more harm than good.

Aren't there better, healthier, or even easier ways to obtain stamina and brainpower? There are certain foods that can increase energy, stimulate focused thoughts, and enhance motivation that don't wreak havoc on your body and are healthy for you as well. They aren't "miracle foods," some hidden secret that people in some remote part of the world have been using for centuries, or a recent fad; rather they can be found in your grocery store aisles, and they aren't expensive.

Medical studies have told us that protein and carbohydrates play a big role in the chemical transmitters in our brains. Tyrosine, a chemical produced by protein, enables our brain to make various other chemicals that increase alertness and energy. These chemicals, notably dopamine and norepinephrine, cause us to react more quickly to stimuli, think clearly, and work with better accuracy.

Your best bets for protein-rich foods are the meat, fish and poultry group and the dairy group. Meat, especially, contains plenty of protein, but don't overload on fatty meat like lamb, pork and lunch meat. High fat foods can produce the opposite effect of mental alertness: a mind-numbing and lethargic feeling. Stick with lean beef, chicken, and fish, and avoid things like whole milk and hard cheeses.

Of course, common sense plays a part as well. Don't eat ten pieces of chicken to stay awake, because if your body already has enough stored alertness chemicals to draw from, it won't produce more of the same. You won't stay awake twice as long or have twice as much energy, but you could gain twice the amount of weight. Stick with the usual recommended serving sizes for these food groups.

Carbohydrates, such as pasta, potatoes, and breads produce insulin in the blood stream, which in turn makes a chemical called tryptophan, which in turn produces serotonin. Serotonin puts the breaks on stress and tension and produces a calming effect.

When you eat a potato or some pasta for example, it calms your nerves and your mind becomes more focused. To achieve this effect, however, don't combine these foods with protein-laden ones, because the process will be blocked.

Complex carbohydrate foods are the way to go to achieve the calming effect. Starchy foods like such as bread, pasta, crackers, rice, or other grains aren't so fattening if you leave off the fattening toppings.

Medical studies have shown that the way to eat for a healthy and productive mind is to eat for a healthy body. Having a balanced diet is essential, but forget the old standard of four food groups that was drilled into our elementary school heads, because the new "food pyramid" has taken its place.

Meat has taken a back seat to grains and breads, and the serving sizes have changed. Fruit and vegetables each have their own group, and their daily servings, along with those of the bread and cereal group, have increased. Daily allowances are based on the needs of an adult over 25 years old.

At the bottom of the pyramid lays the bread, cereal, rice and pasta groups. Six to 11 servings per day should be consumed; examples of one serving are a slice of bread, one ounce of cereal, or a few crackers. Three to five servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruit a day are the next step in the pyramid.

Milk, cheese and yogurt are good sources of the milk group, of which two to three servings per day should be consumed. You can count a cup of milk, yogurt, or one and a half cups of ice cream as one serving.

Even though some people have wiped their plates clean of meat, it still remains on the pyramid and, yes, it's still considered healthy. This group contains not only meat, poultry, and fish, but eggs and beans as well. Only two to three servings should be eaten daily.

At the topmost point of the food pyramid sit fats, oils, and sweets. These should be consumed sparingly and should never replace those groups below them on the pyramid. In general, most people should follow the guidelines of the food pyramid to obtain all the required vitamins and minerals.

Keep in mind that a well-balanced diet is the key to good health and general well-being. Stocking up on vitamins and herbs may not make you any healthier than someone who balances his or her diet with choices from several food groups, and may in fact make you less healthy.

Your energy and brain power can also be increased by healthy eating. While this is a long-term effect, bursts of stamina and mental clarity can be achieved in moderate daily doses by drinking caffeinated beverages or by snacking on carbohydrates and protein.

It seems that every day a new "wonder" food, beverage, or vitamin supplement pops on the market, promising miracle cures and better health. The effects of food, however, are generally more subtle and realistic. One rule to remember is that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Copyright©2007 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.