All this time, people have been paying too much attention to weight loss, but are they investing even a fraction of their interest in promoting optimal mental health and intelligence? While it is healthy to be physically fit, we must not forget that our brains are part of our bodies. Therefore, we can't really achieve such stature without considering our mental health and intelligence. That's where the Healthy Brain Diet comes in.
Dr. Alan Logan, a naturopathic physician and member of the Mind-Body Medical Institute at Harvard Medical School, wrote the book "The Brain Diet: The Link Between Nutrition, Mental Health and Intelligence". This is the second edition of his best-selling book, The Brain Diet, and since it's an expanded version, you can expect to read tons of information about updates on how nutrition affects brain function and mentality. In addition, The Healthy Brain Diet also includes recommendations on how to eat for a healthy brain, as well as information on dietary supplements that can have positive effects on our brain function.
As rational individuals, we truly have control over our bodies and have the prerogative to follow a path that leads to a healthier life or one that takes us in the opposite direction. When it comes to our mental health, we truly have the power to improve our current mental state. If you feel like your mental abilities have dried up over the years, it's high time to dive into the sea of endless positive possibilities that a healthy brain diet offers. As they say, it's never late to change our old habits for new and better ones. In his book, Dr. Logan focuses on the human capacity to improve our overall health, including our mental health. He states that we can improve the quality of our lives by supporting our cognitive functions, because it is by improving our cognition that we can strengthen our ability to learn and be creative, which in the long run can improve the quality of our lives. He states that this is possible by ensuring that our diet contains sufficient amounts of foods and nutrients that nourish our brain.
In addition, a brain-healthy diet is also effective in increasing intelligence and reducing the risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.
Dr. Logan also talks about the most important dietary factor that plays a huge role in changing a person's psychological state, and that is none other than omega-3 fatty acids. According to him, our brain is made up of 60% fat, and if we don't start depositing enough of these good fats right away, we may suffer from mental illness sooner or later.
In addition to eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, Dr. Logan says that brightly colored fruits and vegetables are also scientifically proven to have protective effects on our brains. The Healthy Brain Diet also recommends using cooking methods such as steaming, boiling and poaching rather than high-temperature techniques such as frying, broiling and baking. When food is exposed to excessive heat, the production of AGEs (advanced glycation end products) increases. These chemicals contribute to oxidative stress and inflammation, which can have negative effects on brain and cardiovascular function.
Foods to eat
- Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include sardines, salmon, flaxseeds and walnuts.
- Anchovies, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, black sesame seeds, black beans, kidney beans, kale, spinach, red peppers, tomatoes, soy milk, low-fat yogurt.
- Goat cheese, turkey, chicken, egg whites, grass-fed beef.
- Olive oil, garlic, turmeric
- Green tea
- Purple foods such as blueberries, acai, plums, grapes and eggplant because of their high antioxidant properties called anthocyanins.
Foods to avoid
- Red meat or one serving maximum per week
- Simple sugars and refined carbohydrates
- Alcohol
- Limit consumption of safflower, sunflower and soybean oils.
Pros
- This diet not only improves brain health, but also overall health.
- It also recommends regular exercise to improve feelings of well-being.
- Provides detailed information on the importance of omega-3 fatty acids for brain health.
- Helps prevent and/or manage attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- Reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
- Includes a list of foods high in EFAs, which are known to be harmful to the brain.
- Gives recommendations on dietary supplements that can improve brain health.
- Includes recipes that are not only healthy, but also delicious.
- Easy to understand:
Disadvantages
- There is no meal plan.
- Weight loss is not the priority so you can expect to lose weight over a longer period of time.
- It does not contain specific exercise guidelines.
- Readers who prefer a highly structured diet plan may find this book less interesting.
The Brain Diet: The Connection between Nutrition, Mental Health, and Intelligence is a book specifically designed for people who are concerned about their overall health. It emphasizes that it is entirely possible to improve brain function by eating foods that nourish the brain and avoiding foods that contain properties that are harmful to it.
