Free to Be Fabulous by Debbie Hardy

Author:Debbie Hardy
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781630474096
Publisher: Morgan James Publishing

7. Eat brain food.

Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul.

–Dorothy Day

Eating brain food doesn’t mean eating only carrots and fish. We don’t need to live like animals, but we must make wise choices about what we put in our bodies.

First, the less processing, the better. Eating raw food is best, followed by lightly-cooked. The worst would be eating out or heat-and-serve at home, where you have no idea what is actually in the food or how it was prepared. Add-water-and-microwave is no better.

One way to avoid processed food is to go “perimeter shopping.” When you enter a grocery store, turn right or left and only shop on the outer edges, the perimeter of the building. You’ll go through the produce, dairy, and meat departments instead of the prepared foods. You may find the bakery out there as well, but just be conservative about baked goods.

If you research online, you’ll find information on which foods are best for your brain and memory. Then choose which to eat. My normal diet plan includes coffee only in the morning, whole grains, fish, eggs, fruit, and salad with spinach and avocado, all of which are reportedly good for mental health.12

But even better news is that walnuts, dark chocolate, and cashews are on the positive list, as are peanut butter, cheese and yogurt.13 Most of these food choices are tasty and not all in the same food group, so we can vary our menu and be smart about it.

Some yogurts with fruit have added sugar to improve flavor. Don’t count this kind of yogurt as one of your fruit servings. It’s like eating apple-flavored candy instead of an apple or having a banana daiquiri in place of a banana.

Start your day with breakfast, and not just a donut and coffee. Focus on protein, whole grains, dairy, and fruits, but don’t overdo it. According to TIME Healthland, “A good meal in the morning can help your body prepare for the day to come, and lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.”14

Have a salad at least once a day and focus on vegetables and protein for the other meals. Sugar and processed baked goods may give an energy spike, but you come crashing down and then your brain won’t be as sharp.

An easy way to decide what to eat is to read the ingredients. If there’s anything your mouth can’t pronounce, your brain probably doesn’t know what to do with it. Stick with simpler foods and you’ll be pleased at how you can think and remember better.

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