As an entrepreneur, anything you do affects your business one way or the other. For instance, you might not pay attention to it but what you feed your body with, especially your brain, might affect how you reason. Mental health is important and eating the right foods to improve it and not to make it deteriorate, should be the target.
The foods you eat play a role in keeping your brain healthy and can improve specific mental tasks. Yes, brain foods matter!
Here are some that can sharpen focus to enhance memory, attention span, and brain function.
1. Fish
Fish is a great source of a good brain boost. The fatty acids found in a fish diet are key to brain health. These healthy acids have amazing brainpower. A diet with higher levels of them has been linked to lower dementia and stroke risks and slower mental decline.
2. Beans
My dear, do not overlook beans. Be it ewa agoyin or any form you choose to prepare them, beans are a great economical and readily available smart food to add to your grocery list. They contain an ideal blend of complex carbohydrates and protein; this allows them to be digested slowly, which ultimately helps stabilize glucose levels and curb fatigue.
3. Oranges
Since vitamin C is a key factor in preventing mental decline, eating sufficient amounts of vitamin C-rich foods can protect against age-related mental decline and Alzheimer’s disease.
Orange is a powerful antioxidant that helps fight off the free radicals that can damage brain cells. Plus, vitamin C supports brain health as you age.
4. Turmeric
This deep-yellow spice is a key ingredient in curry powder and has a number of benefits for the brain.
Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, has been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier, meaning it can directly enter the brain and benefit the cells there.
5. Nuts
Nuts are bursting with vitamin E, which research suggests may help protect against some aspects of age-related cognitive decline. Many nuts are also rich in the essential omega-3 fatty acids mentioned above.
While all nuts are great for general health, walnuts, in particular, may help boost your productivity; in addition to being packed with vitamin E and omega-3s, they also contain vitamin B6, which helps make serotonin and norepinephrine, the chemicals that transmit signals in the brain.
For instance, eating walnuts can keep you from going nuts! Their high levels of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals also improve mental alertness. The vitamin E in the nuts can also help ward off Alzheimer’s.
6. Avocado
A little bit of avocado can go a long way. Because avocados are high in calories, you need to add only a quarter or a half of one avocado to one daily meal. Avocado is one of the healthiest fruits you can consume. Containing both vitamin K and folate, avocados help prevent blood clots in the brain, as well as help improve cognitive function, especially both memory and concentration.
Avocados offer a lot more than creamy, delicious flavor. They may also provide your brain with a boost: Research shows, for example, that their high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids may help keep nerve cells in the brain healthy. Each serving of avocado also has 20 different vitamins, including potassium — which studies suggest may help control blood pressure — and lutein, which may help protect your eyes.
7. Caffeine
There’s no magic bullet to boost IQ or make you smarter — but certain substances, like caffeine, can energize you and help you concentrate.
Found in coffee, chocolate, energy drinks, and some medications, caffeine gives you that unmistakable wake-up buzz, though the effects are short-term. And more is often less: Overdo it on caffeine and it can make you jittery and uncomfortable.
8. Sugar
Sugar is your brain’s preferred fuel source — not table sugar, but glucose, which your body processes from the sugars and carbs you eat. That’s why a glass of fruit juice can offer a short-term boost to memory, thinking, and mental ability.
Have too much, though, and memory can be impaired — along with the rest of you. Go easy on the added sugar, as it has been linked to heart disease and other conditions.