Foods That Stimulate Your Brain

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The brain is the neurological centre of all functions. It is the controlling point of all neurological transactions. The brain is responsible for higher thought and learning which separates man from the apes. The DNA differences may be only a couple of percentages but the innate ability to learn, remember, and utilize has taken man to new intellectual levels.

Brain activity can be accelerated or retarded by our food intake. The food we ingest and our lifestyle affects our brain’s performance. How food is prepared and eaten also hay a key role. A balanced diet is advocated to keeping the mind active and the body healthy.

The brain’s fuel is blood sugar. It uses unto 2% of the carbohydrates that are absorbed in our body. The best foods for the brain are complex carbohydrates .The molecular changes in these carbohydrates are long so it takes longer to break them down into simpler substances, to be assimilated into the blood stream. They trigger a slow but continuous source of energy.

Blood sugar can be accelerated by processed flour products and sugary foods. These increase the blood sugar level, triggering a balancing rush of insulin to drop blood sugar levels. This drop can also trigger off adrenal hormones to release stored sugar from the liver sending the level up again. This causes a roller coaster effect.These variations cause neural imbalances .Brain function can not be optimal at this state.

The rate at which sugar from food enters the blood cells is known as the Glycemic Index(G.I).Foods which have a  higher Glycemic Index stimulate insulin starting the roller caster ride, whereas foods with the lower Glycemic Index are steadfast .Fruits like grapefruit, apples,cherries,oranges and grapes have a lower Glycemic Index.Whole fruit scores above juices as the fiber slows the absorption of blood sugar.Fibre has a two fold function as it helps cleanse the system.Cereals like oatmeal, bran and rice have a lower Glycemic Index whereas foods like cornflakes, sugarcoated cereals and white bread have a higher Glycemic Index. Legumes like soybeans, kidney beans, and lentils are replete with goodness.Potatoes and carrots have a higher Glycemic Index.

Proteins greatly affect brain activity as they provide amino acids. These are the building blocks for neurotransmitters. The more neural pathways the better your thought process and activities. The amino acid Tryptophan has to be obtained from the diet as it not produced by the body. Sea food, meat, eggs and dairy products also seek to accelerate cranial activity.

The order of food digestion also plays a role. A meal of cereals and legumes followed with sugary foods will not have the roller coaster effect as it will take time to digest the legumes and then the sugary foods.

Drinking alcohol and smoking are injurious to health and dangerous for your brain. Nicotine causes the blood capillaries to constrict, which causes less blood flow to the brain. Alcohol absorbed simply annihilates brain cells. Hydrogenated fats causes arterial damage and has the same devastating effects on brain as alcohol and nicotine.

“You are what you eat” so give a thought to the food you eat.

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