10 Brain-Boosting Foods That Just Might Make You Smarter (You’re Gonna Love No. 6)

Image source: Pixabay.com

We have all heard the phrase, “you are what you eat,” but did you know you that what you eat can make you smarter?

In addition to helping your body stay healthy and strong, certain foods can help your brain work better and even protect against mental disorders.

“Food is like a pharmaceutical compound that affects the brain,” said Fernando Gómez-Pinilla, a UCLA professor of neurosurgery and physiological science who has researched the effects of food on the brain. “Diet, exercise and sleep have the potential to alter our brain health and mental function. This raises the exciting possibility that changes in diet are a viable strategy for enhancing cognitive abilities, protecting the brain from damage and counteracting the effects of aging.”

The food we eat can affect everything from our mood to our memory. Nutrient-dense whole foods can do more than just fuel our bodies; they can help us think more clearly.

According to Cynthia Green, PhD, an expert on memory and brain health, key nutrients — along with exercise and daily brain stimulation – help keep brain cells healthy and prevent inflammation. Green writes that a person’s memory, attention span and ability to learn all benefit from the right food choices.

Here are 10 brain-boosting foods to make a part of your diet.

1. Fish — Salmon, mackerel, albacore tuna, trout and sardines are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which experts believe are essential for healthy brain function.

Nearly 40 percent of the fatty acids found in brain cell membranes are the DHA variety, which are found in fish oil. Scientists have discovered that DHA helps the brain transmit signals between its cells. The body cannot manufacture fatty acids, so they must be gained through diet.

Just 30 Grams Of This Survival Superfood Provides More Nutrition Than An Entire Meal!

Tufts University researchers found that people who ate oily fish three times a week and therefore had the highest levels of DHA in their blood reduced their risk of Alzheimer’s disease by almost 40 percent.

2. Dark green leafy vegetables – Dark green vegetables, such as kale, collard greens and spinach, are excellent sources of vitamin E and folate. Folate may protect the brain by lowering levels of an amino acid known as homocysteine in the blood. Nitrates in spinach help increase blood flow to the brain and thereby improve mental performance.

Broccoli is a great source of vitamin K, which enhances cognitive function and improves memory. Leafy greens also contain carotenoids, which help protect the brain from damage from free radicals, the waste products the body makes when its cells create energy.

3. Nuts and seeds — As sources of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, and vitamin B6 and vitamin E, nuts (especially walnuts) and seeds are good for the brain and the nervous system.

Sunflower and pumpkin seeds contain omega fatty acids, protein and B vitamins, which all can help provide you with an energy boost. These seeds also contain tryptophan, a substance the brain converts into serotonin to elevate your mood.

Eating a handful of seeds also can provide you with the daily recommended amount of zinc, which helps enhance thinking skills and memory.

4. Berries – Dark berries, such as blueberries, cherries and blackberries, are both good to eat and good for your brain. They contain anthocyanins and other flavonoids that improve memory function and cognitive function.

Research indicates that berries help protect the brain from oxidative damage and stress that can contribute to premature aging, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

5. Avocados — Avocados are a good source of monounsaturated fats, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, potassium, vitamin K and vitamin E.

Consuming these nutritional powerhouses helps increase blood flow to the brain, lower “bad” cholesterol levels and absorb antioxidants. Avocados are delicious but high in calories, so consider adding just one quarter to one-half of an avocado to your daily diet.

Image source: Pixabay.com

6. Dark chocolate – Dark chocolate – the kind that contains at least 70 percent cocoa – can be a powerful brain booster. It contains important antioxidants as well as natural stimulants, such as caffeine, which help improve concentration.

The flavonoids in dark chocolate also help blood vessel function, which enhances cognitive function and memory skills.

7. Bone broth — When you sip a homemade stock made from animal bones, you can help nourish your brain.

Bone broth contains collagen, which helps keep cells, bones, ligaments and the brain healthy. Additionally, the glycine in bone broth helps improve sleep and memory.

8. Whole grains – The complex carbohydrates, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids found in whole grains help protect the heart and brain from cholesterol, blood clots and sugar spikes.

Whole grains – such as oatmeal, oat bran and brown rice — also contain B vitamins that enhance blood flow to the brain and improve mood and concentration.

9. Beets — Beets as brain food? You had better believe it. Beets are high in vitamin B9 and in nitrites, which help increase blood flow in the areas of the brain related to cognitive functioning.

They also are rich in carotenoids, which help boost brain functioning and improve mood.

10. Beans and legumes – An excellent source of complex carbohydrates and fiber, beans and legumes also offer a steady supply of glucose for the brain without the risk of potentially harmful sugar spikes.

Beans and legumes also contain omega fatty acids and an abundance of folate, both of which boost brain function.

Finally, don’t underestimate the role hydration plays in good brain health. Be sure to drink plenty of water each day to keep your body and your brain working at optimal levels.

The brain is approximately 85 percent water, and brain function – including thought and memory processes — depends on you staying hydrated. So drink up this summer!

Sources:

www.nature.com/nrn/journal/v9/n7/abs/nrn2421.html

http://www.wfm.noaa.gov/pdfs/GetSmartBrainHealth_Handout1.pdf

http://www.nutritionletter.tufts.edu/issues/11_10/current-articles/New-Dietary-Approach-Against-Alzheimers_1815-1.html

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/you-illuminated/201010/why-your-brain-needs-water

Harness The Power Of Nature’s Most Remarkable Healer: Vinegar

The Ideal Ratio Of Omega 6:3 Fats – And How Both Can Stop Cancer

We’ve been told why omega 3 fats are important, but healthy omega 6 fats are more crucial. Learn the correct ratio of omega 6:3, and how they can both stop cancer.

Omega 6 fats, derived from natural healthy sources, have been somewhat demonized or at least forgotten in the world of natural health and nutrition. A lot of focus has gone towards highlighting the importance of omega 3 fats – and rightly so, because omega 3 fats do play a vital role in boosting the health of your heart and brain, and preventing inflammation and diseases like arthritis, Crohn’s, ADHD and cancer. However, the downside has been that people have over-compensated for this by taking excess omega 3 supplements (usually fish oils) and have thrown their omega 6:3 ratio – and body – out of balance. However, both omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids offer potent health benefits which are so powerful that they actually act as a cancer preventer and/or cancer cure.

The Ideal Ratio of Omega 6:3 Fatty Acids in the Body

So what then is the best ratio of omega 6:3 fats for optimal health? For this answer we turn to Professor Brain Peskin, one of the true experts in this field of nutrition. Peskin is a scientist who specializes in studying parent EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids). He noticed that the term “EFA” was being widely misused – people were using it to describe secondary derivatives of EFAs such as EPA, DHA and GLA. To counter this, Peskin actually coined a new term (Parent Essential Oils or PEOs) to describe the 2 true essential or critical fatty acids which are the foundations of all the others. These 2 are LA or linoleic acid (another name for omega 6 fatty acid) and ALA or alpha-linoleic acid (another name for omega 3 fatty acid). Your body can make all the other fatty acids from these 2 “parent” oils.

To determine the ideal omega 6:3 ratio for the human diet, Peskin studied the composition of fat inside human tissue. He found that the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 was much higher in the body than you might believe. In the brain and nervous system, it is 100:1; in the skin, 1000:1; in the organs, 4:1; in the adipose tissue (fat), 22:1; and in muscles, 6.5:1. Most of the human body is made of fat and muscle, so you could say the average ratio – as found in the composition of the human body – is around 10:1. Much higher than you may have thought!

Based on this, Peskin recommends “a ratio of greater than 1:1 up to 2.5:1 of parent omega-6 to parent omega-3. With this ratio, a suggested use is 725 mg per 40 lb of body weight (e.g. a 160-lb person requires 3 g on a daily basis).”

But Weren’t We Told We Were Eating Too Much Omega 6?

Yes, we were told that, but you have to look at the type of fat or oil. I have previously written about the dangers of plastic oils or plastic fats, and how we must learn to differentiate between healthy fats (that come from a farm or field and have not been adulterated) and hydrogenated fats (the plastic fats which Big Pharma and Big Agra chemical companies have been pushing). One of the main problems with eating too much omega 6 is that, for the average person, the omega 6 they are getting are trans fats or hydrogenated fats; they are part of margarine, Crisco or some other adulterated vegetable oil, rather than raw olive oil, walnuts or sunflower seeds. We are not necessarily eating too much omega 6; we are eating too much unhealthy omega 6.

Epigenetics, the Environment of the Cell, is Far More Reponsible for Health/Disease than Genetics

Another thing I like about Peskin is how he has sought to scientifically prove that the state of health (or disease) of a cell or body is overall not due to genetics. This busts the Big-Pharma promoted propaganda that people are destined to get disease due to their genes, and there’s nothing they can do about it. The idea that you are completely controlled by your genes is an insidious, disempowering lie which can strip you of your confidence, will and responsibility. It can also lead you to undergo insane operating procedures, such as Angelina Jolie’s decision to have her breasts cut off because they might – might – one day develop a malignant tumor. Yet in today’s upside-down world, such as decision was greeted with admiration and painted by mainstream women talkshow hosts as “brave”, when “insane” or “masochistic” may be better adjectives to describe it.

Epigenetics is the new field of science that explores why some genes are expressed and some are not. We now know that every cell membrane has receptors that pick up environmental signals. In other words, your cells can choose whether or not to read their genetic blueprint, depending upon the signals they get from the environment. Even if you do have a so-called “cancer gene”, if there is definitively such a thing, it does not necessarily have to get expressed. You are not controlled by your genes; which genes are turned on or off, expressed or not expressed, is primarily determined by your thoughts, attitudes and perceptions!

Peskin wrote an article in 2011 entitled “Good News: It’s Not Genetic“. In it he shows the science of why “your DNA sequence does not determine your entire genetic fate” and why “mutations are caused by epigenetic adulteration (environmental causes altering the behavior of genes but not necessarily the structure).” To those who have always intuitively felt that we humans are more powerful than we generally think or have been taught to believe, it provides scientific evidence showing why genes can be overcome and why free will can be more powerful than determinism.

Both Omega 6 and 3 Are Cancer Preventers and Cancer Cures

Coming back to omega 6 and omega 3 fats, Peskin has also extensively studied the direct relationship of EFAs and PEOs to cancer and cardiovascular disease, the 2 leading causes of death in the US. His research shows that both omega 6s and omega 3s can actually act as cancer preventers and cancer cures. Remember the 1931 Nobel Prize winner Otto Warburg, who discovered that hypoxia (lack of oxygen reaching the tissues) could result in cancer? And conversely that cancer could be cured by getting enough oxygen to the weakened cells? Many healing protocols and products (such as Vital Ion) are based on the idea of deep oxygenation of the body – of getting enough oxygen into the cells, knowing that parasites cannot survive in an oxygen-rich environment.

Healthy PEO omega 6 and omega 3 fats can solve the oxygen problem, and thus the cancer problem. They both build cells and contain powerful anti-inflammatory compounds, such as precursors like prostaglandin and the body’s powerful “natural blood thinner” prostacyclin (a platelet anti-aggregate and anti-adhesive). In Peskin’s report Anti-Aging Therapeutics Volume XII, he explains how he conducted an experiment by feeding mice a PEO blend (comprised of healthy omega 6 and omega 3 fats). The mice fed the most PEO fats faed the best, with highly significant tumor reduction. Peskin concludes that “my experiment conclusively shows that PEO-based oils are able to modify the internal structure of cells in an epigenetic fashion, thus making them more cancer resistant; the desired anti-cancer/increased cellular oxygenation solution is accomplished per Warburg’s findings.”

Sources:

http://www.brianpeskin.com/BP.com/reports/PEO-Info.pdf

http://www.brianpeskin.com/BP.com/reports/NotGeneticCAMB.pdf

http://www.brianpeskin.com/BP.com/publications/2011-anti-aging-therapeutics,pdf.pdf

Omega-3 Fats Help Overcome Multi-Drug Resistant Cancer

A new study published in the journal Molecular Cancer has revealed a remarkable new mechanism behind how omega-3 fatty acids may combat the most fearsome disease known to humankind: multi-drug resistant cancer.

Titled, “Omega 3 fatty acids chemosensitize multidrug resistant colon cancer cells by down-regulating cholesterol synthesis and altering detergent resistant membranes composition,”[i] researchers sought out to study the effect of the animal-derived omega 3 fatty acids DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) in both human colon cancer cells sensitive to and resistant to multiple conventional chemotherapeutic agents.

Cancer cells use two proteins known as P-glycoprotein (Pgp) and multidrug resistance related protein 1 (MRP1) to keep chemotherapy agents from entering through its surface membranes. The activity of these two protective proteins is increased by the synthesis of higher amounts of cholesterol.  The researchers theorized that since omega-3 fatty acids are effective in positively modulating cholesterol levels in what are known as ‘dyslipidemic’ syndromes, i.e. unhealthy cholesterol levels and ratios, they may also be of value in preventing or treating colon cancer. Given the growing prevalence of ‘multidrug resistant’ tumors, alternative and/or complementary solutions are gaining increased interest within the medical community.

When the researchers looked closer at the metabolic profile of multidrug resistant cancer cells they found that they exhibited ‘overexpression’ of both drug resistance associated proteins, Pgp and MRP1, as well as ‘dysregulated’ cholesterol metabolism, marked by higher cholesterol synthesis and higher cholesterol content within the cells.

When the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA were applied to the cell cultures, the metabolic profile of these multidrug resistant cells was restored to a state far closer to the non-multidrug resistant colon cancer cells. They observed that the omega 3 fatty acids were incorporated into the membranes of the cells, altering the lipid content of the cellular compartments, as well as reducing both the amount of drug resistance proteins Pgp and MRP1 and their activity. Finally, they found that the proper tumor-immune system recognition in response to chemotherapy was restored within these omega 3 fat treated multidrug resistant cells.

They concluded:

“Our work describes a new biochemical effect of omega 3 PUFAs, which can be useful to overcome chemoresistance in MDR colon cancer cells.”

This study adds to a great wealth of accumulated research on natural ‘chemosensitizing‘ compounds that come from common foods, spices and plant extract which help to overcome the increasingly ineffective chemotherapy standbys that have dominated cancer treatment for the past 40 years, since the war on cancer was officially declared by Richard Nixon in the early 70’s.

If basic food components required in the human diet —  such as essential fatty acids  — can accomplish what no drug in the FDA-approved arsenal of the trillion dollar cancer industry’s pharmacopeia can, then something is terribly wrong with this picture.

The old paradigm, which excludes natural therapies in favor of an exclusively surgery-, radiation- and chemotherapy-based approach to combating cancer is crumbling. Even the establishment’s fundamental definitions of what cancer is are being called into quesiton and dramatically revised, leaving millions questioning if they were misdiagnosed and mistreated in the first place?

Shouldn’t nutrition, in light of new research of this kind, be elevated back to its proper place, perhaps as a first-line treatment for cancers of all stages?  When you consider that hospitals have allowed fast food franchise like McDonald’s to set up shop in their cafeterias, we are still light years away from seeing this vision made reality within the conventional medical establishment. But that doesn’t stop us from taking our health and our nutrition into our own hands, especially considering that the science itself is increasingly pointing to food as medicine as the answer for diseases as recalcitrant as cancer.

For additional support for this approach, take a look at our research page on natural compounds which preliminary research shows can help to overcome multidrug resistant cancer, and which includes familiar food items such as turmeric and paprika. Also, you can delve deeper into the literature on omega-3 fatty acids and their chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic effects on our research page, which have over 250 documented health benefits.

To learn more about this topic take my course, Cancer, Nutrition & Natural Healing.

---

[i] Giada Gelsomino, Paola A Corsetto, Ivana Campia, Gigliola Montorfano, Joanna Kopecka, Barbara Castella, Elena Gazzano, Dario Ghigo, Angela M Rizzo, Chiara Riganti. Omega 3 fatty acids chemosensitize multidrug resistant colon cancer cells by down-regulating cholesterol synthesis and altering detergent resistant membranes composition.

©  May 5, 2017 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.

Is Sacha Inchi Oil the Healthiest in the World?

Deep within the highlands of Peru, what may be the healthiest plant oil ever has been hiding for millennia. Sacha inchi – also known as the Inca peanut – is a fruit that contains a little, nutty-flavored seed boasting a wealth of health benefits.

Sacha inchi has been used as a food source in the Amazon for 3,000 years: rich in protein, omega-3, 6, and 9, vitamin E, carotenoids, and fiber, these little seeds are the perfect addition to any diet, particularly a plant-based one. Sacha inchi joins chia, flax, and micro algae as one of the best vegan omega-3 sources out there.

While you can absolutely eat the seeds, sacha inchi oil is an excellent way to reap these benefits, particularly given the high antioxidant content of the seeds themselves – 1500 parts per million, or three times what you’ll find in an extra-virgin olive oil. This means that when the oil is pressed, these antioxidants help keep the omega-3 in the seeds from becoming rancid. The resulting oil is shelf-stable for up to a year and a half, unlike many other oil sources of omega-3.

Sacha inchi oil is also very pleasant in flavor and doesn’t have the bitter aftertaste that flaxseed and fish oils can sometimes have, which may be why artisan oil company La Tourangelle has decided to market it.

Image care of La Tourangelle

Matthieu Kohlmeyer, the Founder & CEO of La Tourangelle, travelled to the Amazon rainforest after learning about sacha inchi seed’s outstanding health properties to discover the ancient seed.

The result of his travels was a new product: La Tourangelle’s Amazonian Nutriblend Oil, which combines 40 percent organic sacha inchi seed oil, organic high-oleic sunflower oil, organic refined coconut oil, and organic sesame oil. The oil contains 16.5 mg of vitamin E and 2.7 grams of omega-3 – more than 50 percent of your recommended intake – per tablespoon.

La Tourangelle made the decision to market sacha inchi oil as a blend to allow people to cook with this low-smoke point oil. While pure sacha inchi can’t withstand high heat, in this blend, it can be used for sautéing at medium to high temperatures.

“It’s basically a supplement that can be used in cooking, so you kind of get the best of both worlds,” says Kohlmeyer. “You get the supplement without having the pain of eating something that doesn’t taste good.”

Of course, it’s also great raw, and its nutty flavor makes it a great oil for salad dressings or even in smoothies for an extra boost of omega 3.

Related on Organic Authority
Decreased Alzheimer’s Risk and Healthy Weight Linked to Olive Oil Consumption
The Expert-Backed Truth About Coconut Oil for Weight Loss
23 Chia Seed Recipes So Easy You’ll Want to Make Them All Right Now

Tags:
healthy oil, omega 3, peruvian peanut, sacha inchi oil, vegan omega 3

Related News

Emily Monaco

Emily Monaco is an American writer based in Paris. She is particularly interested in the ways in which the stories of one person, one ingredient, one tradition can illustrate differences and similarities in international food culture. Her work has been published in the Wall Street Journal, Paste Magazine, and Serious Eats. Twitter: @emiglia | www.emilymmonaco.com.