Many people rely on medications and therapy to help with symptoms of depression and anxiety. However, it is often not enough. The latest scientific advances have proven that how we eat and what we eat can affect how we feel.
Our diet can greatly impact our brain and fuels everything in our bodies. If you start feeding your gut with junk, processed, and sugary foods, you will start to see the detrimental effects it can have on your health and notice symptoms such as brain fog, lack of focus, and fatigue. So, what foods help with optimal brain health? High Iron foods, proteins, nutrient dense foods, and even some spices and herbs can have a positive effect on our brain health. Please see the information below to start incorporating these foods into your diet to have optimal brain health!
High Iron foods:
Clams, oysters, shrimp, cashews, liver, and pumpkin seeds. If you are not a huge fan of seafood, I recommend trying seafood in various ways such as fish tacos and sushi to start, but keeping in mind that the amount of seafood we need to obtain benefits is 3-5 seafood meals a week.
Top Ten Nutrient Dense Foods:
The top ten nutrient dense foods coming from plants are leafy greens such as kale and rainbow-colored vegetables. The two top vegetables nutrient-wise are kale and watercress. Watercress is a powerhouse vegetable that packs several important nutrients but is very low in calories. And if you are wanting to get more nutrients from meat the best options are seafood and organ meats.
Choline:
Another nutrient that probably doesn’t get the attention it deserves would be Choline. What the heck is Choline? It is a cousin of folate and you can find it in eggs, tofu, and liver. This essential nutrient plays an important role in brain functions such as memory and thinking.
Dark Chocolate:
Dark chocolate is packed with nutrients, lots of fiber, magnesium, and iron. The best brand in my opinion would include HU with cashew or almond butter.
Vitamin A:
This is a fat soluble vitamin which means it is absorbed along with fats in the diet and is stored in the body’s fatty tissue and in the liver. We get vitamin A from two sources, one being animal products such as liver. However, we also get vitamin A from plants. Vitamin A affects mental health and it also plays a big part in our vision. To increase your intake of Vitamin A, consume more orange vegetables, sweet potatoes, carrots, and peppers to intake more Vitamin A.
Spices:
Did you know that spices and herbs have phytonutrients? Phytonutrients are plant based molecules that help protect us from chronic diseases. Use more spices, be more adventurous, and eat the rainbow-colored plants!
By consuming more of the foods listed here and focusing on foods that have the most nutrients- -little by little, you will achieve optimal brain health.