Why These 5 Quick Tips On Food Are Important For Your Brain

I’m always looking for tips and advice on how to improve performance and wellbeing to gain every possible advantage I can in the day. Since eating and drinking properly helps our brains to make better decisions, improve focus and reduce our stress it makes sense to properly care for our brains to ensure that we perform at our best.

These are 5 practical and easy to follow tips to ensure we do by neuroscientist Dr. Tara Swart from the excellent Fast Company.

1) More Water

Drinking enough water should be a no-brainer—except that many people don’t do that. Our brains require about 500 milliliters of water for every 15 kg of body weight. (So for the average 75 kg adult, that’s about 2.75 liters of water each day.) This is the minimum level of hydration needed to avoid denting your memory, concentration, and decision-making. But there’s a real risk to missing that threshold even by a little. Even a 1–3% shortfall in adequate hydration can substantially affect these functions. Water aids the free flow of chemical and electrical signals between cells, which is required for effective brain functioning.

2) Less Alcohol

If a glass of water can boost your brain, a glass of wine can slow it down. Drinking alcohol leads to increased levels of the hormone cortisol as the body reacts to the intake of a toxin. Cortisol is a natural part of the body’s response to stress, but chronic stress can lead to excess cortisol, which can have a host of negative effects on the body—like weight gain—as well as the brain, including anxiety and depression, particularly when coupled with a diet high in caffeine and sugar. So having a glass of wine every evening to unwind, as many people do, may have the opposite effect.

3) More Greens, Beans and Grains

Foods rich in magnesium can suppress the release of cortisol, but when we’re stressed we deplete our bodies’ magnesium stores more rapidly. Whole grains, beans, and leafy greens are good magnesium sources, as are nuts and seeds—which can also be great alternatives to sweet snacks. Unfortunately, these natural sources aren’t always enough to replenish our magnesium supplies during high-stress periods, so supplements, which are often available as tablets can help make up the difference.

4) More Salmon and Less Tuna

Salmon and other oily fish are great for the brain because of their Omega-3 essential fatty acids, vitamin B12, and protein. These nutrients assist in brain cell growth and can prevent cognitive decline. On the other hand, smoked fish and fish that are typically high in mercury (like tuna and swordfish) can increase levels of pro-oxidants in the body and actively damage brain cells. Your choice in seafood one day doesn’t just impact your brain in the near-term; it also has an effect on your future brainpower.

5) More Rest, Less Thirst and Hunger

Speaking of brainpower, there’s one factor we tend to grasp much better when we think about sleep than about diet: quantity. It’s not just about what you eat and drink, it’s how much you do. Being over-tired can lead to behaviors many of us are all too familiar with—from our attitude toward others to how we make decisions—plus a few we aren’t aware of, like the extent to which our choices are affected by our unconscious biases.

Much as it does when you aren’t well rested, when you’re hungry or thirsty, your brain reverts to “survival mode.” It draws blood away from the rational cortex toward the part of the brain that controls basic functions you depend on to get through the day. So while you might have not much trouble getting dressed, commuting, or doing routine tasks when you’re underfed or dehydrated, your brain will struggle with higher “executive functions,” like complex problem-solving, thinking flexibly and creatively, regulating emotions, and overriding biases.

When they’re underpowered, our brains revert to well-trod neural shortcuts that require less cognitive energy. A recent US court study even found a pattern of judges granting more parole after mealtimes, with their sentences getting harsher in the subsequent hours. The implications for reading resumes, interviewing job candidates, and making other important decisions when you haven’t eaten are clear—and worrying.

It might feel overwhelming to totally change your diet, but sticking with even one behavior change to boost your brain health can make a real difference. So start small—swap that bag of chips today for a bag of nuts. Your brain will be grateful.

Dr Swart’s full article in Fast Company

Paul Lyons is an experienced CEO who coaches leaders to improve their performance and wellbeing by developing their mindset. To learn more about building your mental toughness contact Paul or Mental Toughness Partners

Access my top posts from 2017 here:

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