Top Foods to Reduce Brain Fog and Boost Focus
Nutrition and its effect on the body and brain are very complex. What we know for sure is that the condition and health of the gut, along with nutritional deficiencies, can directly affect how our brain functions.
By understanding and respecting that the brain, the digestive system, the metabolic pathways, and the immune system are all deeply connected, we can see improvements in better attention and focus, improved digestion, and improvements in sleep patterns when we focus on filling our bodies with the right nutrients!
And with the fast-paced hectic schedules and constant multi-tasking that seem to be the norm for most of us these days, we can all use a bit of help when it comes to our focus and concentration…
Below are some KEY nutrient-dense and brain-stimulating foods that can help
Foods to Improve Boost Brain Focus:
• Most raw organic fruits and vegetables that are lower on the glycemic index – preferably organic: asparagus, spinach, lettuce, broccoli, beets, cauliflower, carrots, celery, artichokes, garlic, onions, zucchini, squash, rhubarb, cucumbers, turnips, and watercress, among others. Berries, apricots, plums, apple, peach, pear, cherries and berries.
• Fermented foods: sauerkraut, kimchi, pickled ginger, fermented cucumbers, coconut yogurt, kombucha, water kefir, etc. Fermented foods go through a process of lacto-fermentation where the natural bacteria feed on the sugars and starches in the food, creating lactic acid. This preserves the food and creates beneficial enzymes, B-Vitamins, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and various strains of probiotics.
• Bone Broth: It is full of amino acids, gelatin, and minerals that are absolutely essential for healing, repair, and inflammation reduction. Bone Broth can fortify your immune system, enhance digestion, and support your adrenals, bones, and teeth. The compounds found in properly made bone broths can aid in so many beneficial processes in the body. You can use it in place of water when making rice, risotto, pasta, quinoa, sauces, vegetables, and more.
• Soaked/Sprouted Nuts and Seeds: Soaking or sprouting your nuts, seeds, and grains will remove or reduce phytic acid, tannins, neutralize enzyme inhibitors, encourage production of beneficial enzymes, increase the amounts of vitamins, make the proteins more available for absorption, and digestion, and help to neutralize toxins in the colon.
• Meats, Poultry, Seafood: fish, chicken, beef, lamb, organ meats, etc. Best choices are grass-fed and pastured meats from a local farm. These offer far more of the “good” fats, and are richer in antioxidants. Second best is organic. Avoid factory-farmed meats that contain antibiotics and hormones.
• Fresh Green Juices: combine a variety of your favorite greens and fruits to find a combination that you enjoy
• Coconut: coconut oil, coconut butter, coconut milk, coconut cream, fresh green raw coconut water. Cook with these, add them to smoothies, add them in baked goods. Coconut oil is an excellent source of the medium fatty acid lauric acid and is one of the few food sources. When lauric acid enters the body it converts to monolaurin, a compound that kills harmful pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and fungi.
• Avocados: add small amounts in smoothies, sandwiches, tacos, and even cocoa pudding.
• Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Chia, Flax, and Hemp Seeds: add to baked goods, smoothies, oatmeal, yogurts, homemade trail mix, sprinkle in cold cereals and granola, in salads and soups. Seeds are a great source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which is an omega-3 fatty acid that must be present for the body to make it’s own DHA.
• Egg yolks: Add farm fresh pastured egg yolks to meals. Adding a cooked egg yolk to baby food recipes will not only increase healthy brain fats but also increase the intake of B vitamins, Vitamin K, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Iron and Zinc.
