Food Archives - CURLY AND CANDID

From the time we are young, we are taught that eating healthy food will make us feel great and look good. What no one tells us is that consuming a well-balanced diet is crucial for our mental health. A healthy diet can help boost your memory, concentration, and your attention span. By incorporating these 5 foods that boost brain power into your diet you will be prioritising your wellness.

The best food for the brain is the one that enhances the flow of blood to the brain and protects it from free radicals. Your brain also needs nutrients to be healthy. Your diet should have antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. Here are some foods that can help boost your brain function:

5 Foods That Boost Brain Power: Fatty Fish

Fatty fish like trout, sardines, mackerel, tuna, and salmons are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Did you know that sixty percent of the brain consists of fat, half of which is the omega-3 types? Omega-3 fatty acids help your brain to build and repair brain cells.

Omega-3s can also slow the development of age-related brain problems like Alzheimer’s disease. According to a study done in 2017, people who had high levels of omega-3 fatty acids had an increased blood flow to the brain.

Green Leafy Vegetables

Green leafy vegetables like broccoli, kales, spinach, and collards are rich in nutrients like vitamin K, folate, beta carotene, and lutein. Leafy vegetables like broccoli are packed with antioxidants, and vitamin K. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that is important for developing sphingolipids, a fat heavily found in the human brain.

Studies show that consuming foods rich in vitamin K can help boost memory. Other green vegetables like broccoli have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can help protect the brain from damage. Vitamin C and the flavonoids in broccoli are the antioxidants. If you cannot get access to leafy green vegetables at all times, try substituting them with the best vitamin C supplement.

Soy Products

Incorporating soy products into your meals can have numerous benefits. The nutrient contents in soy products, especially the antioxidants and polyphenols, are linked to boosting memory and improving brain functions. Also, the dipeptides found in soy foods can reduce memory deprivation and lessen the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

5 Foods That Boost Brain Power: Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds have strong antioxidants that keep free radicals away from the brain. They are also packed with zinc, copper, magnesium, and iron, each of which is essential for boosting brainpower.

Magnesium is crucial for memory and learning. A magnesium deficiency has been linked to many neurological illnesses like depression, epilepsy, and migraines.
Zinc is a significant mineral in nerve signalling. The deficiency of zinc can lead to neurological issues like depression, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.
An iron deficiency can lead to poor brain function.
Copper, on the other hand, helps control nerve signals. Its deficiency can increase the risks of developing neurodegenerative problems like Alzheimer’s disease.

Eggs

There are many benefits of eating eggs for breakfast. Eggs are packed with nutrients that are essential in improving brain health. Examples include folate, vitamins B6 and B12, and choline. All these nutrients are linked to better memory and brain function.

Conclusion

The brain is the largest and the most intricate organ in the human body, and just like the other organs, it needs to be taken care of. Exercise your brain to improve your mental alertness and improve its health. Apart from the above foods that can help you improve your memory and brain function, there are many more. Brain-boosting foods must contain healthy fats, antioxidants, Omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins.

Small Healthier Swaps for 2021 : Swap Veganuary for one veggie meal a week

You will have heard and seen a lot about Veganuary on the TV and online, and of course, it’s a super smart idea. After all, when are people most likely to try a major change to the way they eat?

For many people, the thought of changing every meal they and their families eat for an entire month is a whole lot of work and inconvenience. Not to mention the fact that they may face resistance from family members and discover that it isn’t easy to stick to themselves. That is why instead, doing a less intense version of Vegaunary may be a much better approach.

Such an approach involves picking a day (or two) each week and eating vegetarian and vegan food then, and normal food for the rest of the time. Of course, the advantages of this approach are many, not least that you can gently ease yourself into this way of eating, which over the long term can help you maintain your momentum and stay successful.

For anyone considering Veganism, I made the jump in December 2019 and am full vegan now and have never felt healthier.

Small Healthier Swaps for 2021 : Swap quitting smoking cold turkey for using a nicotine replacement

Anyone that has smoked knows that quitting is a tall order, and quitting cold turkey is the toughest way to do things. The good news is that it is also not the only way to quit. This is because there are things like nicotine replacement products that allow smokers to skill receive the chemical that they are addicted to without having to take in all that bad stuff that is in tobacco.

Indeed, there is a range of products on the market including sprays, patches and lozenges. All of which can be used to gradually reduce the amount of nicotine a person uses and so help them to quit more gently.

Another similar option is to use a vape pen instead. The great thing about this option is that you get the sense of smoking without taking in all the chemicals in cigarettes. You can also use stores that stock vape supplies to buy delicious tasting liquids. They also come in a range of nicotine strengths so you can use them to wean yourself off entirely over time.

Joining the gym for walking around your neighbourhood

Even if you wanted to, you couldn’t join a gym right now because of the lockdown situation. All is not lost, however, because instead of ending up as a January Gym bunny and a February gym casualty why not take the opportunity to start an exercise particle that is more manageable in the long term?

We are talking walking here, either around your neighbourhood or a country park. You may even wish to transition to jogging or running later on as your fitness improves?