Struggling with focus and clarity (especially during those long, tedious meetings)? Thankfully, nature already has multiple food for the brain available to help you stay focused. Let’s explore five foods for the brain that will enhance focus, mental clarity, attention, and memory.
H2O
Water is essential to life, and many people are dehydrated and don’t realize it. Research shows dehydration can lead to decrease of attention, and concentration.
Drinking water can improve attention, especially since 80% of your brain is water.
I’ve often noted that drinking a large glass of water in the morning is a great way to wake me up. You can even spice it up by adding cucumber and lemon to add some extra electrolytes! This is especially important if you drink purified water which is often lacking key electrolytes.
You do not want to to skip out on adding these essential minerals to your diet. Minerals like sodium, potassium and magnesium are ESSENTIAL for keeping you alive and functioning to the best performance.
Magnesium, for example, is involved in many processes (including ensuring you have optimal energy levels) in the body and can improve cognitive function.
Be sure you’re drinking the right water-spring water is best. I hate tap water, and usually opt for filtered water (thank you Whole Foods!) with added electrolytes from cucumber or lemon. Or simply add a sprinkle of mineral salt (I.e. Himalayan salt, Icelandic sea salt, Mediterranean sea salt). You can also add some electrolyte packs or drops to your water bottle.
Get Some Omegas
Like water, the next food for the brain isn’t actually a food, but a supplement. Omega fatty acids like DHA are able to increase memory and reaction time a study done in healthy adults found.
Great sources of DHA includes grass-fed beef, pastured egg yolks, trout, and salmon. Take 2-3 servings per week or 1-3g (or 1000mg-3,000mg) fish oil per day.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The following food for the brain is extra virgin olive oil. This amazing oil is not just good for your hair, but its also very good for your brain. Extra virgin olive oil cleans up junk in the brain, and aids in learning and memory formation.
A study found that taking extra virgin olive oil had beneficial effects on learning and memory deficits in mice. Simply drizzle 2-3 tbsp on one of your salad or any other meal every day.
Cinnamon
This spice is great for improving learning speed. A study found that cinnamon was able to make poor-learning mice better learners by stimulating the learning areas of their brains.
Walnuts
This next food for the brain is able to boost memory and concentration speed. This brain-appearing nut is rich in the omega-3 fatty acids (see above) your brain craves.
*Bonus: Lion’s Mane Mushroom*
Who doesn’t like bonuses? Well, this bonus has been found to protect the brain, anti depressive functions, improve cognitive function and even improve anxiety. I enjoy taking lion’s mane in my coffee. Try Laird superfood creamer from whole foods!
Conclusion
If you’re struggling to focus in your day-to-day lives, try incorporating some of these foods to enhance your focus, attention, and learning.
Blessings,
M/M
The Mustard Seed Wife 