On a typical day, people will pay attention to their diet for the sake of keeping their heart healthy or staying fit. But what about your mind? Not just your focus and overall brainpower, but your mood and that sense of emotional stability? The old saying that we are what we eat doesn’t merely refer to your physique – it actually refers to your mental health, too!
The omega-3s in fatty fish
Fatty fish like salmon or mackerel are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are responsible for creating that protective membrane around the cells in your body, including the ones found in your brain. That alone makes them essential for proper brain health and the prevention of numerous neurodegenerative diseases.
When your diet isn’t enough, you can use ProOmega Liquid as an addition to your nutrition to boost your omega-3 intake and help protect your brain.
Inflammation-busting antioxidant in berries
Blueberries, strawberries, acai berries, you name them, they are truly amazing for your overall health, but especially your brain. Packed with antioxidants, berries can help your body and your brain reduce inflammation, improve your immune system health, and they can protect your brain for the long haul.
The flavonoid antioxidants found in berries can help improve the communication between your brain cells, and they reduce oxidative stress on all the cells in your body. This sets the stage for wholesome vitality, especially when combined with other healthy choices in your diet – of course, you can’t expect antioxidants or berries alone to do all the work!
Eggs with their sublime micronutrient diversity
Protein-packed and loaded with a wide array of micronutrients, eggs are the superfood that’s been under our noses for a very long time, all the while receiving little attention compared to the more exotic superfoods out there.
Folic acid, B12, and B6, as well as choline are all considered essential for optimal brain health and the prevention of brain-related health issues like stroke, and eggs have them all. Add to that, a vitamin B deficiency has been linked to the increased risk of depression, which means that eggs are your mind’s best friends.
Gut-friendly yogurt
We’ve already covered how useful probiotic foods can be in keeping your gut healthy, which in turn contributes to preventing Celiac disease and other health issues. It turns out, the same health-boosting probiotics found in yogurt and other fermented foods are great for your brain and mental health.
Research has shown that there’s a link between your gut health and your brain health, which means that choosing the right foods for maintaining your microbiome healthy will contribute to your mental wellbeing, too.
Treat yourself to some dark chocolate
Berries aren’t the only food source of brain-friendly antioxidants and other compounds that are good for your mental health. In fact, dark chocolate with a high level of cocoa (upwards from 70%) also has plenty of polyphenols, flavanols and other antioxidants that help protect your brain from damage.
Eating healthy amounts of dark chocolate also helps your body produce more nitric oxide, a molecule that keeps your brain resilient and improves your blood flow. You can also add Nitric Balance Liquid to your diet to help your body and brain benefit from this protective molecule.
Antioxidants found in cocoa also improve blood flow to your brain, which means reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases as you age. NeuroO2 also contains healthful ingredients that help increase the blood supply to the brain, allowing you to retain your cognitive functions in your silver years.
As you can see, nutritional diversity is the key to mental health and overall vitality. Learning more about food as well as your own individual nutritional needs can help you carve out an eating plan that will serve you well in protecting your cognitive capabilities and mental wellbeing. If you need further guidance or you’d like to improve your lifestyle even more with the help of functional medicine, you can book an appointment with us, and we’ll find a tailor-made solution just for you.