C O L U M N S

FoodJust like the rest of your body, your brain benefits from the right diet and exercise. Here are some tricks to keep you sharp.

Scientists can’t say for sure whether certain foods can definitely ward off problems such as Alzheimer’s, but research play a role in our mood, our memory, and concentration. Try these top “brain foods” – they’re worth tucking into.

Lecithin
Lecithin is a super-nutrient which converts into a vitamin-like substance known as choline that’s crucial for making a chemical that plays a big role in memory. Experiments have revealed that if people are deprived of choline over long periods of time, their memory suffers.
Where: Found in soya, beans, peanuts, wheatgerm and egg yolks. Cholesterol in eggs doesn’t affect cholesterol in our blood. So if you fancy an egg a day, it won’t do you any harm, and may well be good news for your brain.

Iron
Lack of iron doesn’t just make us feel tired; research has also shown that a long-term deficiency can affect our ability to concentrate. Exam results, for example, have been shown to improve by a full grade when the amount of iron eaten is raised from low to recommended levels.
Where? The iron found in lean red meat and oily fish, such as mackerel, salmon, sardines and pilchards, is particularly easily absorbed by our bodies. It is also found in peas, baked beans, cashew nuts and dark green vegetables.

Folic Acid
Anyone who’s experienced “the blues” will know that feeling down affects everything you do, and stops you from thinking straight. Folic acid, which is a B vitamin, may help-people who are down often have low intakes of this nutrient. Upping amounts may help take the edge off blues, as well as restoring some of your brainpower.
Where? Orange juice, beans, whole grains and asparagus all give us good amounts of folic acid.

Omega-3
It’s well known that omega-3 is thought to be important for allowing our brains to work well. They are promising and, giving the proven benefits of fatty fish and omega-3s to general health, it makes sense to try to have one or two servings of oily fish a week.
Where? Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, eel and anchovies are rich in omega-3 essential oils. Non-fish eaters can get omega-3 from flax seeds and dark green vegetables.

Camomile Tea
Sleep deprivation is a killer for memory and concentration. Camomile contains super-nutrients that act on the same parts of the brain and nervous system as those affected by anti-anxiety drugs, helping to improve relaxation and reduce stress. Drinking chamomile tea before bed has a mildly sedative effect, and may improve your chances of a good, brain-restoring night’s sleep.

Flavonoids
Flavonoids are super-nutrients which have been linked with slowing the loss of brain function.
Where? In berries, onions, aubergines, red peppers and citrus fruits such as oranges. So remember to add them into your diet.

Coffee
Although not usually recommended for its health-boosting credentials, it’s thought that drinking coffee may reduce the risk of dementia. Just one cup a day may help keep the blood-brain barrier (which helps maintain a constant environment for the brain, protecting it from the damaging effects of toxins, infections and raised cholesterol) intact. The barrier is known to work less efficiently just before the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Water
Being even slightly dehydrated can affect your clarity of thought and judgment, and raise stress levels. If you find yourself getting snappy and irritable for no reason, a long, cool drink of water may calm you down. Having drink as soon as you feel even slightly thirsty will top up your fluids and helps your brain to work at full capacity.