Compiled & Medically reviewed by
Dr.Sanjana.V.B. Bhms. Dbrm.Cdn

Foods for your brain health & work efficiency

  Depression is less in population who consume traditional diet. Why? Scientists state that traditional diet tends to be high in vegetables, fruits, unprocessed grains, fish and seafood & contain only modest amounts of meat. The diet also includes probiotic foods. Probiotics may contain different types of microorganisms. The most common are bacteria that belong to groups called Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Other bacteriae and yeasts such as Saccharomyces boulardii may be used in probiotics.

  For your brain to be able to concentrate and focus, it needs energy (20% of all energy needed by the body is used by the brain). This energy comes from blood glucose, and the glucose in our blood comes from the carbohydrates we eat. So include healthy carbohydrates into your diets.

·       wholegrains

·       fruits

·       vegetables

·       legumes 

·       lower-fat dairy

Tips to boost your work efficiency

 1. Keep your blood sugar levels stable adopting a healthy meal plan

When your blood glucose rises and falls rapidly or fluctuates often, it can affect your mood, making you feel irritable, low and sometimes even triggering symptoms of anxiety. Therefore keep it stable through healthy carb intake at frequent intervals in moderate quantity.

2.  Include omega fatty acid rich nuts & seeds into your diet.

Essential fatty acids, like omega-3 and omega-6, are essential for our brains to function well. Healthy fats  of these type can be found in nuts, seeds, oily fish, poultry, avocados, dairy products and eggs.

3. Include vitamin B complex & folates into your diet

 Vitamins B1, B3 and B12 deficiency can make you feel low, tired and irritable.  Foods such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy and fortified cereals are rich in B vitamins and they can strengthen your nervous system making you more active, enhancing the cognitive power or your mental abilities. Folate may be found in green vegetables, citrus fruits, liver, beans and fortified foods.[ Read more Vitamin B complex]

4. Ensure that you get enough selenium  through your diet

A selenium deficiency may increase the chance of feeling depressed and other negative mood states. Good sources of selenium include Brazil nuts, seeds, whole meal bread, meat and fish. 

5. Beware of caffeine  & avoid it

Caffeine can affect your mood badly. It can cause sleep problems, especially if you drink it close to bedtime, and some people find it makes them irritable and anxious too. Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks and chocolates. In small amounts caffeine may stimulate your brain but regular use may affect your sleep pattern and mood. 6-8 hours sleep is important for your over all health ,particularly mental health and immunity.

6. Your medications and diet

 Many drugs and foods interact. If you’re taking a certain medication for your mental health, there may be some foods you need to avoid. Be sure to speak to your doctor about any medications you’re taking and ask about any dietary changes you may need to make.

Diet for your mind power or better mental health, memory ,cognition etc.

 What is MIND diet and how does it help your cognitive functions and work efficiency?

   The MIND diet combines the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet to create a dietary pattern that focuses specifically on brain health. The MIND diet aims to reduce dementia associated memory loss and cognitive decline in brain functions related to ageing.

“MIND” stands for “Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay.”

The healthy food items the MIND diet guidelines suggest include:

·       Whole grains 

·       Vegetables (other than green leafy) 

·       Green leafy vegetables

·       Nuts   

.       Beans 

·       Berries 

·       Poultry

 .      Fish

·       Include mainly olive oil if added fat is used. 

·       Berries are good for improving brain function.

Foods to avoid in MIND diet

·       Saturated fats like butter, ghee, margarines etc.

·       Fried snacks

 ·       Excessive intake of brownies, pastries, candies etc.

·       Red meat like beef, pork, lamb etc.

Research studies about the role of foods on diseases of brain & nervous system

·     The consumption of large amounts of highly processed foods, rich in simple sugars and saturated fats enhances the risks for Alzheimer’s and dementia or memory loss.

The deposition of amyloid β (Aβ) peptides as senile plaques and tau as neurofibrillary changes causes the hallmark neuropathological lesions of Alzheimer's disease (AD)

·     The Mediterranean and dash diets have been shown to  slow the cognitive decline and hence maintain brain function; however, neither diet is specific to dementia prevention. The study findings suggest that the MIND diet substantially slows cognitive decline with age. Replication of these findings in a dietary intervention trial would be required to verify its relevance to brain health.

References

·       https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626

·       https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/mind-diet/

·       https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/diet-and-mental-health

·       https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2738337

·       https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35563135/

·       https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26086182/