The Brain Diet
When learning a foreign language, our brain will be working overtime. Like any kind of exercise, good brain exercise must be balanced by a good diet. Eating right can help you study longer, retain and recall more information, and feel happy and confident.
Luckily, the brain and heart are very similar. Food which help the heart also help the brain. So by following this advice, we can improve our heads and our hearts at the same time.
Good Brain Food
Anti-Oxidants – In general, when our brain uses oxygen, it also produces a lot of garbage. This garbage builds up and can slow brain function or cause disease (the way metal rusts when in contact with oxygen).
To prevent this, it is good to eat and drink a variety of foods that are rich in anti-oxidants, chemicals that clean up oxygen garbage in the brain.
These include:
•Colorful fruits and berries: carrots, tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, oranges, limes, sweet peppers. •Oils: Some cooking oils (vegetable oil, olive oil) •Meat: Red meat, fish, eggs •Drinks: Tea, coffee, and red wine (or grape juice) |
Try to eat/drink 2 servings of anti-oxidants every day.
Note: Vitamin E is a common anti-oxidant. Doctors are now suggesting that people don't take Vitamin E in a pill. It has been found to increase blood pressure and the risk of stroke. Doctors suggest getting it directly from green vegetables and fish because the body can regulate how much Vitamin E it absorbs.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids - Omega 3 is known to decrease inflammation of the brain so it allows you to work on problems longer without mental exhaustion (and prevents brain disease). In addition, it makes people feel more confident and optimistic, which is really important when practicing a new language.
Fish: Salmon and tuna are rich in omega 3 fatty acids.
How much should you eat? Try to eat at least two servings (meals) per week.
Note: Eating actual fish is much better than fish oil tablets. There are many chemicals (such as selenium) that you can only get from real fish. Also, fish oil tablets are usually not checked by the government and may exaggerate their own benefit. Farmed salmon is known to contain the most Omega 3 per serving.
The Optimal Brain Food – When reading different books about brain health and listening to lectures by doctors, as well as reading health food reports, the same two foods came up again and again: Salmon and Broccoli. Eating raw salmon sushi with steamed broccoli three or four times a week will give you a big boost of anti-oxidants and omega 3
Bad Brain Food
Studies have found that substances bad for the heart are also bad for mental health. Improve both by eliminating some dangerous habits.
The #1 Brain Damager: Cigarettes – Studies have shown again and again that cigarette smoke decreases brain function. Having friends who smoke or hanging out in smoky environments (like bars or coffee shops) has the same effect.
The #2 Brain Damager: Cholesterol – Studies have shown that cholesterol increases amyloidamyloidal in the brain. People with lower cholesterol also have better brain function scores.
Foods with the highest cholesterol:
•Giblets and by-products (Brains, Hearts, Kidneys, Livers, Stomach, etc) •Egg Yolk (yellows) and Fish eggs (roe), •Rice bran (some brown rice) •Fried or Deep Fried Foods |
The Five Essential Foods for Lowering Cholesterol:
1.Salmon 2.Oats and Apples, 3.Almonds 4.Orange Juice 5.Tofu or Soy Milk |
The Good/Bad Foods
Caffeine (in tea and coffee) can be good or bad, depending on how much you drink. Usually, caffeine will increase brain function until a "jump" point – a point when the person becomes too excited and jumpy to pay attention. This is similar to ADHD, a learning disability often seen in kids.
Are you drinking too much caffeine? Too much caffeine will decrease "sense memory." This means you will get distracted easily and notice less detail. If you are having trouble focusing on your studies or miss details in class, try reducing your coffee/tea intake. However, if you are feeling slow or tired before class, green tea or black coffee can be a healthy stimulant.
Alcohol is almost always bad for your brain except for red wine. Red grape skin contains a chemical called resveratrol, an anti-oxidant that protects the brain. If you don't like drinking red wine, you can also get this from purple grape juice. Note: Minimize the damaging effects of alcohol by eating a lot of protein before drinking.