9 Rules of Brain-Healthy Eating

June is Alzheimer's Awareness Month. According to Dr. Daniel Amen, one of the best things you can do to optimize your brain function and overall health is putting healthy things in your body.

Here are The Amen Clinics 9 Rules of Brain-Healthy Eating:

Rule #1: Think high-quality calories, and not too many of them.

Think: quality input = quality output, and conversely: garbage in = garbage out.

Remember CROND: calorie restriction, optimally nutritious, and delicious.

In other words, be mindful of your caloric intake and make sure you are consuming high-quality foods that you like. You will be much more likely to stick with a new dietary lifestyle this way.

Rule #2: Drink plenty of water and not your calories - A study found that, on average, Americans drink 450 calories a day! Between soda pop, coffee drinks, and many cocktails, you can be adding on pounds just through drinks. In addition, drinks with caffeine and alcohol dehydrate you. 

Rule #3: Eat high-quality, lean protein throughout the day - As much as possible, make sure your protein sources (and the rest of your foods) are clean, which means organic, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, free-range, and grass-fed. The best sources of protein are:

• Eggs
• Fish (wild, not farmed)
• Lamb
• Turkey or chicken
• Raw nuts
• High-protein vegetables such as broccoli and spinach

Rule #4: Eat smart carbohydrates (low-glycemic, high-fiber) - Low-glycemic: generally speaking, you should eat foods on the lower end of the glycemic index (GI) to lower your blood glucose levels, decrease cravings, and help with weight loss. This should include vegetables, fruits, legumes, and nuts. High Fiber: these foods help you lose weight! Dietary fiber helps regulate your sense of hunger, feeling fuller longer, and slows the absorption of food into your bloodstream, which helps keep your blood sugar balanced. Experts recommend adults eat 25 to 35 grams of fiber each day.

Rule #5: Focus your diet on healthy fats - Once the water is removed from it, your brain is about 60% fat, so fat is an important nutrient everyone needs. But we are talking about good fats - not unhealthy ones like trans fats. Replace unhealthy fat with healthy fats such as:

• Avocados
• Flax seeds
• Cold-water fish such as salmon
• Nuts
• Oils:
  • Coconut oil
  • Grapeseed oil
  • Olive oil

Rules #6: Eat from the rainbow - A healthy diet includes natural foods in a rainbow of colors.

Rule #7: Cook with brain-healthy herbs and spices to boost your brain - Expand your repertoire of cooking using these brain-healthy spices and herbs:

• Turmeric (found in curry) has been shown to decrease the brain plaque associated with Alzheimer's disease.
• Saffron can help with depression
• Rosemary, thyme, and sage help boost memory
• Cinnamon can help attention and blood sugar. It's also an antioxidant and an aphrodisiac
• Garlic and oregano boost blood flow to the brain
• Ginger, cayenne, and black pepper boost metabolism and have an aphrodisiac effect

Rule #8: Make sure your food is as clean as possible - Eliminate food additives, preservatives, and artificial dyes and sweeteners. Follow these guidelines:

• Read labels
• If you cannot pronounce it, don't eat it
• If you don't know what is in something, don't eat it

Rule #9: Eliminate any foods that might be causing you trouble - If you're having problems with your mood, energy, memory, weight, blood sugar, blood pressure, or skin, or other health problems with no apparent cause identified by your doctor, you should consider eliminating wheat and any other gluten-containing grain or food, as well as dairy, soy, and corn. I can help with an elimination diet or testing for food sensitivity.

The Amen Clinics' Nine Rules of Brain-Healthy Eating will help to heal your brain, improve your health, lose weight, and feel more energetic. If you need help getting started, reach out to me at Jacalyn@im2 health.com and I can provide you with a sample menu of brain-healthy meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with two between-meal snacks.

Until next time...Take Care of You!