BOOST YOUR BRAIN POWER in 7 days
Do
you find yourself forgetting the simplest of things, or hitting the ‘work wall’
early in the day, unable to concentrate, or complete tasks to the best of your
ability? You needn’t worry, you’re not alone. With such fast paced lifestyles
it is easy to become forgetful and very common to feel a dip in concentration,
but it’s not all bad news.
Top
nutritionist Amy Morris has put together her top tips to help you boost your
brain power, naturally in just seven days. Amy says, “By making small tweaks to
your diet and lifestyle, you can boost your concentration and memory over the
course of just one week. These small, often unnoticeable changes to your daily
routine should leave you feeling better and more able in next to no time!”
Day 1: Ditch your
morning coffee and replace it with Matcha
Green Tea. Matcha will still give you a caffeine fix, which can help to
energise and improve concentration, but unlike your normal morning coffee,
matcha will also give you a good dose of antioxidants that are known for helping
to protect cells and DNA from damage. Matcha also contains a good amount of the
amino acid L-Theanine, and can eliminate the negative effects of caffeine such
as jitteriness. The best sources of matcha are organically grown and come from
the Uji region of Japan.
Day 2: Up your
intake of Oily Fish. Several studies have shown that
supplementing your diet with omega 3 fish oil can boost concentration due to its
ability to help increase blood flow to the brain during mental activity. Additional
studies also show that a diet with higher levels of omega 3 has been linked to
a lowered risk of dementia and strokes, and can slow down mental decline. Omega
3 fish oil can be obtained through eating oily fish, such as line and pole
caught mackerel (this is also lower in mercury), however if you’d prefer a high
quality omega 3 fish oil supplement like UnoCardio 1000 can help to ensure
you’re getting adequate amounts of omega 3 daily.
Day 3: Make sure breakfast is part of your daily
routine. If you skip breakfast
regularly, make sure it becomes a priority when trying to boost your brain
power. Eating breakfast daily can help to improve short term memory and
attention span, with several studies showing
that students who eat breakfast tend to perform better overall, than those who
skip it. A good breakfast should ideally include a little food from all three
of the macronutrient groups, such as protein, carbohydrates and fats. All
choices should be as fresh as possible and in whole food form for maximum
nutrition and benefits to health and concentration.
Day 4: Go
Nuts. Nuts
and seeds are a good source of vitamin E which has been linked in some studies
to less cognitive decline as you age. Chia pods are a great way to get in extra
vitamin E from seeds, and when you make your cereal or porridge in the morning
try topping with a handful of pecans,
cashews and almonds, slightly ground in your blender first.
Day 5: Drink more water. Lack of water in the body,
means lack of water to the brain. This lack of water can cause poor
concentration, lack of focus, headaches, depression and forgetfulness. The best
water to drink is purified water that is as free from chemicals and
contaminants as possible. The European Food Safety Authority
(EFSA)
recommends that men drink 2.5 litres of water per day, and women 2.0 litres per
day. But this may need to be increased if you exercise a lot or have a very
physically demanding job.
Day 6: Get a good night’s sleep. When measuring sleepiness, scientists found that
people with sleep deprivation had lower alertness and concentration. They also
found it is more difficult to concentrate and pay attention, making it easier
for you get confused and not remember things as they happened. Research has
found that everyone’s concentration is best when 7 hours of sleep, or more, a
night is obtained. As any less and people start to suffer with more mood
problems and difficulty concentrating.
Day 7: Meditate To De-Stress. A study published in the
journal Psychological Science, found that
people who meditate intensively had better attention and sustained focus, even
during the most mundane of tasks. But good news if you don’t fancy becoming a
yogi anytime soon, previous research from The University of North Carolina also
found that meditating for as little as 20 minutes a day, over just four days
can be enough to improve cognitive skills. In one test, students who were given
a particularly challenging computer test of sustained attention, the students
who had meditated performed 10 times better than the control group. If you are
new to meditation, look out for meditation groups listed in your area, or watch
how the experts do it on a vlog. Once you get the hang of it, you will learn it
is quite easy to do and will help you also lower your stress levels if
practised at the end of every day for even 10 minutes.
