How long can you go without food? Some persons have been reported to have gone for a relatively long time without eating. Medical experts say it is possible to survive without food for up to 30 days. This is to say that there is still a limit to which one can go without eating anything as food is necessary for survival.
The secret to staying healthy and active also lies in the food we eat. Every part of the human body needs food to grow, develop and function at their best. Our foods contain essential nutrients that fight infections and keep us healthy all year round. You will then wonder why we still fall sick if our food is supposed to protect us from illnesses. Asides the risk of eating contaminated foods that can make one ill, the nutritional contents of the foods we eat differ and various parts of the body require these nutrients in certain proportions to be able to function optimally. For the benefit of this article, we will be focusing on specific nutrients that aid mind activity and peak performance of the brain.
The brain is an important part of the human body and its significance to our daily activities cannot be overlooked. The process of thinking, processing information, concentrating, interpreting emotions and many more activities are made possible by this powerful machine.
The brain consumes high amount of energy compared to the rest of the body and this makes it remarkably the most complex organ in the body. Nutrients are the building blocks for the brain's developmental processes. Some of the nutrients the brain feeds on include omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin E, Vitamin D, Vitamin B complex, Zinc, Selenium, Choline, copper, iron, Vitamin C.
Vitamin | Benefit to the Brain |
Vitamin C | Vitamin C belongs to the class of compounds called antioxidants. Basically, what antioxidants do is to help the body get rid of free radicals which have the potential to cause harm to the brain and other parts of the body. Vitamin C containing foods are useful in stress management. Citrus fruits and vegetables are highly rich in Vitamin C. |
Omega-3 fatty acids | Omega-3 fatty acids improve the intellectual and emotional ability in individuals and are useful in the management of memory conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and mood disorders. Omega-3 fatty acids are present in foods such as Fish (salmon) kiwi fruit, butternuts, chia, walnuts, flax seeds |
Choline | Choline is beneficial in preventing brain impairment. Foods like Egg yolks, soy beef, chicken, turkey, liver, lettuce are rich in Choline |
Vitamin E | Vitamin E is also an antioxidant just like Vitamin C and their functions are similar. Foods containing large amount of Vitamin E include Asparagus, avocado, nuts, olives, red palm oil, spinach, vegetable oils |
Iron | Iron enhances cognitive function (perception, attention, memory, decision making, language comprehension). Sources of iron include red meat, fish, poultry, lentils, beans. |
Zinc | Zinc (in combination with multivitamins) reduces anger and depression. Sources of Zinc include oysters, nuts, almonds, whole grains, sunflower seeds. |
Vitamin D | Vitamin D is Important for preserving cognition in the elderly (Aging is implicated in a number of disease conditions including loss of memory).Food sources rich in Vitamin D are Fish, liver, mushrooms, milk, soy milk, cereal grains. |
Selenium | Selenium improves cognitive function in adults and the elderly. Foods rich in Selenium include nuts, cereals, meat, fish, eggs. |
Copper | Copper improves cognitive ability in adults and the elderly and especially useful in the management of Alzheimer’s disease. Sources include Oysters, liver, cocoa, black pepper. |
Vitamin B complex | Supplementing with vitamins B6, B12, or folate has been shown to improve memory performance. Food sources include cheese, milk, egg, liver, kidney, chicken, red meat, fish, dark green vegetables (Spinach, Kale), Shellfish (oysters). |
Just like every goal we set for ourselves which require intentional actions, we need to also pay attention on what we feed our body because it also impacts on the brain, which is where the bulk of our activities and performance as humans develop from. If there are not enough essential nutrients in the foods you consume for the brain to use, it can result in stress, depression, impaired concentration, stroke, and age related neurodegenerative diseases.
Neurozan supplement, a product of Vitabiotics, contains these essential nutrients in adequate amounts for a healthy functioning brain. Not even a skipped daily meal should make your brain activities suffer – supplementation helps you stay on track and be at your best intellectual performance and emotional capability.
コメント