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| Functions of the Brain &
Food Ahmet F.Yuksel & Dr. Işıl Yurdaışık Our brain spends twenty percent of the
energy that comes from the food we eat, even though it constitutes only a
small part of our body. Like the gasoline in the fuel tank of the car,
food is necessary for performing the motor and sensory functions.
Certain kinds of food strengthen our perceptive ability and
efficiency, increase our speed of thinking and enable us to be more
careful. According to their
fields of influence the below suggested foods should be the pivot in our
diet. MEMORY CARROT: Strengthens the memory, because it
activates the metabolism of the brain. While you are trying to memorise
something try to eat a small plate of carrot salad dressed with oil. PINEAPPLE: This is a fruit that the actors
and actresses in the theatre and the musicians need. It contains high
amounts of vitamin C that is necessary for memorising a long text. It also
contains manganese that is another important element. AVOCADO: This is for the memory in the short term. It contains plenty of fatty acids. Eating a half avocado would be enough. HAPPINESS RED PEPPER:
The hotter, the better. The aromatic substances activate the body
to excrete endorphin, the hormone for happiness. The best thing would be
to eat them as raw. STRAWBERRY: It abolishes the stress. The
fiber contents give happiness. The doze to be taken should be at least 200
grams. BANANA: Its secret is the serotonin… Our brain needs this substance in order to be happy. LEARNING CABBAGE: As it slows down the activity of
the thyroid glands, there is a decrease in nervousness. One can learn more
easily by coping with lesser stress. LEMON:
Due to the vitamin C that it has, it makes one lively and increases
the perceptive ability. BUTCHER’S BROOM: This is an ideal fruit for long term learning. It makes the brain to be fed with more blood. ATTENTION SHRIMP: This is a food especially for the
brain. It supplies the body with the omega 3 fatty acids and extends the
period of paying careful attention. ONION: It can be used against extreme
depreciation and physical fatigue. It dilutes the blood and the brain
receives the oxygen in a much better way. NUTS, WALNUT, PISTACHIO, PEANUT: They strengthen the nerves during the conferences, in the long journeys by the car as well as activating the formation of the substances necessary for receiving the information. CREATIVITY GINGER: The substances that it contains
enable the brain to produce new ideas. As the blood becomes more dilute it
can flow much more easily in the body and the brain is fed by oxygen. CUMIN: All of a sudden, it brings an idea to one’s mind. The evaporating oils that it contains stimulate the nervous system for creative thinking. Those who need suddenly an idea or to find out something should drink a cup of cumin tea (prepared by two dessert spoons of cumin). AGAINST STRESS What do we do when we are tense? We drink a cup of coffee or cola. If this is not enough we eat chocolates or hamburgers. In this way we undergo much more stress. The lack of nutritious substances and high amounts of caffeine and sugar makes one nervous. Moreover, they weaken the defense system of the body and its resistance. Having a correct diet would help us
overcome the periods of stress. Correcting our wrong habits would be
enough for achieving this purpose. 1.Do not go out without having breakfast.
In the mornings our energy tank is empty, the brain does not have any
fuel. This is the reason why in the mornings when we come out of bed we
are rather sensitive, nervous and careless. No wonder that it is so. In a
research conducted over the school children, it has been found out that
those who had a good breakfast were more efficient. The right combination
in the breakfast would be carbohydrates and proteins. 2.Decrease your coffee intake. In the
mornings having one or two cups of coffee would help us to come out of
that sleepy state. However, if it
is consumed more, then it will cause palpitation of the heart, uneasiness
and later it will lead to
insomnia. In sensitive people it leads to fear and anxiety. The soft
drinks with cola also contain caffeine. 3.Eat fruits instead of chocolates. We have
nothing to say for a piece of chocolate that is being eaten once in a
while. However, high quantities of sugar upset the blood sugar. The level
of blood sugar
increases first and then decreases rapidly. This leads to fatigue and a
desire for sweets. On the other hand fruits, bran and rye products are
turned into energy more slowly by the organism without upsetting the
balance of the blood sugar. 4.Have snacks frequently. The fatty foods
in big portions effect the body like a sleeping pill. Too much fat weakens
the immune system. However, a few bites of something eaten frequently in a
day helps to keep the energy level constant. 5.The negative effects of alcohol. Too much
alcohol will make itself felt the following morning not by headaches, but
by making you forgetful and careless. 6.The food for the nerves.
The most important anti-stress minerals are calcium (found in dairy
products, green vegetables) and magnesium (found in bran, rye, beans, the
sunflower seeds). The group consisting of all kinds of
vitamin B is named at the same time as the vitamin group for the nerves. They can be found in meat, fish, in bran and rye products and
vegetables that have a dark green colour. You should always keep in mind that stress
increases your need for vitamins and minerals. The strategy for overcoming
this need is to have considerable amounts of anti-oxidants; in other words
taking the vitamins C, E, beta-carotene and selenium. Practically this can be done by eating five
times per day small portions of fruits and vegetables and eating everyday
salad with olive oil dressing, oatmeal, or bread made of bran or rye. Selenium is also found in fish as well as bran and rye. When you go through the above list, you
will see that with such kind of a diet you won’t be having any problems
with your kilos. Even if it looks difficult to keep with
what has been defined above, to get rid of our habits, to change our
tastes and to arrange the conditions, we should do whatever we can
‘’for ourselves’’… Come on, start from today! Source: http://afyuksel.com |