Brain Hacks

Your body needs minerals such as cobalt, fluoride, and iodine to function well. Al- though they make up only about 4 percent of the body, minerals are crucial to good brain functioning. You get minerals only from food (your body can’t make them), so you need to eat a diet rich in minerals. While it is well known that you need certain minerals such as calcium, potassium, and phosphorus—and don’t forget the iron!—of the thousands of known minerals, scientists aren’t completely sure how many of them are necessary for good health. That’s because your body needs only trace amounts of some minerals, and not every single one of the thou- sands we know about have been studied for their effect on the human body. 

We do know you need trace minerals like the hard-to-pronounce molybdenum. Even though the amount needed is small—most trace minerals are measured in micro grams (mcg)—they are still very important to proper health. There are no recommended dietary allowances (RDAs), dietary reference intakes (DRIs), or safe and adequate ranges set for these minerals because not enough is known about what the body requires for proper health and functioning. A healthy, varied, and balanced diet is the best way to ensure you consume safe and adequate amounts of trace minerals. 

Several recent studies have shown that vinpocetine, a health supplement that originates from the periwinkle plant, can provide a significant boost to memory and concentration. A recent study published in the Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research included patients with cognitive impairment. It showed that taking a 5 milligram dose twice a day for twelve weeks was enough to improve memory and concentration. Like other highly effective brain supplements, vinpocetine is able to cross the blood-brain barrier, allowing it to directly affect the brain, leading to improved cognition. Vinpocetine is so beneficial because it acts in a few different ways. It has anti-inflammatory qualities, which can help improve the function of the mind and body, and its antioxidant properties and vasodilating effects (widening of blood vessels) are likely responsible for the improvement in cognition. Neu-roimaging studies have shown an increase in cerebral blood flow, which is especially important for those that have cerebrovascular disease. Vinpocetine is avail- able as a supplement by itself, but many companies mix vinpocetine with other compounds for an increased effect.

While studying the effects of different types of exercise on the brain, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and other institutions found that the participants who danced for one-hour sessions three times a week showed an improvement in some of the white matter of their brains (namely, the fornix, the part that controls processing speed and memory), while the participants who did a walking or stretching regimen showed the white matter degeneration that is characteristic of aging. Dance has proven so effective at helping the brain that it is now being used to treat people with Parkinson’s. In the past decade, researchers have become more interested in why dance is so beneficial to the brain. They theorize that music stimulates the reward centers of the brain, making you feel good and reducing stress, while the physical movements activate sensory and motor parts of the brain (among other parts). Overall, then, dance involves much of the brain, helping improve brain health as it strengthens memory and the connections be- tween nerve cells. One study showed that of a number of physical activities such as golf and swimming only dance actually decreased the risk of dementia. So dust off your dancing shoes and hit the floor. 

Zinc aids the brain as part of a metabolic process that eliminates harmful free radicals. It also strengthens neuronal membranes for greater protection and helps get rid of lead, which can enter the brain by way of automobile exhaust and other sources and adversely affect mental function. Zinc is part of the molecular structure of dozens of important enzymes. It is a component of the insulin that regulates your energy supply, and it works with red blood cells to transport waste carbon dioxide from body tissue to the lungs, where it is expelled. Zinc is also vital to the production of the RNA and DNA that oversee the division, growth, and repair of the body’s cells, including brain cells. Dietary sources of zinc include beef, her- ring, seafood, pork, poultry, milk, soybeans, and whole grains. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for zinc is 15 milligrams, not to exceed 40 milligrams per day, for adults over eighteen years of age. Women who are pregnant may want to take an additional 5 milligrams of zinc daily, and women who are breastfeeding should take an extra 10 milligrams daily. 

The word breakfast describes exactly what it does: breaks a fast. After a good night’s rest, your body has gone eight to twelve hours without food or energy. Blood sugar, or glucose, which comes from the breakdown of food in the body, is your body’s main source of energy. Eating food provides your body with a fresh supply of blood glucose or energy. The brain in particular needs a fresh supply of glucose each day because that is its main source of energy. (The brain does not store glucose.) Eating breakfast is associated with being more productive and efficient in the morning hours. Breakfast eaters tend to experience better concentration, problem-solving ability, strength, and endurance. Your muscles also rely on a fresh supply of blood glucose for physical activity throughout the day.

If you’re worried that eating breakfast might make you gain weight, rest assured the opposite is true. Eating a good healthy breakfast can help regulate your appetite throughout the day. Breakfast can help you eat in moderation at lunch and dinner. Also, research indicates that a high-fiber, low-fat breakfast may make a major contribution to a total reduced fat intake for the day. If you have a hard time facing food first thing in the morning, start with eating a light breakfast, such as a piece of whole-grain toast or fruit. Then pack a breakfast or snack to take with you so you can eat once you do get hungry. Here are a few healthy suggestions:  

• Cold cereal with fruit and skim milk 

• Yogurt with fruit or low-fat granola cereal 

• Peanut butter on a whole-wheat bagel and orange juice 

• Bran muffin and a banana 

• Instant oatmeal with raisins or berries 

• Breakfast smoothie (blend fruit and skim milk) 

• Hard-boiled egg and grapefruit juice 

• Cottage cheese and peaches 

Amino acids—organic compounds that help the body make proteins—are essential to human metabolism. Though amino acids don’t receive nearly as much attention in nutrition discussions as vitamins and minerals, you need them just as much to stay healthy—particularly for brain function. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most important amino acids in terms of maintaining mental acuity:  

• Arginine. This amino acid is partially converted into a chemical known asspermine, which is believed to help the brain process memory. Low levels of spermine often signal age-related memory loss.

• Choline. The brain uses this amino acid to manufacture a memory-related neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Older people are encouraged to take choline supplements because as we age we tend to produce less acetyl- choline, putting us at greater risk of memory impairment. Dietary sources of choline include cabbage, cauliflower, eggs, peanuts, and lecithin. 

• Glutamine. This amino acid is a precursor of a calming neurotransmitter known as GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). It also helps improve clarity of thought and boosts alertness by assisting in the manufacture of glutamic acid, a compound known for its ability to eliminate metabolic wastes in the brain.

• Methionine. Like glutamine, this amino acid helps cleanse the brain of dam- aging metabolic wastes. It is an effective antioxidant and helps reduce brain levels of dangerous heavy metals such as mercury. 

Singing has long been connected to intelligence, creativity, emotion, and memory, according to Daniel G. Amen, author of Making a Good Brain Great. It has been proven that singing information or attaching a melody or jingle to it helps you retain the information. “Singing stimulates temporal lobe function, an area of the brain heavily involved in memory,” Dr. Amen reports. If you can’t sing, try humming, which also provides a positive difference in mood and memory. Dr. Amen says, “As the sound activates your brain, you will feel more alive and your brain will feel more tuned in to the moment.” 

Recent research shows that singing both calms you down and makes you feel happier, as it releases feel-good neurotransmitters. And it is known that people retain memories related to singing even when dementia has crippled other parts of the brain. Some reports suggest that people who sing frequently are more emotion- ally stable, have better working memory, and process information more efficiently than non singers. Break out the karaoke machine and boost your brain health. 

Creativity goes beyond the typical uses of the brain for thinking and gathering and assimilating information. Creativity is what happens when you relax and allow your brain to birth new thoughts, new ways of seeing, or new ways of doing. Despite all the talk about the right side of the brain being the creative side, the beauty of creativity is that it uses your whole brain. When your brain is in what researchers call the “imagination network” many regions of your brain are engaged. In addition to helping strengthen your brain, being creative is a stress-reliever. People who are considered creative tend to be happier and report greater life satisfaction. So challenge your brain by releasing it from its humdrum tasks so that it can work its imaginative magic. 

Fruits are loaded with many essential nutrients. Eating different fruits ensures a better intake of all the nutrients, such as trace minerals, that they provide. But sometimes keeping lots of fresh fruits on hand means that some will go bad before you get a chance to eat them. The solution? Dried fruits! These tasty treats are available all year long, and they are easy to carry with you for quick snacks when your brain and body are feeling sluggish. Try as many colors and types as you can for variety, such as prunes, figs, apricots, raisins, cherries, and mango. Just remember that because the water content has been removed, the serving size for dried fruit is roughly 75 percent of the serving size for fresh fruit, making it easy to accidentally overindulge. Always choose dried fruits with no added sugar, and look for sulfur or sulfide free varieties. Although the FDA has deemed small amounts of sulfur dioxide, which is used as a preservative in some dried fruits, safe to consume, those who are sensitive to it may experience breathing problems as a result.

Once known as “the gold of the Incas,” quinoa is a complete protein that includes all nine essential amino acids, which makes it an excellent choice for anyone concerned about a healthy brain. Quinoa has extra high amounts of the amino acid ly- sine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. It may also play an important role in regulating anxiety. As a whole grain, quinoa has been associated with higher levels of brain function. 

Quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as magnesium, iron, cop- per, phosphorus, and the B vitamins, especially folate, another essential nutrient needed for the formation and development of new and normal body tissue (your body must acquire folate from foods and supplements). Quinoa also provides riboflavin, or B2, which is necessary for the proper production of cellular energy in your body. For such a small “grain” (it’s technically a seed) quinoa provides a whole lot of nutrients.