Are you feeling sluggish and weak, if so it could be what you are eating…
Be honest here, how many times a week do you feel like your brain is in a fog, you feel like just falling asleep, or your body is crashing down around you? You may need to change your diet and start eating some foods in order to boost your productivity. Does this sound like you? If so then this article is for you.
You have probably heard the old saying, you are what you eat, correct? This is so true, especially for the folks that can relate to my first paragraph. The food that we take into our bodies plays a significant role in how your brain and body react. This also plays a significant role also with your motivation levels. If you were to change and put the correct foods in your body this could increase the sharpness of the brain, work productivity, stamina, motivation and brain functions. The WHO “World Health Organization” says that this could impact your life by almost 20 percent.
My Story
In the past year, I have taken notice of how my body reacts to the food that I put into it. I had a wakeup call about a year back stating that I was having some major health issues and if I don’t make some drastic changes to my diet I would become disabled before long. From this scare, I started to be very careful what I ate and I noticed was that my body was reacting to this change in a positive way. All in all, the foods we eat have a profound impact on our life, motivation, strength, mental stamina, and productivity.
If you take a look back on your life when you overindulged or ate a lot of process foods, or like me, ate plenty of red meat I am sure this is when you felt sluggish and your productivity dropped to the bottom.
What are some of the foods that we should be eating in order to stay charged and motivated?
Here is a list of foods that I started eating in order to make a difference in my life.
Fish
Fish is an excellent food to eat and fish is full of omega-3 fatty acids, and the fats in fish are good fats that our own bodies do not produce. The CDC reports that omega-3 fatty acids play a role in both our brain and heart health. The AMA tells us that eating fish, like lake trout, salmon, sardines, herring, and tuna twice a week is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids…
Berries
In the journal of Science Daily they report “Strong scientific evidence exists that eating blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and other berry fruits have beneficial effects on the brain and may help prevent age-related memory loss and other changes, scientists report. As for berries, the scientist also says that that darker the berry the higher the antioxidant properties are. By having this higher antioxidant property this will be more beneficial for boosting productivity.
Green Tea
When it comes to beverages that are good for your health I found that green tea to be at the top of the list. In an article that was published in Medical News Today, they report “Green tea has been hailed for many health benefits, including its effects against cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Now, new research suggests the beverage can enhance our brain’s cognitive functions, particularly the working memory.
The research team — including Prof. Christoph Beglinger and Prof. Stefan Borgwardt of the University Hospital of Basel in Switzerland — says their findings suggest that green tea could be promising in the treatment of cognitive impairments associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, such as dementia.
Chocolate and Cocoa
There has been a significant amount of research done about the neurological benefits of chocolate and cocoa for the past several years. In a Columbia University study, researchers showed that drinking a high potency cocoa flavanol drink for three months show an improved memory function. The cocoa in dark chocolate also contains antioxidants called flavonoids, which may provide several health benefits.
Dark Chocolate is not only great to eat but it can help with improving your focus. Chocolate has plenty of caffeine that helps boost your energy level and make you more productive. Dark chocolate is rich in minerals, such as iron, magnesium, and zinc. The cocoa in dark chocolate also contains antioxidants called flavonoids, which may provide several health benefits.
Nuts
Nuts over the years have been studied and research has shown that nuts are a great source of natural fat that your body needs to maintain good health. But, nuts also are full of antioxidants, vitamin E, magnesium and calcium, zinc, iron and other properties that have been reported to increase memory and brain performance.
Avocados
Avocadoes are a fantastic food to eat, not only does it taste wonderful but the health benefits are fantastic. Avocado is a very fatty food but the fat is monounsaturated fat, which contributes to healthy blood flow. “And healthy blood flow means a healthy brain,” The secret to productivity is keeping consistent blood flowing around the heart and through the brain.
Avocados are rich in stress-relieving B vitamins and heart-healthy fat that may help to lessen anxiety Vitamin B6 helps the body make several neurotransmitters, including serotonin, which influences mood. The B vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin, have positive effects on the nervous system. Deficiencies of these vitamins have been linked to increased anxiety in some people,
Asparagus
I remember when I was young our family would go out to the country and pick wild asparagus on weekends. Then my mother would bring it home, clean it and make some wonderful tasting dishes from this veggie. At the time I had no idea how great this vegetable was for the body and brain until I had to find foods that I could eat to keep myself healthy. Asparagus is full of properties that work to fight aging, and it helps our brains to fight cognitive decline.
Bananas
A simple banana a day will help to keep the brain from shrinking. Bananas are full of the B vitamins which suppress homocysteine that is linked to Alzheimer’s disease. This fruit is also full of minerals like magnesium which aid to facilitate the electrical functions of the nerves in the brain.
Eggs
Another food that is loaded with B vitamins is eggs. Again this vitamin is linked to helping suppress the issues that affect the disease called Alzheimer’s. If you are feeling sluggish in the mornings, start your day off with an egg. It has been shown that an egg a day can increase memory and speed up reaction time in adults.
Brown Rice
One of the most important aspects of brown rice is magnesium properties. Manganese is what is also a component of an antioxidant enzyme called superoxide which provides protection from free radicals produced during energy production. As reported in healthlines “brown rice is exceptionally high in manganese. This little-known mineral is vital for many important processes in the body, such as bone development, wound healing, muscle contraction metabolism, nerve function, and blood sugar regulation.
Conclusion
The foods I listed here are the ones that I tend to eat now. Before it was fast food, processed foods, and foods full of preservatives. If you are looking to boost your spunk and be more motivated and productive, take a look at your diet and maybe you need to make a change as I did.
