Food for Thought

There have been many studies out there on which foods, if any help us with our day to day routines. If there wasn't then who could explain the recent outbreak of energy drinks and power shots? There are many rumors about what helps with energy and concetration but are they true?

Well, experts agree there is no "magic" food that will help you perform to the best of your abilities. Some experts say that a combination of certain foods enhance your focus while others claim that it is purely a reaction based off what the person that ingested the "super food" thinks the effects they should receive would feel like.

Whether they actually work or trick your mind into feeling more awake and perceptive isn't the point, the point is that there is some reaction even though the connection is still inconclusive. So what are the top foods or drinks that have people feeling more alert?

1. Caffeine: there is a stimulant in caffeine that increases your hear rate for a short period. Depending on how your body reacts to this stimulus you can either feel jittery or energized. One of the problems with caffiene is that if taken in large doses your body will literally overdose and be counterproductive. Recent studies show that like any drug you can build up a tolerance to caffeine. It is suggested to only be drank when necessary for it to be most effect and to help prevent "crashing" from over consumption.

2. Sugar: a large dose of sugar has been said to have short term benefits. This is more apparent in the elderly because their metabolisms are no longer as effective in breaking down sugars. Some studies have even shown a positive correlation in the elderly and memory when receiving high doses of Glucose however they noticed many variable factors so the study has not given any conclusive results.

Carbohydrates convert into sugars in your body but are not converted until two to four hours after ingested. 

3. Protein and Fish: Protein, like Carbs, is broken down in your body and used to give you energy but due to the thick mass it takes meats longer to digest.

Omega-3 in fish has been said to improve brain function in the long term. The downside is that there is a rising concern with mercury levels in fish due to pollution. You may find in the long term you are hurting yourself more than helping.

4. Herbs and Spices: There are ton's of different herbs and spices nowadays that are said to help with productivity. Here are the ones I found in multiple articles:
       a. Brahmi- Indians have used this to treat anxiety and stress. They beliebe that this herb helps to improve concentrations and helps nourish the brain. There have been scientific studies to support this claim but not very many.

       b.  Ginseng- The word "Ginseng: means "all healing" in Greek. The Chinese have used it for many years in medicine. Older studies have shown that ginseng can increase protein synthesis in the brain which helps with conentration and memory but there is no recent studies to support those findings.

        c.  Ginko Biloba- This herb is derived from one of the oldest known tree species. It has been used to treat problems with concentration and dementia. Of the three this one has the most conclusive evidence to support increasing blood flow to the brain which helps keep the cells nourished and functioning properly.

There are also reports that vitamins B, C, E, and beta-carotene can boost productivity and focus but these too are inconclusive. You can these vitamins in pill form or by eating citrus fruits or leafy veggies.

There are other factors that may contribute to your focus level before and after meals besides what foods you ingest. When you eat a heavy meal before doing an important task you will be more lethargic. Your body will require more energy to work at metabolizing your meal and you can suffer from the proverbial food coma while your body is digesting. For this reason fatty meals have shown a negative trend in the effects they have  on concentration.

One the other hand if you do not eat enough before an important task, your body will recognize the lack in sugars and you can be distracted by hunger pangs, headaches, or simply be lethargic because your body has no energy to burn to keep you going.

In children there have been similar studies with food intake. If a child ate a normal breakfast their short term memory was improved over children who did not, however if the child had eaten an exorbitant amount they were easily distracted.

In conclusion, there are many claims on food that can help with increasing brain function, but to date there is really nothing conclusive. What may work for one person may not work for another, if it works at all. Some people may feel affects while others may perceive that they are feeling effects. If you find something that works for you whether real or perceived then you are still benefiting from it.

Your brain is an awesome device. Did you know it can produce the same levels of concentration if you BELIEVE that a certain food will positively effect it? Whether that food actually increases your focus is irrelevant, if your brain believes it did, it will still have the same effect. Now THERE'S some food for thought.