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我們拿來填胃的食物對腦袋有影響？聽起來有點不合邏輯，但是越來越多的研究顯示像是憂郁癥、躁郁癥或是精神分裂癥等精神疾病都與你吃進的食物有關。
ω-3 脂肪酸對于幼兒大腦及視網膜的發育非常重要，孕婦若是不能充份攝取，幼兒的智力及視力發展即會受到大幅的影響，因此母親在懷孕期間所攝取的食物非常關鍵。一些動物實驗也顯示，充份攝取這類脂肪酸的幼兒，大腦的功能及智力皆有較佳的表現。人腦就像一臺機器，需要油使其能平穩運行，我們的飲食中含有過多的 ω-6 脂肪酸，卻缺少同樣重要的 ω-3 脂肪酸；ω-3 脂肪酸是神經細胞的天然保護膜，并且有助降低罹患失智癥及冠心病的機率。
大海孕育了許多有益頭腦的食物，魚類向來就是其中之一，因為魚肉中所含的 DHA (ω-3 脂肪酸之一) 有助于大腦訊號的傳遞，對于大腦細胞的運作非常重要，而且大腦灰質原本即富含這種重要的脂肪酸；因此，生長在冷水中的鮭魚、鯡魚及鱈魚等油脂豐富的魚類即是增強大腦功能的最佳選擇。海帶和碘鹽中富含的碘也對大腦很重要；牡蠣含有鋅，可刺激認知功能以及神經的運作和活動。
常見的核桃、榛果、腰果及杏仁等堅果及植物種子也經研究證實可以增強腦力及穩定情緒。從外觀來看，核桃就像是人類的大腦一樣，當中豐富的營養成分，如蛋白質、亞麻油酸、維生素 E 及維生素 B6 等，也確實非常有益神經系統健康。
其它有益大腦的營養素還包括：
---酰左旋肉堿 (Acetyl-L-Carnitine) 是原本即存在于大腦中的成分，可以保護大腦細胞并且增加大腦中的血液流量。最重要的是這種成分還可以合成神經遞質乙酰膽堿 (Acetylcholine)，有助于活化大腦細胞的粒線體以強化記憶力。
---維生素 B12 可幫助修復大腦中的神經纖維，并且減少同半胱胺酸 (Homocysteine) 在血液中的含量，避免大腦功能下降。
---維生素 E 的抗氧化作用可防止神經細胞受損。
下列天然藥草也有增強大腦的功用：
---人蔘可增加荷爾蒙的分泌量，以增強大腦功能，已經被用來治療學習障礙。
---銀杏葉可增加大腦的血液流量，并且具有抗氧化及消炎的作用。
---第六世紀開始，俗稱虎耳草的過長沙 (Bacopa) 在阿育吠陀療法就被用來增強大腦功能。
---中醫所使用的千層塔 (Hupezia Serrata) 同樣具有增強大腦功能的作用。
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Ⅰ
It's no secret that long-term diet and nutrition choices have an effect on the way we look and feel; but new studies show that nutrition can also affect the way we think. As it turns out, there really is such a thing as “food for thought.”
It may seem strange that what we put in our stomachs can have such a powerful effect on what goes on in our minds, but research is increasingly showing that emotional, mental and psychiatric disorders like depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia may more likely be the result of dietary deficiencies than genetic predispositions. The same is true of people who struggle with memory loss, have trouble learning new tasks, have Alzheimer’s disease or simply suffer from a lot of blue moods. The dietary deficiency that tends to frequently show up in these patients is a lack of omega-3 oils -- abundant fatty acids found in cold-water fish like salmon, herring and cod.
Omega-3s and brain health
The omega-3 fatty acid known as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an important ingredient for optimal brain function. Earl Mindell, RPh PhD, writes in Earl Mindell's Supplement Bible, “There's a reason why fish is known as brain food. It is a rich source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a fatty acid that is found in high concentration in the gray matter of the brain. DHA is instrumental in the function of brain cell membranes, which are important for the transmission of brain signals.” By making cell membranes more fluid, omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, improve communication between the brain cells, according to Mind Boosters author Dr. Ray Sahelia. As a result, lack of omega-3 in the body can cause a communication breakdown in the brain, which is probably the last place you'd want such a breakdown to happen.
Omega-3 fatty acids are so important to the development and proper maintenance of the brain that “some scientists even postulate that it was the ingestion of omega-3 EFAs that allowed the brain to evolve to the next stage in human development,” according to Superfoods Rx authors Steven G. Pratt and Kathy Matthews. While omega-3s were abundant in our diets before the 20th century, they are now seriously lacking. The Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing write in The Folk Remedy Encyclopedia, “Just like a machine, your brain needs oil -- in the form of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids -- to run smoothly. Unfortunately, the average diet doesn't usually contain the right balance of these fatty acids. If you eat a typical modern diet, you probably get plenty of omega-6 through corn, soybean, and other oils in processed food. But omega-3 oils, which are just as important, are often missing.”
Pregnant women need omega-3s
It may not be surprising that most red-meat-loving Americans do not get a lot a fish in their diets, and therefore are not getting enough brain-boosting omega-3. Unfortunately, since DHA is crucial in fetal brain development, that lack of omega-3 could be putting us at a mental disadvantage before we are even born.
“During pregnancy, omega-3 fatty acids are conveyed from the mother's blood to the developing fetus by way of the placenta,” writes Phyllis A. Balch in Prescription For Dietary Wellness. “They are vital for the development of the brain and retina membranes of the fetus. Thus, the amount of DHA the baby receives depends on the mother's dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids.” Depending on Mom’s diet, then, a child’s brain could be starved for omega-3 before it has any say in the matter, and research shows this could actually have a significant impact on intelligence and vision.
“Several recent studies, conducted in both animals and humans, have shown that babies who receive adequate amounts of this vital fat have better functioning brains and higher IQs,” writes Dr. Russell L. Blaylock in Health And Nutrition Secrets. “Those with low amounts of DHA demonstrate learning difficulties and visual problems.” Therefore, moms who want to brag about their kids’ intelligence could stand to add more fish to their diets.
Omega-3 fatty acids continue to be essential to infant brain development after birth, and research shows babies who are breast fed receive higher levels of the important fatty acid than those fed formula, since baby formula in the United States is not required to contain any omega-3 at all. Breast milk appears, in this case, to have major payoffs, according to Phyllis A. Balch, CNC and Dr. James F. Balch in Prescription For Nutritional Healing, who write, “Breastfed infants have been found to be more intelligent than formula-fed infants and to achieve higher academic levels in adult life.”
Omega-3s can aid mental and emotional disorders
The brain’s need for omega-3 fatty acids does not go away post-infancy. Omega-3 deficiencies in adults have been linked to various mental and emotional disorders. In fact, “some doctors even think the epidemic amounts of mental illness in modern societies can be traced back to the omega imbalance in the food supply,” according to Eat and Heal, by the Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing.
Low levels of DHA have been linked to memory loss, depression, bipolar disorder, attention deficit disorder, schizophrenia, autism and general learning difficulties or bad moods. “If you don't feed brain cell membranes enough of the right type of fat, the messages can be short-circuited and garbled. That may mean a disturbance in mood, concentration, memory, attention, and behavior,” writes Miracle Cures author Jean Carper. Depression in particular has been frequently linked to low levels of DHA, since omega-3 fatty acids help regulate mood by increasing levels of serotonin, the hormone that relieves depression.
Omega-3 may be just as important to the elderly population as it is to newborns, since diminishing omega-3 levels may be a contributing factor to stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. According to Eat and Heal, one of the possible causes of Alzheimer’s disease is beta-amyloid plaque, or clumps of protein, that accumulate in the victim's brain, and “experts believe beta-amyloid might be connected with inflammation of the brain's blood vessels.”
Since omega-3 fatty acids are known to reduce inflammation, they could also be an important key in the fight against this frightening degenerative disease, as has been suggested by research in Japan. “Japanese studies have shown that supplemental DHA sharpens memory in patients with dementia and depression and improves behavior and speech in those with Alzheimer's disease,” writes Dr. Julian Whitaker in The Memory Solution.
Omega-3 fatty acids aid in routine memory function in people without Alzheimer’s, as well. “One study found that DHA supplementation significantly decreased the number of reference memory errors and working memory errors in aged male rats and in young rats,” writes Gary Null in Power Aging.
For people who don’t like fish, omega-3 fatty acids are also available in some plant foods, like flaxseed and walnuts, but they are not as potent in these forms. Fish remains the best source of omega-3s, and diets lacking in the essential fatty acids may need supplements. “For optimal brain function, I recommend that you consume fish at least two or three times a week. If your diet does not include enough of the omega-3 fatty acids or enough fish, you could consider taking supplements of fish oils or flaxseed oil,” writes Dr. Sahelia.
So, if you are fish deficient, it’s time to wise up. After all, if eating more fish oil can help keep your brain sharp and help you hold on to those precious memories as you grow older, it seems like a smart choice to make.
Ⅱ
The brain can maintain optimum performance if care is taken with nutrition to prevent age-related memory loss. Keeping the mind active is important, especially as the brain ages. Learning a new language or skill can help keep the brain plastic. Research shows that three hours a day of mental activity, such as crossword puzzles, can help prevent senile dementia. Some foods have a special affinity to brain function.
Nutrients from the sea
Fish has been called, "brain food" for good reasons. It contains Omega-3 fatty acids that contribute to brain health. Interestingly, iodine, also from the sea, is an important nutrient used by the brain. Iodine is present in seaweed and in iodized salt. Oysters contain zinc that stimulates nerve functioning and activity, and cognitive function.
Vitamins for the brain
1. Acetyl-l-carnitine is also found in the brain. It protects your brain cells and increases blood flow in the brain. One of its important functions is to synthesize the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, which helps with memory by increasing activity of the mitochondria in brain cells. Research with acetylcholine with Alzheimer and diabetic patients showed improved brain chemistry.
2. Vitamin B12 helps repair nerve fibers in the brain. Research shows that it may also decrease the blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine, which decreases brain function.
3. Vitamin E
A nationally funded study of vitamin E showed that it protects nerve cells from damage, possibly from its antioxidant effects. The study used high doses that should be prescribed by a physician, as vitamin E can interfere with blood clotting medications.
4. Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3s are found in the fatty membranes in nerve cells in the brain. Research has shown that omega-3s can reduce dementia. The FDA has now allowed food supplements to post health claims on labels of omega-3s that state, "Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease." The recommended dose, according to the FDA, is 3 grams a day.
Herbal Brain Enhancers
1. Ginseng is an adaptogen that helps improve brain function by increasing the release of hormones. Ginseng has been used to treat those with learning disabilities.
2. Gingko Biloba: Acts as a tonic to the circulatory system by increasing blood flow to the brain, which also brings more nutrition to the brain. Several compounds of the plant are thought to provide the functions of both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to the brain. Ginkgo is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine and further research in its usefulness in brain chemistry is ongoing.
3. Bacopa is an herb used in Ayurvedic medicine to improve brain function since the 6th century.
4. Huperia serrata has been used in Chinese medicine to aid brain function. The mechanism seems to imitate that of FDA approved drugs so clinical trials are underway in the National Institute on Aging.
Proper brain nutrition can go a long way in maintaining and restoring healthy brain function.
Ⅲ
Can some foods make you smarter? Research shows that nuts and seeds just might boost your brainpower and balance your moods. That's right, everything from the most common nuts -- such as walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews and almonds -- to the more exotic seeds and nuts can clear up that "brain fog" and enable you to think clearer and be happier than you ever imagined.
Both figuratively and literally speaking, walnuts are "brain food." As Rebecca Wood points out in her "New Foods Encyclopedia," the walnut looks remarkably like the human brain. "The thin, outer green husk, which is removed before the walnuts are marketed, is likened to the scalp. The walnut's hard shell is like a skull. The thin envelope inside, with its paper-like partitions between the two halves of the nut, is like the membrane. The convoluted nut itself represents the human brain's two hemispheres." Now, you might not like to remember this resemblance while you're eating a handful of them, but you will want to remember that walnuts are made up of 15 to 20 percent protein and contain linoleic (omega-6 fatty acids) and alpha-linoleic acids (omega-3 fatty acids), vitamin E and vitamin B6, making them an excellent source of nourishment for your nervous system.
A healthy nervous system means both clearer and happier thinking, according to research. In fact, according to Readers Digest's "Fight Back with Food," under-consumption of omega-3-rich foods may actually lead to depression. The same walnuts that you can find in the baking aisle of just about any grocery store, may be able to boost your mood in a way similar to the famous antidepressant drug Prozac. Back in November 2004, NaturalNews covered the amazing antidepressant effects of omega-3 fatty acids.
As is the case with Prozac, walnuts' potential antidepressant effect pertains to serotonin, the important brain chemical that controls both your moods and your appetite. Like Prozac and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor drugs (SSRIs), walnuts may influence the human brain's serotonin levels, according to Professor James Duke's book "Anti-Aging Prescriptions." That means that you may be able to relieve the disorders commonly treated with antidepressant drugs -- insomnia, depression, overeating and other compulsive behavior -- without the dangerous side effects.
Walnuts aren't the only nut with mood-boosting omega-3s, either. Gandhi praised flax seeds as a wonder food, and many nutritionists and health food fans everywhere agree. In fact, at a recent visit to the Canyon Ranch Health Resort, flax seeds were all the rage. Guests just couldn't get enough flaxseed bread and whole flax seeds as a garnish, and with good reason. Flax seeds are an excellent source for omega-3s, making them a viable source for those who don't like to eat fish, the most common source of omega-3s.
Like walnuts, flax seeds may offer an alternative to antidepressant pharmaceuticals, which are often loaded with side effects. However, as the editors of Bottom Line Health point out in their "Uncommon Cures for Everyday Ailments," the effectiveness of walnuts or any other emotion-boosting seeds and nuts depends on the severity of your mental disorder. Furthermore, boosting your moods with nutrition should not be used as a substitute for the care of a medical specialist.
Walnuts aren't the only common nuts that can boost your moods and your brainpower. According to Professor James Duke, many varieties of seeds and nuts contain tryptophan, an important amino acid that the brain converts to serotonin. Roasted pumpkin seeds and dry sunflower seeds are an excellent source of tryptophan, making them a safe, natural way to relive mild depression and insomnia. Additionally, sunflower seeds are high in thiamine, an important B vitamin for memory and cognitive function.
While you're in the nut aisle shopping for walnuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, be sure to pick up some cashews, almonds, pecans and peanuts too. Each can improve your mental health in its own way. Cashews are high in magnesium, which can "open up" the blood vessels in your body, including those in your brain. When more oxygen-rich blood nourishes your brain, like any organ, it operates better. By providing your body with phenylalanine, adding almonds to your diet can do wonders for your mental and neurological health.
According to "Off the Shelf Natural Health: How to Use Herbs and Nutrients to Stay Well" author Mark Mayell, phenylalanine has the rare ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, where it then stimulates your brain to produce "the natural pain-killing and mood-boosting neurotransmitters dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline." Accordingly, phenylalanine-rich almonds can drastically reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease, a neurological disorder that is always debilitating and often eventually deadly. Additionally, almonds are high in riboflavin, which may boost your memory. Peanuts and pecans provide another important nutrient for optimal brain function, choline. According to "Permanent Remissions" by Robert Haas, choline aids in both memory and brain development.
When you look at our history as a species, the knowledge that some seeds and nuts may enhance brainpower and moods makes perfect sense. As "Origin Diet" author Elizabeth Somer writes, seeds and nuts were an essential part of our ancestors' diets: "Up to 65 percent of our original diets were fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, and other plants. Our ancient ancestors ate pounds of produce every day. The other 35 percent came from wild game, low in saturated fats and rich in polyunsaturated fats called the omega-3 fatty acids.
Hundreds of studies spanning decades of research show that diets based on these foods are also the ones that lower disease risk, prevent obesity, boost energy and mood, improve mental function, and slow aging." Seeds and nuts are essential to a healthy, well-functioning brain and, if they're high in omega-3, essential to the brain development of an unborn fetus and growing child. It is worth your efforts to make them part of your diet, and that of your family.
