Lisa's Blog

Do you want to stay focused?  Do you want a sharp mind?  Do you want a good memory? Check out the easy tips below to look after your brain... (p.s. these tips will also give you more energy!!!) For those of you that attended the function on Monday:  Good for you!  You now know 5 ways to keep your brain young and focused, thanks for being in the audience!  I would LOVE to hear how you are going implementing the 5 keys.  If you haven't started yet, I would love to help you to get started! So I thought I would write a quick reminder for you!  Number 1: Remember to breath! This brought a laugh from a few of you.  It is SO obvious, isn't it?!  yet most of us only breath using 20-30% of our breathing capacity!  Oxygen is a vital "nutrient" for our bodies, it is an essential ingredient in the process of getting energy out of food, and it is absolutely vital for the health of our brain.  We can survive without food for weeks, water for days but without oxygen for a few minutes we would die! How to breath properly: Breath into your stomach, put your 3 fingers above your belly button and breath in so that you can feel your "tummy" expand and your fingers move outwards, breath out slowly and feel your "tummy" move inwards.  Be aware of your breath as you inhale and exhale, but don't force it.  Breath in and then breath out.  Whenever you are feeling stressed or tense, REMEMBER to stop and breath!  By bringing your attention to your breath, you will immediately feel calmer and you will oxygenate the brain for clarity. Number 2:  Control your blood sugar! This is vital for concentration, focus, clarity of mind, attention and sustained energy.  The best ways to do this are:

• Always eat breakfast
• Eat small regular meals
• Combine protein and carbohydrates at meal times
• Choose whole grain or low GI/GL foods and limit refined carbohydrates and sugary foods
• Limit stimulants

Number 3:  Fat Your brain is made up of fat!  It needs fat to function!  The best fats are:

• Fish oils such as sardines, salmon, tuna
• Seeds and nuts
• Cold pressed oils such as olive oil or flax seed oil
• Avocado

Avoid: hydrogenated and trans fats and limit saturated animal fats (like cream, butter, cheese, fat on meat) Number 4: B Vitamins B vitamins are super essential for the brain, they are necessary for nerve production, stress reduction, memory, sleep, appetite, metabolism and especially with regards to the brain for breaking down homocysteine. High levels of homocysteine have been strongly associated with alzheimers disease risk.  B vitamins help to break this down into important substances used by the body. You get B vitamins in green leafy vegetables, grains, meat, chicken.   Just remember they are water soluble so the way you prepare food can affect your intake, e.g. if you overboil your broccoli or leave it to sit in the water after its cooked, the B vitamins will be dissolved in the water and will no longer be concentrated in the broccoli.  Quick cook and strain immediately or steam your veggies for maximum Bs. If in doubt, take a B complex supplement. Remember there are many things you can do to keep your brain alert and healthy, there are just 4 ways to get started. Number 5 and most importantly! Check out Lisa live giving you Point number 5, the most important tip! So Get Started today, be vital and love your brain!  ... But only if you want to Remember and Be remembered! I do!