By Uzo Oshogwe
Though food consumption is to basically satisfy hunger, there’s more to it. I am particularly conscious of what I eat and how I eat it; food composition, quantity, nutrient, timing and so much more. At the very least, that means lots of lean protein, oily fish, fruits and vegetables, water, complex carbohydrates, minimal white flour products and sugar.
Committing to healthy eating habits could be one of the smartest decisions one can ever make. Unfortunately, quite a number of people set fitness goals at the beginning of the year but do not go beyond the first few weeks or months. From weight control to mood improvement and overall health, the benefits are endless.
In order to keep up with the fast pace of work and family life, one must stay healthy. You have to find creative and innovative ways of preparing healthy meals and also find a reasonable balance between work and family.
In our rapidly changing, digital society, so many things fight for our attention and certain skills are required to stay abreast, relevant and be successful.
In order to perform at the very peak, mental agility is vital. What does this have to do with food really? A whole lot!
The food we eat has everything to do with our brain functions. When you spend most of the day, confronting challenging mental tasks, the brain’s nutritional demands are greater.
So I’d quickly take you through a few of the foods that often make up my diet in ensuring brain function, good health and memory.
Guacamole
I really don’t like Avocados except as guacamole. Perfectly ripe Avocados are essential for making the best guacamole.
Avocados keep blood sugar levels steady and the skin glowing. Though they are high in fat, avocados contain naturally good fats: over 75% of the fat in avocados is good fat with 5g coming from monounsaturated fat (MUFA) and 1g from polyunsaturated fat per 50g serving. Containing both vitamin K and folate, Avocados help prevent blood clots in the brain as well as help improve cognitive function, especially for memory and concentration. By the way, Avocados are sodium and cholesterol free.
Fish
The brain benefits a lot from omega-3 fatty acid and salmon, mackerel and tuna, are packed with these essential fats. Particularly needed for better memory, to build brain cell membranes, reduce brain inflammation, and promote new brain cell formation….. Think Jacket Potatoes filled with Tuna, Sweetcorn and a dollop of mayonnaise.
Veggies
Speaking of veggies…I consume what is readily available in Nigeria, Lettuce, Cabbage, Tomatoes, and Spinach. The nutritious greens are good sources of vitamin E and folate and are brain-friendly. Incorporating them into my daily diet as salads and in my hot meals.
They also contain minerals and essential nutrients with powerful antioxidant which are all great for the skin and healthy hair!
Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are good sources of vitamin E and they form a significant part of my everyday diet. This could be almonds, cashew-nuts or peanuts. I also enjoy the occasional treat of Cadbury dairy chocolate with nuts.
Water
The brain is made of 70 to 80 percent water and requires optimal hydration. Dehydration impairs our mental abilities and causes significant drop-off in energy and mood, so I like to take a minimum of two glasses of water to start my day. Research shows that even mild dehydration in men reduced vigilance, memory and increased tension, anxiety, and fatigue.
Finally, having listed some of my favorite meals, diet isn’t the only way to preserve memory. There are several other ways to increase brain functionality, prevent mental aging and reduce brain fog.
- I try to manage stress by relaxing more and not taking things way too seriously…a lot of laughter!
- Exercise daily – I do at least 60mins on the treadmill at least 5 days a week
- Minimum sugar, eradicate toxins and high doses of caffeine
- Definitely no smoking and little alcohol in my cocktails once in a while
- I am trying very hard to get enough sleep daily…. still working on it because this is very necessary for rejuvenation.
For the sake of my brain, I will imbibe the ‘Uzo Oshogwe’ way. A healthy contribution.
Dear Uzo, for ‘authenticity’, you should have used a pic of you doing the planks:-) which you do so effortlessly by the way -that I can personally attest to