Sunday, September 17, 2006

Boost Your Brain Power With A Balanced Diet

By Ray La Foy

Just like any other organ in your body, your brain must be properly nourished to work correctly. When it comes to the brain, however, this particular organ is especially important to feed correctly as it controls all other parts of the body. The better fed the brain, the quicker and more effective your reactions, actions and abilities will be.

Brain foods are simply those foods that contain nutrients that are vital for brain function. These include those with omega-3 fatty acids, proteins and so on. Just like every other part of your body, your brain needs fuel to keep going and going strong. The brain relies on complex sugars to keep it working right, and proteins as well.

For those who think good food must by default taste awful, think again. Some of the best brain foods are those we rely on every day to round out our diets with taste, variety and pizzazz.

Some of the best brain foods include such things as bananas, lean beef, broccoli, cheese, chicken, greens, legumes, milk, oatmeal, oranges and brown rice. Eggs, peanut butter, peas, yeast, yogurt and spinach, too, are considered great brain foods.

In general, the best brain foods are good proteins and complex carbohydrates. The brain needs a steady supply of healthy sugar to keep going all day long, but the sugar shouldnt be processed and refined. Rather, the sugars supplied by complex carbs are the best. Proteins found in meats, nuts, beans and dairy products, too, provide a great boost for the brain.

Complex sugars are better because they feed the body a steady supply of power. Simple, processed sugars give the body a boost, its true, but they can also make it crash. Ever feel really, really sleepy after lunch? Thats a crash.

If the brain isnt properly fed it will not function right. Some foods are even considered bad for mental acuity. These slow down the thought process and they can get in the way of every day function. Foods that are generally not the best for the brain include soda, alcohol, those that contain artificial sweeteners and corn syrup, high sugar foods, white bread and fats. Drugs such as nicotine, too, can cause problems for the brain.

When it comes to feeding the brain, the best thing a person can do is feed the entire body. This means eating a healthy, balanced diet. Of course, its okay to splurge once in a while, but to ensure overall better health, balance is key.

A diet rich in fruits, whole grains and cereals, vegetables, beans, dairy products and proteins is the best way to go. Be smart and balance it out. Mix up foods so you keep variety high and interest in a healthy diet even higher.

Here are some of the best brain foods for each of the major groups:

Fruits: oranges, cherries and grapefruits.

Grains: oatmeal, bran, brown rice.

Vegetables/beans: Soy, kidney and chickpeas are all fantastic brain foods.

Dairy: Milk, cheese, yogurt.

Meats: Salmon, turkey, chicken and other lean meats.

Eating right is not only good for your brain, but your entire body. Balance your diet, have fun with recipes and be smart with your choices. Brain foods arent boring.

#1 Resource

Healthy foods.

http://www.healthyfoodlist.com/

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

The Power of Brainwaves







WHAT ARE BRAINWAVES?

Every moment of your life your brain is active. It is pulsing with electrical impulses; you heard that right, electricity! The electricity or electrical current generated by the brain can be measured with an electroencephalogram (EEG), which measures the frequency of the electrical current. This frequency or speed of the brainwave is measured in Hertz(HZ).

Now here is the really cool part. These frequencies can be associated with your state of mind at any particular moment. This means that your state of mind, for example being relaxed, frightened, or sleepy...can be "seen" in your brainwave frequencies. The speed of the frequency allows us to categorize our brainwaves into four broad categories.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT BRAINWAVE PATTERNS?

There are four common brainwave patterns that have been well researched and documented. They are:

BETA WAVES - 14Hz to 20Hz. Beta waves are associated with normal waking consciousness. They are present when you are focused on activities in the outside world.

ALPHA WAVES - 8Hz to 13Hz. Alpha waves are likened to a light meditation. They are prevalent when you daydream. They will become stronger when your eyes are closed.

THETA WAVES - 4Hz to 7Hz. Theta waves occur during heightened states of creativity and are found with a deep meditative state.

DELTA WAVES - .5Hz to 3Hz. Delta waves are found in a deep sleep state or unconsciousness. Also, Delta waves are common in very deep meditation.

FOCUS, CREATIVITY AND CONCENTRATION - THE ALPHA CONNECTION

A predominance of Alpha waves in the brain is associated with accelerated learning, focus and enhanced creativity. When you are focus on something, there is a predominance of Alpha waves. No matter what your profession or hobby, these attributes will increase your productivity and enhance your experience.

FINDING THE HIGHER SELF - THE THETA CONNECTION

A deep meditative state is true bliss. Increase your Theta waves and you are on your way to this state. In the Theta state you can lose your attachment to the physical body. You will feel a deep sense of physical relaxation. This disconnect of mind and body allows you to focus on the inner you, the higher self. This is the ideal state to begin your journey into meditation.

SLEEP AND MORE - THE DELTA CONNECTION

A Delta state has long been associated with sleep. If you have trouble sleeping, the CDs targeting this range will help immensely. Having a CD that targets the Delta brainwaves will allow you to enter a deep sleep state easily. It will be time to say goodbye to insomnia!

Recently there has also been some research that suggests that an even deeper meditative state can occur during predominate Delta wave activity. As you gain experience and comfort with meditation, you may want to try reaching a Delta state during meditation.