Improving your brain can be compared to improving your physical appearance. You have to train, exercise, challenge, stay consistent and eat the right foods. For you couch potatoes, I can hear your hearts beating rapidly all ready, “that sounds like too much work!” Well, unfortunately just sitting in front of the television will not improve your physical appearance or your mental prowess. So for those of you ready to sweat, here is the mental exercise regimen to whip your brain into shape!

Over the course of several weeks I will be covering four important aspects of discipline to help those who desire to create a Mega Brain. In the following order you will learn about proper 1) Nutrition, 2) Memory Techniques 3) Brain Exercises and 4) Mood to enhance your mental performance.

How the mind processes new information:

1) Pay Attention & Focus
2) Concentrate on the Subject
3) Recovery

Have you heard the information that you are trying to store clearly? Did you give your 100% effort? These are questions that must be answered with an unwavering “YES”!

Fixate your mind on the new subject that you are trying to learn for 10 seconds. If the first 2 steps are followed you have already given yourself an excellent chance of recovering the information from your brain. I know this seems like basic common sense but you would be surprised how many people miss this step. I know I have been caught daydreaming while listening to a tape and then wonder why later, “Hey I didn’t get any of that”!

Studies have shown that the brain needs at least 8 seconds to start the process of moving information to the short to long term memory bank. Now that you have transitioned the new information from short to long term memory, you can rest assured that it is stored in that good ole trusty noggin of yours. Organizing your mental storage like a file cabinet, makes it easier for you to access the information for later.

Presented here are things to eat that support the antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, mono-unsaturated fat, fiber, vitamins and minerals that your body may need to sustain mega brainpower. The closer we get to our golden years the more it becomes essential to establish a healthy habit of eating, as many studies have shown changes in diet may prevent mental illnesses. Again, this sounds very similar to the advice you may hear to attain an overall good bill of health, which should assure you that the mind to body connection is real.

I. Nutrition

Numerous studies have led researches to believe these vitamins known as antioxidants could help protect your brain cells from free radicals which can help deteriorate your brain. Most experts recommend a range of 400-1,000mg for Vitamin E and 500-1,500 for Vitamin C.

Antioxidants Vitamins C & E Recommended doses 500-1,500mg daily

Vitamins C food sources mg per 100 gram of food portion Rose hip extracts 1000 + Blackcurrant 200 Guava up to 200 Strawberry 80 Lemon 60 Orange 50 + Kiwi Fruit 50 + Clementine 40 + Grapefruit 36 + Raspberry 30 + Lychees 30 + Nectarines 30 + Peaches 30 Mangoes 30 Peppers 70 + Spring greens 70 + Brussels sprouts 60 + Broccoli 44 Curly Kale 70 + Gourd 35 + Mange-tout peas 30 + Cauliflower 27 Tomato 20 + Green Cabbage 20 +

Recommended doses 400-1,000mg daily

Vitamin E Rich Food Sources mg per 100 gram of food portion Sunflower oil 49 Cottonseed oil 43 Safflower oils 40 Hazelnuts up to 25 Almonds 24 Wheat germ 22mg Rapeseed oil 22 Cod liver oil 20 Mayonnaise 19 corn oil 17 Soya bean oil 16 Peanut oil 15 Pine nuts 13 Popcorn 11 Samosas 10 + Peanuts 10 Margarine up to 8 Brazil Nuts 7 Marzipan 6 + Other spreads 2-6mg Sweet Potato 4.5 Walnuts 3 Egg Yolks 3 + Muesli 3mg Avocado up to 3 Flapjacks 2.8 Sponge Cake 2.4 Battenburg Cake 2.4

Mostly everyone knows what fiber is good for, but do you know that many experts believe fiber may help release toxins not just in your body, but in your brain as well? Many have claimed to feel the benefits of clearer thinking after waste release from their body.

Recommended doses 25 to 30g daily

Fiber Food Sources (based on levels per 200-Calorie serving) Corn Bran 22g Fiber Cereal 14g Wheat Bran 12g Oat bran 12g All Bran Cereal 10g Rice Bran 6g

Navy beans 19g White beans 19g Yellow beans 18g French beans 17g Adzuki beans 17g Kidney beans 16g Lentils 16g Cranberry beans 16g Pinto beans 15g Mung beans 15g Black beans 15g Lima beans 14g Garbanzo beans 12g Fava beans 9g

Omega 3 & monosaturated fats are probably one of the most known fats for your brain. This is because Omega 3 & 6 are essential building blocks for creating healthy brain cells. Obviously brain power starts with your brain cells and this is a mandatory fatty acid you will need to promote cognitive brain function.

Recommended doses 500-1,000g daily

Omega 3 fatty acid DHA food sources mg per 100 gram of food portion Eel 2100 Lamprey 2100 Tuna 1800 Mackerel 1673 Rainbow trout fillet 1251 Salmon fillet 1002 Trout 1002 Herring salted 953 Sushi with tuna, without seaweed 739 Vendace salted lake fish 708 Red fish 649 Baltic herring 529 Halibut 520 Whitefish, pollan, lavaret 493 Mussel in water 367 Egg yolk 315 Zander, pike-perch 301 Pike 217 Lutefish 216 Cod 195 Egg, quail 190 Liver 146 Flounder 133 Shrimp 122

Flax seeds

Fish Oil

Cod Liver Oil

Recommended doses 30% of your caloric intake per daily

Monounsaturated Fats (based on levels per 200-Calorie serving) Sunflower Oil 19g Hazelnut Oil 18g Macadamia nuts 17g Olive Oil 17g Canola Oil 16g Vegetable Oil 16g Olives 16g Hazelnuts 15g Margarine 16g Pecans 12g Avocados 17g Almond butter 12g Almonds 11g Cod liver oil 10g Cashew 10g Coriander spices 9g Halibut 9g Mustard seed 8g Pistachio 8g Peanut butter 8g

A few recent studies have led researches to believe that there are long term benefits of taking beta-carotene to sustain basic cognition and short term memory. Theories from numerous studies suggest that beta-carotene helps with free radical damage to the brain.

Recommended doses 15-50mg daily

Beta Carotene (based on levels per 200-Calorie serving) Peppers, hot chili 63455mcg Lettuce, cos or romaine, raw 61469mcg Lettuce, green leaf, raw 59240mcg Kale, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt 58388mcg Lettuce, red leaf, raw 56182mcg Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 54668mcg Dandelion greens 52890mcg Pokeberry shoots 52195mcg Carrots 51640mcg Spinach 51100mcg Mustard greens 50096mcg Turnip greens 45741mcg Cabbage 41200mcg Pumpkin 40836mcg Collards 37880mcg Kale 36900mcg Grape leaves 34821mcg Watercress 34802mcg Beet greens 34499mcg Cilantro leaves 34169mcg Beet greens 34000mcg Chicory greens 29827mcg Lambs quarters 29295mcg Parsley 28079mcg Basil 27323mcg

Folic acid has been embraced by the medical community for its nutrients to promote proper brain health. A B-Vitamin that is used by the body to help form new cells, the lack of this vitamin has thought to induce moodiness and extreme mental disorders.

Recommended doses 400mcg daily

Folic Acid (based on levels per 200-Calorie serving) Soy Beans 330mcg Spinach 240mcg Lentils 180mcg Sunflower 152mcg Potatoes 140mcg Enriched Ready to Eat Cereal & Bread 135mcg Asparagus 130mcg Black Eyed Peas 105mcg Carrots 100mcg Kale 100mcg Mushrooms 98mcg Collard Greens 88mcg Orange Juice 80mcg Green Beans 71mcg Endive 70mcg Cauliflower 44mcg Beets 42mcg Okra 37mcg Cabbage 25mcg Grapefruit Juice 23mcg Pineapple Juice 23mcg Peas 22mcg Tomatoes 13mcg

I’m sure you have seen Resveratrol marketed all over the Internet as the next big fat burner to take America by storm. This antioxidant found primarily in plant based fruits offers many health benefits from weight loss, healthy skin, cholesterol and the list goes on, but it also is believed to protect body and brain cells. Recent studies have suggested that patients with brain injuries were faster to recover when Resveratrol was given.

Recommended dosages 100-200mg daily

Resveratrol Blue Berries 1 cup Peanuts In moderation Cranberries 1 cup Grapes 1 cup Red Wine In moderation Honorable mentions:

Selenium A mineral known for its powerful antioxidant properties, may increase cognitive function and improve mood.Recommended doses 80-200mcg Alpha Lipoic Acid A antioxidant created by the body found in cells. Believed to offer neuro-protection in the form of battling free radicals. Recommended doses 30-200g Inositol Regulates proper cellular function. Recommended doses 12-18g

Of course there are other vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs and so forth that are marketed as brain enhancing nutrients. However, i have covered the most well-known, proven, and those richest in content. Please stay tuned for my second chapter which will cover Memory Techniques.

The Author:

Joe Easter is Co-Founder of Pascua Nutrition Labs LLC. A company responsible for the making the Worlds First & Only Complete All Natural Brain Supplement