Nutrition Solutions - Brain Power!

It's back to school time! What a great time to make sure you're feeding your brain properly so that you're the class genius (even if it's been years since you set foot in a classroom). Not only will your brain function at its max, you may reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease too.

A healthy brain diet is full of nutrients like healthy fats, antioxidants, good quality carbohydrates and plenty of water. And don't forget the chocolate! What I like about this list is that every single entry is healthy in other ways, including being good for your heart, anti-inflammatory and great for weight management. Let's take a closer look.

A healthy brain starts with healthy cells. About 40 percent of the fatty acids in brain cell membranes are DHA, one of the main omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil. This makes fatty fish like wild salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel and sardines excellent choices. A Tufts University study found that people who ate fish 3 times per week and had the highest levels of DHA in their blood had a 39 percent lower risk of Alzheimer's. Due to mercury concerns, limit albacore tuna intake to no more than 6 ounces per week, but indulge in the others.

Eat your veggies, especially the leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. These seem to have the most impact on brain health. A Harvard Medical School study of more than 13,000 women found that those who ate the most of these types of vegetables lowered their brain age by 1 to 2 years.

Have some more healthy fats, especially avocado, oils like olive oil, nuts, and seeds. These foods are high in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant that can significantly lower your risk of developing Alzheimer's. Your best bet is to eat these foods rather than take supplements. This is good advice in general; the body prefers nutrients from Mother Nature rather than from a lab.

Spice things up with curcumin, one of curry's main ingredients. Before you dismiss this because you don't like curry, consider this: curcumin has been proven in animal studies to clear the brain of Alzheimer's-causing amyloid plaques. Give curry another chance, or try sprinkling plain curcumin in soups, on roasted vegetables, and in salad dressings to get the benefits.

Did you know that glucose is your brain's favorite fuel? That means if you're cutting down on carbohydrates to lose weight, you're depriving your brain of what it really needs. If you've ever followed a carb-restricted diet and felt irritable and unable to concentrate, that's your brain telling you to eat some whole grains. We love whole grains such as whole wheat, brown rice, and oatmeal for a variety of reasons, especially because they keep your blood glucose levels steady. Keeping the levels steady makes sure your brain doesn't get cranky.

Your brain has a sweet tooth. The antioxidant properties of flavonoids found in dark chocolate (at least 70 percent cocoa) also help keep your brain cells healthy. Sadly, this doesn't give us free reign to eat as much as we want; the calories would quickly outweigh the health benefits. Stick to 100 calories of dark chocolate as a treat.

Our bodies are about 60 percent water. Our brains are about 75 percent water -- so drink your water! You can be dehydrated even if you're not trekking across the desert. And that translates to headaches, fuzzy-headedness and an inability to concentrate. If you feel like this, down a big glass of water.

Treat your brain to dinner tonight with some wild salmon, roasted vegetables, brown rice pilaf and a little chocolate for dessert. For recipe ideas, check out LisaCorradoNutrition.com.