- How to increase IQ with a diet?
- Diet to increase IQ - what ingredients affect the level of IQ?
- What to eat to improve memory and increase IQ?
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Diet significantly affects the level of intelligence. You can see it, among others after children fed with good-quality and low-processed food. They obtained better grades at school than their peers. The relationship between diet and brain functions is a poorly researched and extremely interesting area of science, dietetics, and sometimes also psychology. Check out the diet that affects IQ levels.
Our history began nearly two million years ago. What made one of the great apes evolve? Archaeologists and scientists have no doubts about it - the diet changed, which significantly influenced the development of the brain. Species of hominids - great monkeys showing great intelligence, a tendency to adopt an upright, bipedal posture and the ability to manufacture and use tools - changed the area of residence to areas near water reservoirs, and thus began to eat foods with greater nutritional value. Fish and crustaceans contain long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Completely the same as you can find in a fish tank. The human brain is also made of these ingredients. Food particularly influenced the development of the cerebral cortex responsible, inter alia, for the development of individual features and cognitive processes (e.g. memory, thinking, language functions).
See how important this dependency is. From my dietary practice, I know that supplementing the diet with the appropriate amount of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D may cause a partial regression of symptoms of depression and prevent mood drops after the first 2 weeks of their use. Only dieting can reduce the risk of developing depression by up to 60%. It is worth knowing that depression is the most frequently diagnosed mental illness in the world. Sick people do not make full use of their intellectual abilities - they may have reduced perceptiveness, reflexes or short and long-term memory. In such cases, it is always worth taking a closer look at the diet.
How to increase IQ with a diet?
You don't get enough sleep for days. Everything is fine. You perform your daily duties, but you still feel a distinct feeling of discomfort. Slight distraction, memory problems, concentration problems. Try after a few sleepless nights where the amount of sleep wasless than 6 hours a day, take an intelligence test. I guarantee you that you will wring your hands.
The same is with food. If you eat monotonously and unhe althily for weeks, months or years, especially highly processed foods, then everything is also fine. However, the body is not fully functional. There is nowhere to get the necessary ingredients for reconstruction and regeneration, because they are not supplied with the diet.
Then you may experience chronic fatigue, weakness, mood swings, uncontrolled attacks of anger, as well as memory problems or depression. So let's take a look at the ingredients that can directly affect memory and intelligence.
- wholesome sources of protein
- fats with the above-mentioned essential fatty acids, which you will not find in a horn casserole or kebab. Sources of EFAs, especially with the right amount of omega-3 fatty acids, can be found primarily in fish, seafood and seafood products, such as sea algae. An interesting ingredient, especially in winter, is kale. In addition, omega-3s can be found in some nuts, such as walnuts, as well as chia seeds and linseed, unrefined rapeseed and linseed oil. Also milk and egg yolks and can be their source, but these varieties are bred on an industrial scale
- trace elements, especially calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, iodine, zinc, selenium
- B vitamins, especially B6 and B12, folic acid, choline
Diet to increase IQ - what ingredients affect the level of IQ?
- cholesterol
People with low cholesterol have a lower risk of heart disease, the world's leading cause of death, and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Cholesterol levels can be lowered in two ways: by diet or by using medications such as statins. However, one of the side effects of taking cholesterol-lowering medications is memory loss and distraction. On the other hand, a balanced diet has no side effects.
- creatine
Creatine is a well-known supplement used by athletes. However, it can also affect memory, which is especially noticeable among vegetarians taking creatine. A few days of supplementation with creatine monohydrate was able to improve their memory. It is worth mentioning here that in order to avoid the deterioration of cognitive functions in vegetarian and vegan diets, supplementation with cobalamin, i.e. vitamin B12, is particularly important. It is necessary for the proper functioning of the brain - it takesparticipation in the formation of the myelin sheath of neurons and the synthesis of neurotransmitters.
- caffeine
Caffeine is a substance that is usually associated with coffee. However, the same alkaloid under different names can also be found in tea (theine), yerba mate (mateina), guarana (guaranine) or cocoa, and thus - also in chocolate.
Caffeine improves concentration, focus, improves short-term memory, and affects the speed of decision making. There is no upper limit to the consumption of caffeine. However, for pregnant women, a restriction to 200 ml / g per day is recommended. This is equivalent to around 2 cups of coffee a day.
- Berries
Berries contain large amounts of antioxidants, including anthocyanins, which have a strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect. Anthocyanins show another very interesting relationship. They modulate neuronal signaling in areas of the brain responsible for memory. They make the messages sent in the brain arrive faster. An additional berry cocktail in the elderly improved their memory. Most likely, heat treatment has no effect on the antioxidant content in e.g. juice or jam, but it is better to use fresh or frozen fruit. Knowing what and when to eat, it is also important to know when not to eat. Fasting, i.e. periodic and conscious refraining from eating, is the only proven method that extends the life of organisms, including mammals.
Post has another interesting relationship. Well, reducing the caloric content of the diet by 30% (which means two days of fasting a week) significantly improves memory. Scientists explain this by lowering insulin levels and reducing inflammation. However, it is known that high blood sugar and insulin levels are toxic to the brain, disrupting its work. With that in mind, think carefully before reaching for a can of your favorite sweet drink or candy bar.
What to eat to improve memory and increase IQ?
Source: youtube.com/GastroCoach
About the authorMikołaj Choroszyński, nutritionist and gastrocoach Master of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Psycho-dietician, Youtuber. Author of the first book on the Polish market about a diet counteracting neurodegenerative diseases "MIND Diet. A Way for a Long Life". He fulfills himself professionally, running his Bdieta diet clinic, because nutrition has always been his passion. She helps her patients by telling them what to eat to stay he althy and look good.