Diet Tips for a Healthy Brain and Positive Mood

Many experts point out the link between the foods you eat and your brain’s ability to function at an optimal level. Certain foods – or a lack of certain foods – can have a significant impact on your mood as well, so it’s essential that you get the nutrients your brain and body need from a variety of foods on a daily basis. If you’re like many dieters, you may have made the mistake of eliminating certain foods from your daily diet and could be suffering from low energy levels, poor concentration, or a negative mood as a result. Making a few diet tweaks could be all it really takes to get yourself on a healthy track and give your brain and mood a boost.

Here are some essential diet tips for a healthy brain and positive mood:

• Eat more healthy carbs. Carbohydrates from food are digested and broken down into glucose, the sugar your brain needs for energy and optimal functioning. Maintaining a very low-carb diet for an extended period of time can take its toll on focus and concentration. Make sure you’re eating foods such as small amounts of dried fruit, fresh fruit, whole grains, starchy vegetables, and lentils on a regular basis for healthy brain function.
  
  
• Add omega-3 fats to your diet. If you’ve eliminated all types of fat from your diet, you may be putting yourself at risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease later in life. Omega-3s are the healthy fats your body and mind need for optimal functioning. Make sure you’re eating some type of fatty fish a few times a week, or taking omega-3 supplements every day.
  
  
• Take a vitamin D supplement. Vitamin D is needed by every cell in the body and is also necessary for optimal brain function. Fatty fish is a good source of vitamin D but you can also get it from the sun or from supplements.