Don't get neuralized!

I'd been neuralized...I was sure of it.

Neuralized...you know, where my memory had been wiped clean by looking innocently at a shiny little object held up by one of the Men in Black.  Only I don't remember looking into that flash - but then again, I had been neuralized.  

Have you ever felt like that?  Like you were sure that you should know something, but for the life of you, you just couldn't recall it?  Welcome to the wonderful world of aging.  I can accept the fact that I'm getting older...I can.  I can accept that I now have a little harder time getting up from a kneeling position...I can.  I can even accept the fact that I can no longer run without causing a great deal of pain to my knee and back. I can...I'm an aging athlete.

What I have a hard time accepting however, are those momentary losses of memory...and they are happening more frequently.  Fantastic!  Can you say Alzheimer's? 

There will be times when I simply forget the most common things...things like the names of some of our closest friends' children.  Or maybe where I put my phone - only moments after using it.  The best one to date however, is when I lost my wedding ring.  Yep.

So what can we do about this age induced neuralization?  I'm not sure that's a real word, but so what...I'm using it.

Nutrition can actually play a role in our memory.  Hang on a second...let's back up.  

Our memory is obviously controlled by our most complex organ...the brain.  Nutrition plays a significant role in brain function, as does hydration.  

Pop Quiz time!  Who can tell me what the primary fuel source is, for the brain?  The first to answer, wins a free Trigger Point Therapy kit!   Hmmm...I don't hear anyone shouting out answers, and I don't see any raised hands.  Oh well...no prize for you!

The answer is glucose.  That's right, sugar.

How many of you are currently on, or have been on some form of low-carbohydrate diet?  Yeah, I wouldn't raise my hand either.  How about this?  How many of you are on some form of diet?  Chances are, if you are on any type of restrictive diet, it's probably either some form of low-carb or carb-free diet.  

I'm not going to jump up on my pedestal, and start preaching my thoughts on those types of diets...not yet anyway.  I understand that there are a variety of medical reasons why people are on those types of diets, so I'll just leave it that...with the caveat that they are typically non-sustainable.

Diets of this nature however, have a tendency to reduce the amount of brain fuel we ingest...glucose.  If we starve our brain of it's primary fuel, how will it perform the way we desire?  

A great example of this is the Atkins Diet.  I know, I know...I said I wouldn't harp on those diets, but this is a great example of what can happen when we starve our brain of glucose.  So bear with me.

In the Atkins heyday, firefighters across the country were jumping on board, trying to capitalize on this proven method of rapidly stripping unwanted pounds of adipose tissue...fat, if you will.  This should come as a surprise to those of you reading this, as I expect most of you think of your local firefighters as athletes of sort - or at least men and women who stay in great shape.  Think again.  I am embarrassed to tell you that the U.S. Fire service has a significant number of overweight and obese...yep, obese firefighters.

The Atkins Diet was the perfect way for these people to significantly change their body composition, without having to spend tremendous amounts of effort exercising.  The exercise part never really made sense to me, and it should make you question the validity of this type of diet too.  

Okay, where were we?  Oh yeah...see, I almost forgot!

Firefighters were diving head first into the Atkins Diet, nearly consuming a carb-free diet...and of course there were those who believe if some is good, then more is better - or in this case, less is better.  By reducing their carbohydrate intake so drastically they were significantly reducing the amount of glucose being supplied to the brain...the same brain they used to make critical, life saving decisions, often times in the middle of the nigh...just moments after waking from a deep sleep.  They were being tasked to drive large, heavy fire trucks while trying to shake the brain fog.  Glucose deprived Paramedics were being required to perform drug calculations, while their brains were being starved of decision making fuels.  

This was a recipe for disaster.

As you can see, one of the ways we can prevent neuralization, so to speak, is to consume a diet that is comprised on nutrient and fiber rich carbohydrates.  As an athlete, this should be a no-brainer, as it is carbohydrate that fuels a great deal of what we do.  This doesn't mean that we should be chowing down on highly refined carbs, such as those so-called healthy multi-grain breads, which are typically nothing more than white bread dyed with brown food coloring.  These types of carbohydrates are usually devoid of nutrients, yet high in calories...I refer to these as empty calories.

In a future post I will provide you with my decision making process regarding carbohydrates, and how I deem what is worthy of what I like to call High Performance Carbs.  Of course however, you will need to check back in to read that, another day.

Alright then, any other ideas how we can keep from being zapped by the neuralizer?

How about if I told you to simply put some color into your diet...specifically, the color yellow?  Would you think I was still foggy from the effects of my last neuralization?  

You'd be wrong.

There has been a great deal of research into the health benefits provided by food...actually the color of food.  That's right, the color of food.  Since we were kids, we've heard that we need to eat our fruits and vegetables.  Our parents may not have understood why they were saying what they were saying - sure they knew that these foods were full of nutrients...they just didn't know that many of these fruits and veggies were actually superfoods.  Yep, superfoods - rich in nutrients and antioxidants that can reduce cell damage from free radicals, and even prevent various types of cancer.

Fruit and vegetables that are vibrant in color - specifically the color yellow - have been shown to have profound benefits on our brains, helping to regulate the host of chemicals that control brain function.  The most common of these chemicals are acetylcholine, epinephrine, and serotonin.

There are quite a few yellow foods available for our consumption including yellow squash, yellow peppers, yellow tomatoes, starfruit, yellow pears and golden radishes, just to name a few.  The simple addition of some yellow foods to your plate at mealtime can have a profound benefit on your brain health.

Okay, so what's next?

How about Omega 3 fatty acids?  Have you heard of them?  Do you supplement with them, or consume foods that are rich in them?

Brain cells, specifically the cells that make up the gray matter in our brain, are highly comprised of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), an essential fatty acid within the Omega 3 family.  DHA is instrumental in the function of brain cell membranes, which are important for the transmission of brain signals. DHA helps to make the brain cell membrane more fluid, thereby improving communication from one brain cell to the next.  Dr. Ray Sahliea, author of the book Mind Boosters, believes that a lack of Omega 3 EFA's (essential fatty acids) can cause a breakdown of communication within the brain, resulting in a plethora of issues such as poor short term memory, brain fog, and even Alzheimers. 

A diet that is rich in EFA's such as various types of fish, nuts and seeds, can increase improve the ratio of Omega 3 EFA's to Omega 6 EFA's...a ratio that is skewed in the typical American diet.  More on that, in another post.

While there is much more to learn about both carbohydrate and EFA's, I hope this post has provided you with some valuable insight, and ways to improve your brain function.

Add some yellow color to your plate, and increase your intake of Omega 3 fatty acids, and you will be well on your way to prevent neuralization!

Yours in Health and Performance!

John