By Nancy Mehlert, MS

Here’s the 1-2-3 to feeding your brain:

#1 You need choline, a water soluble vitamin-like substance, essential to the brain.

Here are the foods to eat often so that you get plenty of choline for your brain:
• Vegetables – dark green veggies like swiss chard, asparagus, spinach, green peas, green beans, collard greens and bok choy. Also, cruciferous veggies such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower. Mushrooms are also a good source of choline.
• Fish – contains both choline and omega-3 oils. Sources include shrimp, scallops, tuna, salmon, sardines. Buy wild and source for sustainable.
• Meats and Eggs – pasture raised eggs, pasture raised chicken and turkey, and grass fed beef are all excellent sources of choline. You are what the animal you are eating ate, so buy good quality in which the animal consumed its natural diet.

#2 You need Omega-3 fats. They are neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory. The ones that really support your brain come from animal sources, specifically marine sources. There are Omega-3 fats in some plant foods (such as walnuts and flax), however they are not the Omegas that support and get into the brain.

So, in terms of brain health, ideal sources for Omega-3 fats include:
• Fish – especially wild-caught Alaskan salmon, anchovies, sardines, mackerel, and herring. Buy wild and source for sustainable.
• Omega-3 Fat Supplement – such as Krill Oil or Cod Liver Oil, sourced carefully for purity and quality.

#3 You need AIR – BREATHE DEEPLY – the brain demands more oxygen than any other organ in the body. If you are a shallow breather and/or don’t get much exercise, your brain is HUNGRY for oxygen. Breathe deeply often and get moving.

Eat well. Be well. Think clearly.