Foods to fuel your brain

Always rushed off your feet? Struggling to keep up with work and a jam-packed social calendar? Feeling like there aren't enough hours in the day? If either of these sound familiar, then keep reading as we’ve got some tips to ensure that you are physically and mentally ready to tackle everything that’s thrown your way! 

We believe that it has never been so important to nourish our brains. Most of us know how to keep our bodies healthy, but how many of us make conscious choices to keep our brains healthy?

BEST WAYS TO FEED OUR BRAINS!

Most of us don’t realise how much energy our brain uses. It's behind every thought, movement and physiological process in our body and uses 20% of our daily intake. With this in mind, it's pretty important that we feed one of our most vital organs with the best fuel possible. It's not only the food that we eat that is important for brain health, but hydration is also key. Dehydration directly affects our brain, with physical symptoms displayed as fatigue, headaches and perhaps the too well known, ‘brain fog’. In order to avoid dehydration, keep sipping water throughout the day. Herbal tea is also a great way to increase your daily intake or one of our old favourites, citrus-infused water (berries and cucumber are also great options!).

OUR TOP BRAIN BOOSTING FOODS
So which foods are the most brain-friendly I hear you ask? Well, a varied, balanced diet is essential. Eating a rainbow of colourful fruits and veggies, plenty of whole grains with a little lean meat and oily fish will fuel your brain perfectly. Studies show that it’s the neuroprotective phytochemicals (a fancy name for nutrients produced by plants) that are widely under-consumed that have the most beneficial impact on the health of our brain. There are some more specific foods that have been shown to help keep our brains in fighting form, so let’s break them down. 

BERRIES

Berries are nutritional powerhouses, quite literally! A single dose of berries really packs a punch and can help to improve a number of different aspects of our health. They are high in flavonoids, particularly anthocyanins, a compound that various studies have shown to enhance cognition, making them importance when it comes to brain health. What's great is that berries are accessible and extremely versatile! Include them as a topping on your porridge, with yoghurt or our personal favourite, blended up in a smoothie! 

WALNUTS

Walnuts are packed with numerous phytochemicals, which include polyunsaturated fatty-acids (PUFAs), known to be great for our brain health. Evidence suggests that the polyphenols found in walnuts are responsible for the reduction of inflammation and oxidative stress on brain cells, which is linked closely with cognitive decline. It’s an easy one to remember as they look brain-like when you open the shell.  Vegan or Vegetarian? These are a great snack to stock up on as they're a super source of plant-based PUFAs.

OILY FISH 

A study found that omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in maintaining cognitive function. It is thought that it can improve cognition by reducing inflammation, boost beneficial effects on neuronal function as well as reducing oxidation and cell death. Our favourite sources of oily fish include salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring.

LINK'S BRAIN FOOD - OUR BLEND

Even when including all of these brain-boosting foods, sometimes we may need a little helping hand. Our Brain Food complex is specifically designed to help you out when you need it most. With the nourishing micronutrients, herbal ingredients and of course mushrooms, our unique blend is your one-stop-shop for a brain boost! Let’s get down to business and talk about a couple of our favourite ingredients… 

• Turmeric Root Powder - Turmeric is the holy grail when it comes to anti-inflammatory properties and we just can’t get enough! We’ve included it our Brain Food blend as it’s been shown to reduce inflammation which is vital for brain health. Our brain food complex will give you your daily dose of turmeric, your welcome… 

• Bacopa Monnieri - Used traditionally for its beneficial effects against memory loss, it really packs a punch in our Brain Food complex. Evidence suggests that bacopa monnieri is cognitive enhancer as well as a neuroprotectant making it the perfect addition to our supplement. 

• Lions Mane - An adaptogenic mushroom with research linking its beneficial properties to improvement in cognition and the reduction of cognitive decline. Its adaptogenic properties make it the perfect fit for our Brain Food complex giving you the flexibility and mental boost to face the demands of modern life, sounds good right?  

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