How to ADD AND REMEMBER 10 BRAIN FUELS EVERYDAY:
The Why
Use it or lose it. This well-known phrase applies to many things things. For our bodies to work well, we must fuel them well. The brain is no different. Since we are stuck with one brain for our entire life, it makes sense to give it the best fuel (nutrients). The brain uses 20% of the nutrients we consume, so what we consume is important for our brain cells to function well.
At any age, we can operate at a higher level than has ever been possible.
The How
One of the most important functions of the brain is memory. This hack teaches you to use your memory to implement these 10 brain-fuelling foods—no need for a pen and paper, or yet another list on your phone.
Tap into your child-like imagination and visually place each food item from your head to your seat (bottom). Credit to Jim Kwick.
Using the list in step 3, we’ll show you how to get these fuel foods into your life, below.
The What to do
From top to bottom
- Avocado – balance on head
- Blueberries (brainberries) up nose
- Broccoli – grows out of your mouth
- Coconut oil – in your ears
- Egg – Adam’s apple in your throat
- Leafy greens – shoulder pads
- Salmon/sardines – across your chest
- Turmeric-stained fingers
- Walnuts – in your belly button
- Dark chocolate – seat (bottom)
30 Second Micro Hack Summary:
How to add these foods into your week
Using body parts to remember these important foods means you won’t forget them during your weekly shop.
Now you need some easy ways to add them to your weekly diet. Anchor them to the food and drink that are already staples in your routine or create new routines where will they fit.
Here’s an example for each. Feel free to use what works for you.
Avocado is great for breakfast, sliced or spread on sourdough toast, perhaps with a little marmite underneath (if you’re a lover, not a hater).
Blueberries work for breakfast – add them to porridge or your overnight oats but they’re also fab in a mid-morning yogurt with some seeds and honey on top.
Broccoli is more versatile than you’d think. Perfect with eggs in an omelette or a quick micro scramble. Lots of pepper and a little feta and you have yourself a tasty, healthy breakfast or lunch.
Coconut oil is fab in coffee – a generous teaspoon will give your cuppa an extra layer of luxury. Maybe spritz over some homemade popcorn, or add this delicious oil to a smoothie.
Eggs have already been mentioned as part of a breakfast or lunch routine and a staple amongst most diets. Keep a couple of hard-boiled eggs in the fridge for those hungry moments – they work a treat to throw you off a potential fridge/crisp cupboard raid.
Leafy greens like spinach and kale are really easy to throw into all kinds of dinner dishes. Add spinach to spag bowl, chilli, pasta dishes, fresh in a salad and of course, add to those eggs in the morning. Kale is great as a snack if you dry roast. Add your fave seasoning and herbs and they’ll be a firm favourite for any film night. Move over crisps.
Salmon wouldn’t be a daily thing but try to have a weekly wild salmon night -great with Asian noodles or some sweet potatoes and cottage cheese – and perfect with some lemony broccoli, too. For the other days, sardines on toast with some slightly heated tomatoes are more satisfying than they sound, promise.
Turmeric is easy to remember if you are a curry lover. But you can also jazz up your chickpeas and potatoes by applying this colourful spice. One of the easiest ways to add this to your daily routine is first thing in the morning, just before you eat. Make your own energy boost shot. Chop up some ginger, add lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, black pepper and turmeric – give it a shake and add a splash of cold water then hot. This makes for a soothing, sippable wake-up drink.
Walnuts – add to your porridge, salad, pesto-topped salmon or just in a snack bowl each day. Also works well with grated carrot and cinnamon then added to your overnight oats
