Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life

Introduction

The first section of the book introduces the fundamental connection between nutrition and brain health. It is going to present writings published since the release of the London 2012 Olympics. In this period, it is suggested that the most dramatic change witnessed—not just across society as a whole, but also within family units—has been the way these families are fed.

To better assess the changes, various diets are defined, including paleo, primal, ketogenic, Mediterranean, vegetarian, vegan, and standard American diet 1. Each of these dietary patterns has a different effect on biochemistry and metabolism and will affect physical health, cognitive function, and mental well-being.

On the basis of this foundation, it is going to shift the focus from global epidemiology to personal case studies. To establish the basis for this view, it intends to demonstrate that the very thing being put onto this plate three times a day has a profound effect on cognitive performance, mood, behavior, productivity, levels of anxiety, irritability, and even aggressiveness 2. The goal is to demonstrate the immense importance of food and dietary choices as they relate to brain health.

2. Key Nutrients for Brain Health

In order to protect, nourish, and optimize brain health, certain nutrients are of utmost importance. The first category includes what can broadly be described as the good fats. These include polyunsaturated fats that are essential to the brain’s structure and overall health, along with certain saturated fats that also play a key structural role.

The second nutrient category is made up of molecules that protect the brain from informatic insults and toxicity, including a powerful antioxidant, a natural flavonoid, vitamin E, and a polyphenolic compound found in cocoa. Next up are three nutrients that build a piping system for optimal communication between far-flung regions of the brain. B vitamins—particularly B6, B9 (folate), and B12—are crucial for the synthesis of neurotransmitters and for an important pathway for the creation of myelin, the fat-based insulating sheath that protects axons.

Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA, protect cerebral blood vessels and promote the growth of new blood vessels in brain regions that drive learning and long-term memory retention. Finally, choline supports the synthesis of the neuromodulator acetylcholine, involved in attention, perception, and learning.

The next three nutrients are fundamentally important for the brain’s energy metabolism. Iron and magnesium help to produce ATP—the energy currency of the body and brain—while mitochondrial cofactors like CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) help produce ATP in the mitochondria, essential energy-producing organelles found in nearly all cells, including neurons. Similarly, vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), and B3 (niacin) are important components of all the enzymes involved in the brain’s utilization of glucose, the main energy source for the brain 3.

2.1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Among the factors identified by the best available science, one of the most significant for brain health is Omega-3 fatty acids. Together with the beneficial vitamins, polyphenols, antioxidants, and other compounds described in this book, omega-3s play an important role in health and brain function.

LCPUFAs (long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids), especially omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and omega-6 arachidonic acid (AA), are abundant in phospholipids of brain membranes and account for approximately 30% of total brain lipids. Omega-3s in the diet also lower neuronal inflammation.

Canadian researchers using flaxseed oil showed that adding omega-3 or omega-3 and omega-6 made rats resistant to stress-induced deficits in cognitive performance, inhibited noradrenaline and serotonin release, preserved BDNF levels, and inhibited the rise in 5-HT turnover and cortisol levels.

DHA plays an important role in the assembly and maintenance of membranes in the nervous system. It improves synaptic transmission in aging rats and promotes axonal growth in embryonic rats in vitro 4. It stabilizes the interaction of G-protein-coupled receptors with a wide range of transduction proteins, such as phospholipase C, channels, and cyclases.

DHA has positive effects on both the synaptic and vascular sides of the neurovascular couplings, enhancing the activity of astrocytes. Omega-3 PUFA is involved in the release of neurotrophins, promoting synaptic plasticity and long-term potentiation. Omega-3 supplementation improves cognitive performance and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in aged rats.

The recognition of the importance of dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake for brain protection and cognitive function is reviewed in detail 5. There are two major sources of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet: plants, nuts, and seeds that contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and marine fish and algae that contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and DHA.

Crescentic wild-type rats showed a marked reduction in the heart DHA-to-ALA ratio despite increased intake of oils. Long-term feeding of test oils affected the incorporation of omega-3 fatty acids into the tissues of rats, hamsters, and mice. Increasing doses of silomastin from 25 to 50 mg/kg/day decreased the plasma concentrations of EPA and DHA in the phospholipid fraction and reduced the EPA content in the phospholipids of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity.

2.2. Antioxidants

The role of food antioxidants, benefits of functional foods, and influence of feeding habits on the health of the older person is discussed. The importance of brain function in relation to diet is emphasized; particularly relevant to food selection and dietary consumption by the older person.

The effects of brain metabolism, such as glucose and energy metabolism in relation to a number of aging and neurodegenerative disorders are mentioned.

Functional foods including herbal antioxidants were discussed, where under-utilized and exotic spices and herbs such as rosemary, curry, saffron, ginseng, and others were included to enhance the diet and lifestyle of the aging population 1.

There is a cumulative body of evidence showing that dietary patterns centered on antioxidant-rich plant foods are effective dietary strategies to maintain cognitive health, improve overall global cognitive function as well as performance on specific cognitive tests of executive functioning, processing speed, verbal memory, and visual memory, and prevent ARCD, MCI, and the progression from MCI to AD.

Among the plant foods shown to positively influence cognitive functioning there are cruciferous vegetables, green leafy vegetables, carrots, oranges, apples, nuts, spices, berries, grapes, pomegranates, chocolate, coffee, blue potatoes, onions, olive oil, and seaweed. Most of these foods have been described in relation to cognition 6.

2.3. Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins are vital to the normal functioning of the human body, having a key part to play in metabolic processes. Four pillars of health are focused on: the individual, their diet, exercise, and sleep. Other, lesser dietary influencers include essential fatty acids and non-nutritive botanicals and herbal products.

These phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and dietary components, many of which are derived from plants, are rapidly gaining credence as health aids 7.

Unfortunately, anecdotal evidence is distorted by hucksters who promise miracle cures, and scientific evidence lags behind popular interest. It has long been known that aberrations in the levels of key vitamins through diet can result in disease.

B vitamins are particularly important for brain function 8. B vitamins 3, 6, 9, and 12 (niacin, pyridoxine, folate, and cobalamin respectively) are particularly important for the brain, facilitating neurotransmitter synthesis and release, maintaining neuronal structure, and affecting gene expression and myelination.

With respect to cognition, B vitamins have been shown to facilitate cognitive performance and regulate the adverse cognitive effects of a high-fat, high-sugar diet. There is also a plethora of anecdotal evidence for a combination of B vitamin supplementation improving mood, reducing weariness, and relieving stress and anxiety.

Vitamins C and E, both potent antioxidants, have also been shown to be beneficial to cognition, and it is interesting to note that of the vitamins tested in the Rotterdam Study, low levels of E were associated with Alzheimer’s disease incidence. Diet has other effects on health simply by its influence on body composition, which may also affect cognition.

3. The Gut-Brain Connection

The gut (especially large bowel) is home to about 100 trillion microbes (individual bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.). This microbiome, which weighs about three pounds, is the largest collection of microbes in the body and outnumbers human cells by a factor of ten to one.

As such, the microbiome has been gaining more and more attention as a crucial interface between the environment and the human body—and perhaps one of the few variables that humans can actively influence.

It has been implicated in everything from immune function to metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes, as well as a wide range of neurological conditions that fall outside of the standard paradigm—including anxiety, depression, and autism 9.

Despite representing only 10% of the human brain’s 100 billion neurons, the gut has been referred to as the “second brain.” The vagus nerve, a huge nerve that runs from the brain to the gut, accounts for 80–90% of the gut-brain communications.

Over 200 neuroactive molecules or gut-brain signaling molecules, including dopamine, GABA, serotonin, norepinephrine, and tryptophan, have been identified, and several neurotransmitters secreted by gut microbes have been shown to modulate host neuronal excitability, synapse formation, food intake, anxiety, and depression-like behaviors 10.

3.1. The Microbiome

The Gut Brain Axis, Gut Microorganisms, and Brain Health: The Unknown Universe of the Inner Ecosystem and Its Inevitable Impact on Mental Health

In 2011, a study published in the journal Gastroenterology by researchers at the University of Illinois University of Illinois took germ-free (sterile) mice and colonized half of them with either Lactobacillus rhamnosus (a probiotic strain) or a saline control. After three weeks, the researchers tested their behavior and level of anxiety in a series of mazes.

They found that the microbially colonized mice showed less anxiety- and depression-like behavior than the control mice 9 , prompting the authors to propose a gut-to-brain pathway and hypothesize that gut microorganisms influence brain activity.

The following year, by using intracranial encapsulation of bacterial spores, researchers from MIT demonstrated that bacteria could actually travel from the gut to the brain. They trained mice to associate a tone with a foot shock, creating a fear memory. Then, they delivered Bacillus spores (which could travel through the bloodstream) and hydrophobically-coated Bacillus spores (which could not cross the blood-brain barrier) to the mice.

Compared to controls, only mice receiving spores without the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier showed increased anxiety-like behavior. This suggests that gut bacteria can influence memory processing and emotional behavior through the gut-brain axis 10.

Since then, there has been a burgeoning interest in the gut microbiome’s role in regulating brain function, leading to a new field known as microbiota-gut-brain interaction. A multitude of studies have shown preclinical evidence in rodents of how various microbial factors can modulate neurochemical and brain activity downstream of the gut, leading to functional changes in cognition and behavior.

Interestingly, the signaling pathways implicated span the whole spectrum of the human anatomy, including neuroactive metabolites, the vagus nerve, immune signaling, and the autonomic nervous system. Collectively, these insights into how gut microorganisms alter brain activity reveal a novel paradigm of neuro-modulation, exposing a previously unknown influence of environmental factors shaping a key organ’s function.

4. Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life

There are certain foods that can rejuvenate your brain and body, making you smarter, happier, and more productive. Author Max Lugavere dives deep into the emerging science that shows how certain nutrient-dense foods keep your brain healthy and ward off depression, anxiety, stress, fatigue, and other diseases that plague the human experience.

These “Genius Foods” can also prevent and reverse neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, allowing you to protect your brain for life.

Blueberries, broccoli, turmeric, eggs, fatty fish, strawberries, dark chocolate, extra-virgin olive oil, and walnuts are all considered Genius Foods because they contain nutrients that feed the brain. These foods are also nutrient-dense and low on the glycemic index, stabilizing blood sugar and protecting against neuroinflammation.

Blueberries are packed with types of antioxidants known as flavonoids that can increase cognitive function, especially in older adults and healthy children. Strawberries also boost memory and learning as they contain lesser-known flavonoids that can enhance memory function.

Broccoli contains compounds such as vitamin K, sulforaphane, and lutein that can enhance memory, help build new connections, and protect against oxidative stress. Turmeric contains curcumin, which is a potent anti-inflammatory that protects against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s 11.

Eggs contain choline, a precursor for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which plays a crucial role in memory and mood. Fatty fish, like salmon, sardines, mackerel, and anchovies, are rich in DHA, omega-3 fats that can enhance intelligence, cognitive performance, and improve dispositions like anxiety, depression, and aggressive behavior.

Dark chocolate strengthens neural connections, helps new neurons form, and lowers the chance of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Extra-virgin olive oil promotes neurogenesis, reduces neurodegeneration, and is beneficial for overall cognition. Walnuts are packed with DHA and antioxidants that help fight neuroinflammation and brain-cell death 1.

4.1. Blueberries

Blueberries are a berry native to North America and grow on deciduous dwarf shrubs which offer numerous health benefits ranging from a healthy brain to healthy heart and skin. The fruit, part of the Ericaceae family, contains vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and other compounds which help maintain the body’s health.

Studies on blueberry polyphenols reveal potential neuroprotective effects that can help prevent or slow down neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, improving memory and learning 12. Blueberries are the highest in antioxidants compared to other fruits and vegetables, protecting the brain from oxidative stress and free radicals that can cause premature aging 13.

Blueberry supplementation is recommended to consume either powder-form blueberry extract in a daily dosage of 1.0 or 1.5 g for children to benefit neurocognitive effects or 250 mL per day of ready-to-drink blueberry juice with B. longum (H6) probiotic strain, comparable to the equivalent of 454 g of fresh blueberries, for older adults.

Blueberries are still being regarded for their benefits on brain health, and further studies should include complete compounds of blueberry (raw or cooked) for confounding factors to be better understood.

4.2. Broccoli

Broccoli is one of the most impressive and nutritious vegetables you can eat. It is relatively low in calories and high in fiber and protein. Broccoli boosts brainpower due to its high levels of a plant compound called sulforaphane 14. Sulforaphane helps prevent oxidative damage and, consequently, neurodegeneration in the brain. It protects the brain by neutralizing free radicals.

Naturopaths have long considered broccoli an all-round superfood, packed with a wealth of bioactive nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, E, and two antioxidants essential for brain health: lutein and zeaxanthin 11. In addition to antioxidants, broccoli contains phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and glucosinolates.

With its potential effects against neurodegenerative diseases, broccoli is not just a popular food choice, and it is also a good source of dietary antioxidants, which explain its popularity in the market. Of different types of broccoli, broccoli sprout is the only one in real life containing glucoraphanin, a potent compound that generates sulforaphane.

4.3. Turmeric

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a flowering plant of the ginger family. It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the Zingiberaceae family and native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Turmeric is one of the most researched spices, as well as one of the oldest and most extensively used spices worldwide.

Curcumin is considered the bioactive component of turmeric and is thought to be responsible for its various effects on human health and the brain. Over 8,000 articles have been published on curcumin, with at least 300 of these focusing on its effects on the brain, making it one of the most studied natural substances for this specific organ.

It has no toxicity and is metabolized and excreted rapidly; however, a large fraction is also excreted in a more active form, which fights inflammation and oxidation.

Research has demonstrated that turmeric efficiently crosses the BBB and accumulates in the brain. Curcumin can protect the brain from neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory processes, especially those associated with aging. Studies have shown that chronic curcumin administration (80 mg/kg) can prevent the impairment of cognitive performance in rats aged 24 months.

Chronic curcumin administration is also beneficial against the neuroinflammation and oxidative stress triggered by beta-amyloid (Aβ) peptide in rats aged 24 months. Further investigations have indicated that curcumin can prevent the phosphorylation of tau protein, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease and related tauopathies.

New research has shown that curcumin can inhibit the generation of misfolded, oligomeric forms of tau protein in vitro. The polyphenolic compound curcumin can inhibit the formation of Aβ fibrils when mixed with the peptide. Treatment with curcumin or the synthetic monomeric curcumin derivative (CUR-3) can dissolve preformed fibrils and prevent toxicity in neuron cultures.

Curcumin has also become increasingly popular in Europe and Asia and in the US as a food or dietary supplement for preventing and treating Alzheimer’s disease. Curcumin, a spice and food coloring, has anti-amyloidogenic and anti-tau oligomer formation activity that may have medical benefits for sporadic AD and tauopathies.

Curcumin is composed of a conjugated system of two phenolic moieties linked through an α,β-unsaturated dicarbonyl chain. A significant amount of research has been focused on the potential health benefits of curcumin, focusing on its neuroprotective effects and potential usefulness in treating paraquat intoxication in the CNS.

Also read: Foods to Avoid While on Saxenda: Navigating the Dietary Challenges

5. Incorporating Genius Foods into Your Diet

Designing a Genius Foods diet can greatly enhance cognitive function, improve mood, and safeguard against Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Brain function is greatly influenced by what you eat.

To introduce genius foods into your diet, start by self-assessing knowledge of nutrition and awesome foods using the Brain Waves Quiz. Finally, visit the Genius Foods website for informative articles and recipes featuring genius foods.

What is a genius diet? Simply put, it’s a diet composed of genius foods. The simplest way to grasp what they are is by reviewing a list of genius foods below. To incorporate genius foods into a diet, gradually introduce them into meals, shopping lists, and food choices over time.

As with new diets, trends, workouts, and regimens, it may take some time to develop genius habits, which is okay. Prussians would recommend starting with simple genius habits and allowing other genius habits and foods to accumulate. Over time, the diet will become more nutritious, delicious, and enjoyable.

Madison Avenue made the term “fast food” or “quick meal” popular. It describes relatively inexpensive meals available in minutes. Here, fast food is approached differently. A fast food will be offered, but rather than being cheap and unhealthy possibility, it is the exact opposite. Rather than costing below a dollar and served by business people in its drawl, they are hand-grown, nutrient-dense, gorgeous, and delicious foods.

Huge efforts are made to ensure they are accessible and easy on the eyes. These genius ingredients are fast because they can be combined beautifully, effortlessly, and quickly. Transitions into genius meals only requires five foods or less, often requiring no cooking. A suggested buffet order could include: wild salmon with mustards, fermented greens, cold-pressed olive oil, raw vegetables, sheep’s feta, and almonds.

The menu not appetizing? Partnered with the hottest and trendiest restaurants, chefs, and recipe developers to transform this into something that has never been done before. Groundwork was laid with dozens of delicious and farm-fresh genius ingredients to excite even the palate most resistant to the idea of genius foundations.

Now, the task is to fuse those ingredients into something bright, balanced, and beautiful-tasting. Simply follow this one principle and all the food will be genius.

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