A Proper Nutrition Diet | Holistic Health | Functional Medicine New York

Food is the fuel that regulates your energy and mood, both of which can significantly affect your focus. Just as you shouldn’t put olive oil into your car to make it run, you shouldn’t put chocolate syrup into your body to make you run. Food has the incredible ability to affect your mental clarity, mood, memory, and ability to focus, so if you’re looking to boost your focus, one of the places you should start with is what you’re eating. Below are 6 foods that will help you improve your focus:

Blueberries | Studies show that blueberries boost "concentration and memory" for up to five hours because "the antioxidants in blueberries stimulate the flow of blood and oxygen to [your] brain – and keep the mind fresh.

Green tea | helps you focus for two reasons: one, it contains caffeine, and two, it contains l’theanine. L’theanine is an ingredient that’s been shown to "increase alpha-wave activity" which increases tranquility and releases caffeine more slowly, instead of all at once, which avoids that crashing feeling.

Avocados | According to WebMD, "Every organ in the body depends on blood flow, especially the heart and brain", and avocados "[enhance] blood flow, offering a simple, tasty way to fire up brain cells.

Leafy green vegetables | These are full of antioxidants and carotenoids, which boost your brain power, and help protect your brain.

Fatty fish | Fatty/oily fish contains omega-3 fatty acids which "aid memory, mental performance and behavioral function". People who are deficient in omega-3 are more likely to have "poor memory, mood swings, depression and fatigue".

Water | If you want to improve your focus, you need to drink enough water. Water "gives the brain the electrical energy for all brain functions, including thought and memory processes."

Sweet potatoes | These are high in fiber, vitamin C, potassium, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), niacin (vitamin B3), vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium, and copper. They get their orange color from beta-carotene, which is a pigment and antioxidant. Sweet potatoes also contain a modest but helpful amount of protein — around four grams per cup when cooked.

Kiwi | Kiwis are exceptionally high in Vitamin C, a nutrient our body needs to execute the pre-collagen production phase.

Berries | While vitamin C is crucial for pre-collagen production, it also serves as a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants protect against the breakdown of collagen cells caused by free radicals (toxins) present in our air, food, and water supply.

Almonds | Almonds contain a healthy dose of vitamin E, the most abundant antioxidant in our skin; it serves to neutralize free radicals that are damaging to collagen cells. Vitamin E also coordinates with vitamin C to stimulate collagen formation. Additionally, almonds are a great source of copper, an essential trace mineral required in the formation of collagen fibrils. In short, our body needs copper to complete the final step in collagen synthesis.

Carrots | Carrots are a plentiful source of vitamin A, which helps repair and restore collagen in damaged skin. Dark Green Vegetables - Dark green vegetables are some of the most nutrient-dense super foods our planet has to offer. For starters, they’re potent sources of vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E; all of which are vital nutrients for collagen synthesis, as mentioned prior.

"Food is medicine"

Many symptoms people experience on a day to day basis that we perceive as "normal" are in fact due to food intolerances and underlying biochemical imbalances. Dr. Blanche at Getintegrativehealth truly believes in prevention, and how proper food and nutrition can fix these imbalances and allow a person to live and feel their best. Your food can be your biggest medicine cabinet. Each person is unique, and there is no one answer that fixes all. Each detail of your life is important to healing your body. For more information visit www.getintegrativehealth.com