Intelligence Diet

[Scorne]

I feel my intelligence is seriously lacking in speed and overal memory and knowledge. I feel I can't control my habit of playing dumb anymore and I wish to prove to myself that I can increase and keep on increasing my general intelligence and wit.

What I'm after is a plan of action and diet, or even advice of what to eat and how to pretty much study to get the best out of my mind. If anyone has a nutritional guide to help improving my mind a great deal, I shall be in your debt forever. I'm quite ignorant when it comes to Math and Science but that is why I want to study them profoundly and become greater than the average population that understand advanced Math/Science.

Which vitamens/nutrients are the best for the mind to feed on and grow? I know at least that fish is extremely good for your brain, but which fish and how much of it? What else could I have with the fish to increase it even more? What about for breakfast? Is water the best drink for the brain or is there an alternative? (Don't get me wrong, I only drink water/orange juice anyway) What about snacks at night, would coffee help me stay alert and keep me studying? I've heard about Ritalin but is it a drug only my Doctor can prescribe me, if so then what do I have to say to get it because I find it extremely hard to concentrate on any one subject at a time whereas I really need to multi-task.

If I need to give you more information then PM me or post in this thread.

Take care,
Durin

[dandylion]

I'm happy that you're deciding to reform your health!

First of all, avoid any junk food, fast food, and processed foods. They're not very nutrient-dense, so your body isn't provided with much to run on. Try not to drink caffeine, or just limit your intake. I think the best drink is water. Fruit juices aren't so great because they're so sugary.

For breakfast, don't eat cereal; it's all sugar, and you need to keep your blood sugar levels stable so you don't feel sluggish after the sugar has run its course. Instead, eat something high in fiber, protein, and slow-burning carbohydrates; try whole-grain toast (especially with peanut butter or cottage cheese), oatmeal, or eggs accompanied by a couple pieces of fruit.

For lunch, try a bagel, a burrito, or a whole-grain sandwich with tomatoes, lettuce, turkey, cheese, salami, yogurt (in place of mayonnaise). Include fruit, of course.

For snacks, you can try plain yogurt or baby carrots. Or even a green smoothie. (Blend a handful of leafy greens with some fruit to disguise the flavor of the greens... blending it will make it easier for your body to absorb all the nutrients.)

Nutrients you should be getting:
1. Omega-3. It's an essential fatty acid, and fish have a reputation for boosting brain power because of the high content of omega-3. The best sources are salmon, herring, cod, tuna, mackeral, and halibut. You can also get omega-3 from walnuts, strawberries, flax seeds, cod liver oil, and eggs. There's more, but you can just look them up on google. Also try to consume grass-fed, free-range meat as the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 is better than the ratio of regular commercial meat. (An imbalance of omega-3 to omega-6 can cause depression and just make one feel weird in general.)

2. B vitamins. B1, B6, and B12 are the most essential for brain power. Try to get them from natural food sources such as seeds, nuts, wheat germ, enriched pastas and breads, beef (or other animal sources), vegetables, and eggs. Or you can get them from a B-vitamin complex supplement, but it's better to get them from your diet as they're better absorbed that way.

Okay, well, I only listed the two most important ones for brain health, but obviously you need to be getting other vitamins and minerals. Just try to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, and take a multivitamin if you feel you need to.

Don't forget to exercise every day if you don't already. You probably feel tired and sluggish all day if you don't get a good night's sleep. Exercise will help in this area a lot. And all the seratonin that's released makes you feel better, too!

What's your current diet like?

[Scorne]

Brilliant and concise post, I thank you very much for that information! I'm currently really lazy, I go to bed at 2-4am and wake up at 2pm pretty much every day apart from Sunday (The only day I work, which will change dramatically as I'm starting a new course on Networking on the 25th of February). I'm changing myself because I wish to give the best impression to my colleages and business partners, but also a dream of mine I wish to fulfil.

My current diet is very random, pretty much whatever my Mother buys for me at Tesco. I eat white bread, with just butter, I only drink water (Which is good I guess) but I hardly drink at all (Maybe.. 1-2 drinks per 2 days? I'm amazed I never feel dehydrated, but my body has probably adapted to it which is for the worse). My breakfast is mostly cereal such as Frosted Shreddies or Alpen, lunch is.. bread and butter, dinner is chicken, vegetables and potatoes, the chicken varies from other products such as breaded fish and the like.

I'd like to get a decent plan of my diet before the 1st of February which is my "start-date" of my new regime as I get paid and also it's a mental thing that helps boost my confidence if I start on the 1st :)

I do plenty of excersise as I cycle literally everwhere, I'm a 19 year old that still has never driven a motor-vehicle (Insane, I know!). I also run from time to time, but I'm still overweight (By about 2 stone, which I'd also like to shed before June/July). Perhaps the main factor may be the sleep deprevation or a real lack of water in my system.

Thank you again for your reply and hope to see another one shortly :)

Take care,
Durin

[dandylion]

Definitely drink more water! Carry a steel water bottle (eco-friendlier than the plastic variety and cheaper in the long run since it's refillable) around if you need to.

It's great that you are cycling, but you are probably not losing weight because it's not intensive enough. You'll need to vary your aerobic activities and continually increase the intensity level. Try jump roping; it works out several muscle groups all over your body, and you can burn a lot of energy in minimal time. Swimming is another good option. Make a habit of jogging every morning and/or evening. Play a competitive sport with some friends like basketball, tennis, volleyball, or badminton. Remember, whatever you do, don't kill yourself over it; keep it at your own pace, and always make sure you're able to breathe and speak with ease.

Do you overeat? Maybe you consume too many calories than you burn off, so that's another reason why you're not losing any weight. But don't go crazy counting calories. You should be focused on achieving and maintaining a healthier diet and lifestyle rather than losing weight.

As for meal plans... I'm not really good at planning out things to eat every day. All I can do is give random advice, suggest recipes, and recommend items to put on your grocery list. Personally, I just stock up my kitchen with tons of options (healthy ones, of course), and then I just try to be creative.

Strive for a diet highlighting raw foods and including plenty of lean meats, poultry, eggs, beans, and nuts.

Here are some resources to look into:
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. (Raw food recipes.)
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. (Meal ideas and plans--yay for you--and more in-depth information about food.)
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To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. (Recipe makeovers, grocery list and meal plan ideas.)

Good luck. And if you still have any other questions, go ahead and ask. :)

[douleur]

I'll write what happened to me 1 1/2 year ago. I usually went to bed around 5am and woke up at 2am. There were days I went to sleep at 9 am and woke up at 6pm. It damaged my memory, a strong consequence of many I had. I also used to eat anything that had at home, I never went to supermarket to buy my food so I could never know what I really liked or not. After almost die of starvation I had to change my way of being with me. :blank:

Always when I can I buy organic food. I try to sleep in fixed hours and before 12:30. I'm recovering the excelent memory I had so my studies got better. I read a lot about sleeping too late, I was conviced to change. (circadian rhythm) I started buying my own food, it was terrible, I didn't know to buy good food just packed ones. I didn't know to cook. If your family cooks good food (not industrialized things) you're fine.

I followed a regime for intellectuals. I don't have it now with me but I should eat granola, fish, integral bread, vegetables with "dark-green" color like spinash, arugula, etc... also integral rice (=P), müsli, natural yogurt..... I don't remember everything but it helped me with what I wanted. Ah, you should avoid potatos because "some say" it's not good for the thinking and spoils the sense of taste, what makes you eat more and more because you don't feel the taste (even so it's tasty even more with industrial help). :huh:

If you learn to eat more natural things (please that doesn't mean to die of hungry or eat untasty things) (ok, start once a week) I guess you're doing something good to your brain. I'll look for my intellectual diet and translate it for you. :)

[iamnotspock]

Eat fish for breakfast. Like canned salmon or sardines. High in protein and healthy fat. Low in carbs that put you to sleep. Have it with some fruit. That is a good start.

[Learning]

This is a great thread. I keep hearing about the magic of B-vitamins lately (injections & vitamin/supplements). Good things across the board. I've also heard that ginko biloba is supposed to be pretty good for memory. Also, anything that is good for the heart/circulation is said to also be good for the brain. I tend to really like things like smoothies b/c they can be loaded up w/specifically what you need & are easy to make and enjoy!
(Btw, there's a whole thread just started for smoothies in The Lounge if anyone has any recipes to share).

[Firelie]

dandylion - Thanks for posting those links. whfoods.com is a fantastic site, chock full of information. Now I want some cauliflower, though...

[Rick]

Heck, I just have enough trouble remembering to eat. Seriously, every once in a while, I'll get up and almost fall over. It's only then that I remember that I've forgotten to eat for a few days.

I'll have to check out the links. I've experimented with the B vitamins, maca (a South American herb), creatine (to increase metabolism, not to bulk up), chromium picolinate, and others.

I do know this...when I was quite a bit younger, I could sit down and read an entire novel in an evening and remember all of it - not quite photographically, but almost. Now, I hardly remember the page I just read, normally. One evening, though, something clicked. I don't know what it was...my diet for the day or something else, but, that evening, I had my once incredible memory back again and sailed thru a book.

I have hypoglycemia, which causes my abilities to change many times during the day. I was diagnosed with a glucose tolerance test, and, during the test, my blood sugar dropped down to 36, which is coma level for an average person. When I asked the doctor about the risk of me going into coma, he said the risk was hardly there, his theory being that I had probably had the condition for years and had physically adapted to conditions that might be deadly to someone else.

In a humorous sense, I've learned to use this to my advantage. If I have a long, boring situation ahead of me, I can drink coffee and eat some potato chips. My blood sugar will drop out and I'll kind of go into a stupor for a while.

[MrEPenguin]

I'd like to recommend Ginkgo Biloba. It's freaking amazing for your mind. ;D


BTW, start using and cooking with extra virgin olive oil. It's good for your mind and body. :thumbsup:

[Mozzes]

Eat wild Alaskan salmon and olive oil. Cut out casein and gluten. And if you're really desperate start taking something like aniracetam.

[manger]

Instead of fish in the morning try a cereal with flax and/or hemp seed for Omega-3's. My personal favorite is
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If you're not a granola person now, you will be after trying this cereal. It's sweet and tastes amazing. It's great with milk or yogurt and a piece of fruit.

[Monte314]

I eat at McDonald's at least 10 times a week, and drink at least a case of soft drinks every day.

I don't gain weight, I guide my team of scientists during the day, teach in the evenings, and prove theorems at night.

I must be doing something wrong....

[manger]

I eat at McDonald's at least 10 times a week, and drink at least a case of soft drinks every day.


Do you have regular bowel movements?

[Monte314]

Do you have regular bowel movements?


Let's leave this question to the philosophers...

[thod]

Instead of fish in the morning try a cereal with flax and/or hemp seed for Omega-3's. My personal favorite is

If you're not a granola person now, you will be after trying this cereal. It's sweet and tastes amazing. It's great with milk or yogurt and a piece of fruit.

Hemp seeds? I can understand now why you think it tastes so great.

[schwartzie]

Instead of fish in the morning try a cereal with flax and/or hemp seed for Omega-3's. My personal favorite is
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If you're not a granola person now, you will be after trying this cereal. It's sweet and tastes amazing. It's great with milk or yogurt and a piece of fruit.

There is so much cr*p science out there. Do you know the real relative merits of fish (omegas) vs flax (with omega precursors). My most recent input came from a chiro who pretty much scolded me for relying on flax because one needs to consume much, much more flax to get the same benefit as fish.

[Mozzes]

There is so much cr*p science out there. Do you know the real relative merits of fish (omegas) vs flax (with omega precursors). My most recent input came from a chiro who pretty much scolded me for relying on flax because one needs to consume much, much more flax to get the same benefit as fish.

This article (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.) claims that the ALA to EPA/DHA conversion efficiency is perhaps somewhere between 0.1% and 12%. Assuming that the research cited is valid it looks like it's much simpler to eat fish or take fish oil.

[manger]

There is so much cr*p science out there. Do you know the real relative merits of fish (omegas) vs flax (with omega precursors). My most recent input came from a chiro who pretty much scolded me for relying on flax because one needs to consume much, much more flax to get the same benefit as fish.

Before I get into some data, may I point out that it's a little ironic that you're calling me out on medical BS on the basis of something you heard from a chiropractor? :)

I couldn't find a free version of the original article, but here (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.) is a review that has the data. Scroll down to table 3. Lines 5 and 6 show the data in an experiment where rats were fed a diet where the only source of polyunsaturated fatty acids were either omega-6 + omega-3, or omega-6 only (from a veg. source). The biopsy showed that rats who had both n-6 and n-3 had (very) healthy amounts of DHA (this is the kind of PUFA in fish) in their brains. In fact, they had the highest amount compared to rats from any of the other studies (that included rats fed with n-3's from fish).

Also, I don't know about you but I wouldn't want to eat fish for breakfast every day. I can't eat fish oil either because I'm a vegetarian. I think flax and hemp seed cereals are a much more pleasant way to start off the morning. And they have fiber!

And anyway, the most prominent benefits of omega-3's are on cardiovascular health, where the non-DHA/EPA omega-3's are just the same. Here's (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.) a recent study that shows no correlation between n-3 fatty acids and performance in 5 cognitive domains.





manger added to this post, 16 minutes and 18 seconds later...

Also, to the OP:

Look into piracetam. You can find tons of info on google. It's an extremely safe drug; many even consider it a supplement because it is so mild and has so few side effects. Part of how it works is thought to be due to increased blood supply to the brain and higher brain metabolism. I got a tub of it myself from To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. (this was the cheapest source I could find) to experiment with last year. After about a week of regular use (2 to 5g/day) I saw a noticeable improvement in a few different areas. It was easier to concentrate, getting up in the morning was amazingly easier (no more snoozing for half an hour), and I found it easier to find the words I was looking for in conversation. Some other things that happened were that I was having very vivid dreams, and alcohol and drugs were significantly potentiated. These are both also commonly reported.

If you decide to try it, here are a few tips:
-Start your first day or two with attack doses - where you would only take 1 or 2 g, take 4-5 instead. I haven't tried this but a number of people I know have, and said it really kick-starts the effects.
-get choline along with piracetam in your order(citrate or bitartrate, doesn't matter). Take 1 or 2g with each dose. This prevents possible headaches.
-Piracetam tastes like the devil's nuts. Some people suggest mixing it with orange juice to make it more tolerable but that didn't work for me. I ended up getting some empty 00 size capsules to cap it up. I found that this was more convenient anyway.





manger added to this post, 5 minutes and 56 seconds later...

Just noticed that Frickles suggested aniracetam. This is supposed to be like more potent piracetam, and is more expensive. I'm not sure how much aniracetam is equal to an average dose of piracetam, though, or if the side effects are different.

[schwartzie]

Before I get into some data, may I point out that it's a little ironic that you're calling me out on medical BS on the basis of something you heard from a chiropractor? :)

*amused* (at least I prefaced it with reference to explicatived science?)

Thank you manger and frickles for your efforts here. It's much appreciated!

Also, I don't know about you but I wouldn't want to eat fish for breakfast every day.... I'm veg.... Yep, that's why I've been using flax, but adding gel caps of fish is an area I've known other veg's to compromise on, if only as a temporary intervention/boost to mental well-being

And anyway, the most prominent benefits of omega-3's are on cardiovascular health, where the non-DHA/EPA omega-3's are just the same. Here's (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.) a recent study that shows no correlation between n-3 fatty acids and performance in 5 cognitive domains.

[Seppuku Savant]

I am so impressed you understand diet can affect the mind. You have no idea how many people in the world are unable to make that connection. The chemicals in food float into your bloodstream. That blood pumps to your brain. Those chemicals/preservatives etc. can affect your thought processes. Only if your completely eating junk though.

Aforementioned diet advice is fantastic. Organic and healthy is the way to go.

[vision]

*amused* (at least I prefaced it with reference to explicatived science?)

Thank you manger and frickles for your efforts here. It's much appreciated!

Yep, that's why I've been using flax, but adding gel caps of fish is an area I've known other veg's to compromise on, if only as a temporary intervention/boost to mental well-being

And anyway, the most prominent benefits of omega-3's are on cardiovascular health, where the non-DHA/EPA omega-3's are just the same. Here's (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.) a recent study that shows no correlation between n-3 fatty acids and performance in 5 cognitive domains.

If you are consuming large quantities of fish and fish oil supplements then it’s important to think about their source/quality because you could be taking in lots of toxins (including mercury) from them. So the long term general health effects could be harming you more than if you just had the flax oil.

[iuniperus]

I eat at McDonald's at least 10 times a week, and drink at least a case of soft drinks every day.

I don't gain weight, I guide my team of scientists during the day, teach in the evenings, and prove theorems at night.

I must be doing something wrong....

*pokes at Monte* How are you still alive?! I'd feel like utter crap on that kind of diet. :scared: In fact I feel sick just thinking about it.

Anyway, B vitamins are great. As is making sure you're getting enough iron and protein in your diet. If you're lack in either you're going to be really sluggish in the mental department.

[bucolic_]

If you are consuming large quantities of fish and fish oil supplements then it’s important to think about their source/quality because you could be taking in lots of toxins (including mercury) from them. So the long term general health effects could be harming you more than if you just had the flax oil.

Quality fish oil has virtually no measurable quantity of 'toxins' in it, including mercury.

[Sara27]

I feel my intelligence is seriously lacking in speed and overal memory and knowledge. I feel I can't control my habit of playing dumb anymore and I wish to prove to myself that I can increase and keep on increasing my general intelligence and wit.

What I'm after is a plan of action and diet

A lot of good info has been given about diet. Diet isn't the only thing you need to change if you want to increase your intellectual speed, overall memory and knowledge. Exercise is important. Also, you need to stimulate your mind and practice. If we all sit at the keyboard day and night without interacting face-to-face our online skills will improve while our face-to-face interactions will suffer. Exercise your brain by learning new things, problem solving, debate, etc.

I know my IQ suffers after I've been with a certain group of family members. It's all superficial talk about high gas prices, the weather, and what some starlette did last night. Argh! If I'm around them long enough I start forgetting the big words :). Exercise your mind along with diet and exercise.

[mxdntz]

I eat at McDonald's at least 10 times a week, and drink at least a case of soft drinks every day.

I don't gain weight, I guide my team of scientists during the day, teach in the evenings, and prove theorems at night.

I must be doing something wrong....

Excellent! My aunt owns a wholesale organic food co in NYC and she swears by everything "organic" and raw and bla bla bla. Don't get me wrong all the curry cashew, tamari almonds, granola and whole wheat pasta taste excellent, but I do not notice a difference when I change from fast food junk to organic dried fruit, nuts, granola and fish (which I do for three months at a time). The dried mango is awseome, but I'm sure it has the same amount of sugar as a large coke. Also she has been eating this stuff for years and she is in the early stages of alzheimers at 60.

[zibber]

Excellent! My aunt owns a wholesale organic food co in NYC and she swears by everything "organic" and raw and bla bla bla. Don't get me wrong all the curry cashew, tamari almonds, granola and whole wheat pasta taste excellent, but I do not notice a difference when I change from fast food junk to organic dried fruit, nuts, granola and fish (which I do for three months at a time). The dried mango is awseome, but I'm sure it has the same amount of sugar as a large coke. Also she has been eating this stuff for years and she is in the early stages of alzheimers at 60.

True, but organic meat sure is a hell of a lot more ethical than the miserable, tortured cow flaps at Mickie D's.

[True Rune]

Once I get a steady income, I'll have to make some sacrifices for my mind. (I hate fish..)

[NX375]

I eat at McDonald's at least 10 times a week, and drink at least a case of soft drinks every day.

I don't gain weight, I guide my team of scientists during the day, teach in the evenings, and prove theorems at night.

I must be doing something wrong....

Thinking burns more calories than any other activity.

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[Kathleen]

For starters, turn off your television. Television will rot your brain rather efficiently, atrophying crucial neuropathways for longterm memory and valuable working memory.

[schwartzie]

well.... I am going to rescue this dead thread. *kicks thread*

Question: does anyone have experience with ginko biloba or CoQ 10 they care to share?