Diet gun

The basic function of the brain is, with the presence of its neurons, to receive, process and transmit messages and stimuli. It is responsible for the senses, perception and control (and coordination) of muscle movements and human mental functions such as thinking or learning and memory.

Just as there is no magic pill to prevent cognitive decline as humans grow older, no food can ensure a healthy and functional brain.

A healthy nutrition with the necessary proteins mainly from fish, lean meats but also plant-based options, minimizing saturated fats, fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes and whole grains is the most important advice to maintain the mental function of the brain as long as possible.

The following are foods and a category of nutrients whose ingredients have been shown to help improve brain function.

Fatty fish
They are a source of omega-3 fatty acids, healthy unsaturated fats that have been linked to lower levels of beta-amyloid in the blood – the protein that forms harmful clumps in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Eating them twice a week is essential, but choose fish with low mercury content, such as salmon, cod, canned tuna. Plant sources of omega-3s also include Brussels sprouts, flaxseed, avocado.

Eggs
Eggs are a good dietary source of choline. Choline is used in the construction of cell membranes, memory and cognitive function. Its deficiency can lead to cognitive dysfunction and possibly increase the risk of neurological disorders.

Green, leafy vegetables
Leafy greens, such as kale, spinach, and broccoli, are rich in brain-boosting nutrients, including vitamin K, the powerful antioxidant lutein, folate, and beta-carotene. Research suggests that these plant foods may help slow cognitive decline.

Berries
Berries such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, white currants, blackcurrants, and redcurrants, contain flavonoids, which are among the most powerful antioxidants, and they also help improve memory, according to research.

Walnuts
Walnuts are high in a type of omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Diets rich in ALA have been linked to lower blood pressure and cleaner arteries, which is good for the brain as well as the heart.

Coffee and tea
The caffeine found in coffee and to a lesser extent in tea, in addition to providing a short-term boost in concentration, has been linked to better scores on cognitive function tests. It has also been shown to help consolidate new memories.

Carbohydrates
The brain’s almost exclusive need to feed on glucose makes them certainly essential to prevent a decrease in cognitive functions, such as attention, learning and memory. Maintaining glucose at an optimal level can be achieved by consuming regular carbohydrate meals.

It is better to choose complex carbohydrates that have a slow release and therefore a greater long-term effect. Simple carbohydrates are helpful and should be consumed in between meals, as snacks, better from natural sources (e.g. fruit), rather than from refined sugar such as sweets.

Processed/refined sugar will raise blood glucose very quickly and will just as quickly lower it to a level lower than it was before we consumed it. For this reason, it should be avoided, or consumed 30 to 45 minutes before a meal with complex carbohydrates, so as not to create a sharp decrease in glucose.


Athletes and foods associated with good mental clarity

The mental clarity of athletes is intertwined with their discipline, their patience and their desire for distinctions.

Without mental clarity, no athlete can perform. The foods mentioned will help to better prepare them mentally for better training and better results in competitions.

Practical shooting and foods which associated with good mental clarity

Practical shooting athletes have a special characteristic during the matches they do. No competition ever has the same stages and they do not know where the targets are and from where they can be seen until the moment they do the walk through.

Better mental clarity is related to a faster and better understanding of the stage during the walk through, so that there is a better result in the execution of the stage during the match.

Mental clarity, that is, the ability to think clearly, focus your attention, and concentrate without feeling distracted or confused, is not only related to an unhealthy diet but also to prolonged stress or anxiety, insufficient sleep, lack of physical activity and a poor balance between professional and personal life.

We can make our nutrition as good as possible and slowly we can improve the rest of our lives to minimize the long-term decline in brain function, as far as it relates to us.