Students starting school are not the only people who need to be able to pay attention.
In addition to students, people making road trips also need to pay attention. Since my husband will be making a 10 to 12 hour drive twice in the next five days–once to get to the house he is working on and once more to get back home–I am doing everything I can to enable him to pay attention to his driving. I am packing him some foods that will help him stay alert and focus more easily.
Here is a short list of the foods that I am packing for his trip, foods that research has proven to be effective at improving your focus.
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Apples
Crunchy snacks like apples improve focus, memory, and alertness.
Studies suggest that repetitive chewing increases alertness and memory, possibly by raising your heart rate and activating parts of your brain involved in cognitive tasks.
Pack this healthy snack to improve your loved one’s focus, cognition, and memory. Slice an apple into eighths, and prepare a mix of crunchy almond butter mixed with honey to dip the apples into. Leave the peel on to prolong chewing time.
Or prepare this simple recipe for creamy apple quesadillas for breakfast. It is absolutely delicious, one of our favorite breakfast meals.
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Beets
Beets are spa treatment for your brain. They are rich in nitrates. Nitrates help your blood vessels to relax and expand, and this expansion allows oxygen-rich blood to reach your brain.
To prepare a delicious spa treatment for your loved one’s brain, spread ¼ cup of cottage or cream cheese on a piece of toast. Then top with a sliced roasted beet drizzled with lemon juice and/or olive oil. Your loved one will thank you when he can pay attention better and get more done throughout his day!
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Walnuts
Just ¼ cup of walnuts gives you more than twice the amount of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) that your body needs each day. ALA is a plant based omega-3 fatty acid.
Research shows that omega-3’s reduce inflammation and improve brain function.
Adults with higher ALA levels and other plant based omega 3’s pay attention better and perform better on cognitive tests.
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Wild blueberries
This treat is my favorite one in this list, because it grows in my back yard. In fact, I just picked about ¾ of a cup of them, one by one from blueberry bushes that grow six inches or less from the ground, for my husband to munch on his trip.
Wild blueberries provide potent antioxidants that help facilitate brain connections and increase your blood flow.
Always try to find wild blueberries to eat. Wild blueberries provide more nutrition than their supermarket counterparts.
Want to give your loved one a treat that he will enjoy that will boost his thinking power? Blend 1 cup of frozen wild blueberries, 1 chopped banana, 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder, 1 Tbsp. almond butter, and 1 tsp honey for a smoothie that tastes like a chocolate milkshake. Your child will love this treat and it will help him pay attention and perform better in school.
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I can never forget a poster that was on the cafeteria wall of my elementary school. It had four pictures. The first two pictures showed a child eating a candy bar and then acting up in class. Below those were two more pictures of a child eating healthy foods and learning in class. Under all four pictures were the words, “You are what you eat!” In spite of my traumatic brain injury, I can still picture that poster as if I was in the first grade, because I know how true it is.
Everyone in your home needs to pay attention to what he or she needs to accomplish each day. You can help make this happen by offering foods that will keep everyone’s brain sharp.
Let the encouraging words in these near a river posts help you
soar like an eagle above life’s storms.
Here is a great apple recipe that your family will love!
In spite of hectic, busy life, you can have serenity.
Ladies, we all need to eat more of this.
Everyone should heed this post.