If you feel that lacking brain power lately you may want to look at your diet along with some very affordable supplements.
Diet is essential for proper brain function and the fact of the matter is that your diet may not be providing you with proper quantities of some very important vitamins that allow you to maximize your brain power.
If you are noticing that you are having problems with your short term memory or overall cognitive function you either want to do some research into adjusting your diet or supplementing with vitamins that can assist you.
We are going to look at four vitamin supplements that can do just that.
The first supplement that we are going to look at is folic acid.
When homocysteine reaches elevated levels it is know to cause damage to brain cells.
Folic acid is a nutrient that controls the levels of homocysteine in the blood.
This is why you need to have adequate levels of folic acid from diet or supplementation.
It will improve both alertness and short-term memory.
When you improve these two things instead of feeling lethargic and sluggish you will feel much more mentally alert.
Foods that can supply this nutrient would include green leafy vegetables, beans or legumes.
It is also available in supplement form from your local supplement warehouse.
The next vitamin that will help you improve brain power is vitamin B12.
It is important in maintaining the health of our nerve cells.
B12 increases the production of myelin which provides a protective coating to nerve fibers and protects them from electrical pulses sent out by the brain.
The reason that this is important is because we know that many mental illness problems that people experience are caused either by the misfiring of nerve cells or by a lack of this protective coating.
Depression and mental alertness can both be improved with B12 supplementation.
Studies have also shown that it can help to prevent memory loss making it a powerful tool for improving brain power.
One word of caution concerning B12 is in order here.
Pregnant women who are strict vegans run the risk of being deficient in this vitamin.
This can be passed on to the infant at birth causing neurological problems that manifest themselves quickly and unfortunately are irreversible.
If you fall into this category it is wise to discuss B12 deficiency with your doctor.
B12 can be found in fortified cereals and meats such as beef, pork, poultry and fish.
If your diet does not include these types of foods consider supplementation.
Now lets look at the benefits that vitamin C can provide.
Many associate this vitamin with shortening the duration and severity of colds and flu but the reality is that it is also a powerful antioxidant.
Antioxidants protect our brain cells from the negative affects of free radicals.
Free radicals are constantly being produced in the body by chemical reactions that involve oxygen.
This is why it is important to get adequate levels of antioxidants from diet or supplementation.
Foods that are high in vitamin C are oranges, legumes and vegetables.
The final vitamin that we are going to look at to improve brain function is vitamin E.
Like vitamin C this also acts as an antioxidant.
Research has shown that supplementing with this nutrient can slow the progression of Alzheimer's or prevent it entirely.
It is commonly accepted that many disorders of the brain can be prevented by maintaining proper levels of antioxidants.
Sweet potatoes, nuts, green leafy vegetables and grains are all good sources of vitamin E.
In summary, if you or someone close to you is showing a decline in brain function it is important to look at diet as well as speak to your doctor.
Much of this can be controlled by supplementation or changes in diet to include the proper nutrients.