Head towards a better Memory, Heart & Immune System! (Foods)

[n00bwhoneverlogsin]

Memory Foods

While nothing beats a good sleep for enhancing your memory, the foods that you choose to include in your diet also play a role in how your memory functions. Many pay attention to their diets in terms of whether it’ll help them build muscle or lose fat, but they neglect to think of how food can improve memory.

In addition to eating memory foods, proper meal size plays a big role in how well your memory functions. Too little food will cause you to be distracted by hunger, while too much food will make you want to sleep. Incorporating the right memory foods and proper portion sizes will give you maximum results.

Here are some of the memory foods that you should incorporate into your diet to reap the benefits of memory enhancement.

Salmon
On the protein front, one of the best sources is salmon, as it is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for brain function and development. Studies have suggested that supplementing with DHA, which is found in fish oil, is beneficial for the development and maintenance of memory performance.

Other memory foods that contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseed, walnut, salmon, soybean, halibut, shrimp, snapper, tofu, scallop, and winter squash.

Sunflower seeds
Nuts have been highly touted as a great way to get healthy fats into your diet, but many people forget that seeds fall into this category too. Sunflower seeds are a rich source of vitamin E, with one ounce providing 30% of your total daily intake. Vitamin E is one of the primary antioxidants that helps decrease the decline of memory as you age, making it one nutrient you’ll want to be sure to consume.

Other sources of vitamin E include wheat germ oil, dry almond, safflower oil, hazelnut, peanut butter, spinach, broccoli, kiwi, and mango.

Blueberries
While all berries provide a number of health-related benefits, blueberries in particular are a memory-boosting powerhouse. They are considered a memory food because they contain a phytochemical that is especially important in reversing the age-related decline of memory, while having a positive influence on spatial working memory.

In addition to this, blueberries rank low on the glycemic index scale, making them a good fruit choice if you are trying to control your blood sugar level.

Lean beef
Including moderate portions of lean beef in your diet is beneficial in enhancing your memory because of its iron content. While most men get enough iron in their diet, those who are on a strict diet and are sticking mostly to chicken, egg whites and fish as sources of protein may be running a bit low.

Iron deficiency can have a big impact on brain function and impair learning abilities, eventually putting you at an increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. So, be sure you aren’t cutting out good sources of iron from your diet -- even if you’re striving for maximum fat loss.

Anti-Heart Disease Diet

Cutting your risk of heart disease can be achieved with good dietary habits or, as we like to call it, an anti-heart disease diet. The truth is that adding the right foods and avoiding others can keep heart disease at bay. The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study shows that the anti-heart disease diet can protect from heart attack because it contributes to a slimmer waistline. Increased waist circumference, however, greatly contributes to the chances of men developing heart disease.

According to Professor Elio Riboli, coordinator of the EPIC study, “the good news is that you don't need to take an expensive test and wait ages for the result to assess this aspect of your health -- it costs virtually nothing to measure your waist and hip size… If you have a large waist, you probably need to increase the amount of exercise you do every day, avoid excessive alcohol consumption and improve your diet. This could make a huge difference in reducing your risk of an early death."

Combating heart disease is easy if you watch what you eat and adopt an anti-heart disease diet. Foods and chemicals can cause inflammation in the lining of the blood vessels, promoting the formation of plaque (atherosclerosis) that can lead to heart attack. Recent studies show that food can play a big role as ant-heart disease weapons. It is not just about exercise, as every two inch increase in waist size also increases our risk of death by 17%. Even if you are not obese, a thicker waistline can set off a series of hormonal releases that lead to inflammation in the body, which then leads to heart disease.

Helping you fend off an early grave is the anti-heart disease diet.

Mediterranean diet (including nuts)
Enjoy a handful of nuts daily. By adding about an ounce of mixed nuts to a Mediterranean diet, you add good fat that fights heart disease. Nuts should be an integral part of an anti-heart disease diet. Almonds, walnuts and pistachios are all beneficial in the fight against heart disease.

Limit your alcohol intake
Red and white wine is beneficial for heart health, but too much alcohol, especially in the form of binge drinking, can lead to trouble that promotes heart disease. Calorie-laden beer can contribute to heart disease because too many calories increase the body mass index. It would be best to limit your alcohol consumption in your anti-heart disease diet to a moderate intake of red or white wine to reduce your risk of heart disease.

Avoid pre-packaged, processed foods
Processed foods contain chemicals that can cause inflammation in the lining of the blood vessels, leading to heart disease. An anti-heart disease diet should include a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables that are rich in anti-oxidants.

Phthalates, found in plastic food packaging can disrupt the endocrine system, which promotes abdominal obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Phthalates lower testosterone levels in men, causing metabolic syndrome -- high cholesterol and triglycerides, abdominal obesity, high blood pressure and elevated CRP levels (a marker of inflammation).

Consider the role of BPA from plastic bottles, also found in the lining of canned foods: BPA from the environment, including food packaging is shown to increase heart disease risk by contributing to metabolic syndrome.

Whole grains help prevent heart disease
Brown rice, wheat pasta and whole grains are a much better dietary choices than white bread and pasta that turn to sugar in the body. A much better alternative to baked goods is a whole grain muffin and fresh fruit.

You do not have to avoid sweets altogether in your anti-heart disease diet; one square of dark chocolate daily is a great addition to lower C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in the body. CRP is measurable with a blood test from your doctor, and is known to predict your risk of heart attack.

Avoid MSG
You will find MSG in many foods, especially packaged goods, and studies show that MSG contributes to obesity. MSG crosses the blood-brain barrier, sending signals to the brain that destroy blood cells. The result is improper distribution of fat that settles in the abdomen, contributing to heart disease. Eliminating MSG is a serious consideration as a weapon against heart disease.

Eat several servings of fish a week
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for avoiding heart disease and heart attacks. A balance of Omega-3, -6 and -9 fatty acids is a powerful combination for reducing heart disease. Typically, we eat too much meat, which contain omega-6 fatty acids and upset the balance. Walnuts, soybeans and tofu are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids, and should be an integral part of a anti-heart disease diet, as well as salmon, tuna, sardines, and mackerel. Try to eat several serving of fish per week.

Eat plenty of grapes
Grapes stand out as a dietary addition to avoid heart disease. Researchers have recently discovered that grapes are even more powerful than previously believed to mediate inflammation in the body. They studied rats that were given diets high in salt and found that grapes were so powerful that they reduced the impact of salt on high blood pressure.

Naturally Boost Your Immunity

The emergence of avian flu and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), combined with common bacteria becoming more resistant to antibiotics, make it more important than ever to find ways to naturally boost your immunity. Not only will a strong immunity help you stave off tougher bugs, but it’ll also help you feel good and healthy all year long. If you’re looking for ways to naturally boost your immunity so that you can combat the common cold and worse, look no further; we have everything you need to know about kicking your immune system into high gear.

Eliminate stress
Happiness affects our overall health and, as such, it has been studied scientifically. Physical and emotional stress promote the release of harmful chemicals called cytokines, which zap us of the natural defenses needed to fight disease. If you can find a way to at least reduce your stress levels, you’ll find a way to naturally boost your immunity.

Eat foods that boost immunity
Studies show that mushrooms aid in the production of white blood cells, which, as we all know, are necessary to fight infections. Although mushrooms have been used for centuries, researchers are not certain how they actually help fight infection. We know that the immune-boosting activity of mushrooms comes from beta-D-glucans, but we don't know exactly how beta-D-glucans in mushrooms exert their influence on the body. All varieties of mushrooms are beneficial. Who knew you could naturally boost your immunity by eating fungus?

If it's too late for prevention, onions and garlic can help fight existing infections. Garlic contains allicin, ajoene and thiosulfinate, three powerful agents that help the body fight infection. Thiosulfinates and ajoene are antibacterial, and fight a wide variety of infections.

Take olive leaf extract
Many people take olive leaf extract long-term to prevent viral and yeast infections. Studies reported by the New York University School of Medicine show that olive leaf extract also has some benefit for HIV prevention.

Eat orange vegetables
Orange vegetables help promote healthy skin, which is your first line of defense against bacterial infections that might enter through broken skin. If you don’t know which orange veggies to eat when you’re looking to naturally boost your immunity, consider eating carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and pumpkins. Try to eat carrots on a daily basis. Orange vegetables are a great source of vitamin A, beta-carotene and selenium. Beta-carotene increases the number of blood cells, called T helper cells, acting to boost immunity naturally. Beta-carotene then converts to vitamin A, which is another powerful immune booster and is great for healthy skin as well.

Drink green tea or daily
The particular immune-boosting ability of tea comes from the alkylamines within it. Researchers exposed bacteria in test tubes to alkylamines and found that they provided a boost to the immune system by increasing the number of a particular type of infection-fighting blood cell, the gamma delta T-cell.

Another study revealed that green tea supplements could prevent colds and flu. The 2007 study, published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, used a proprietary blend of Camellia sinensis (tea plant) capsules for three months, comparing the rate of colds and flu between those given the supplement twice daily and participants given a placebo. The authors concluded: "This proprietary formulation of CSF [Camellia sinensis formulation] is a safe and effective dietary supplement for preventing cold and flu symptoms, and for enhancing gamma delta T-cell function."

Get your zinc
Zinc, found in oysters, lean red meat and poultry, nuts, and beans, promotes cell synthesis, which will naturally boost your immunity. Studies show that even mild zinc deficiencies can decrease immunity. A study from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan, "showed that T-cell functions were affected adversely even when the deficiency of zinc was mild in humans."

Dietary zinc in America comes from meat and poultry, but, as Americans, we also like our breads -- and breads with grain can interfere with zinc absorption. You can overdose on zinc by taking too many supplements or eating too much zinc-rich foods; an overdose will likely cause nausea and vomiting. Too much supplemental or dietary zinc will also decrease copper levels in the body, which is essential for iron absorption. Finding nutritional balance is always important; too much of one good thing robs us of other "good things."

Take vitamin D supplements
There aren’t many foods that contain vitamin D; therefore, taking supplements may be one of the only ways to get the immune-boosting benefits of vitamin D. There is increasing evidence that vitamin D affects the immune system in a variety of ways.

Exercise regularly
Exercise increases immune function. Take two or three 10-minute walks daily. Any form of exercise at all is beneficial, so do not fret if you are not an athlete.

Physical activity helps rid the lungs of bacteria, which results in a reduced chance of developing colds and flu or other illnesses transmitted through coughing and sneezing. Regular activity increases the rate that white blood cells and antibodies travel through the body, boosting immunity naturally. Exercise also helps eliminate stress.

- Each article was individually taken from AskMen.com - Free Men's Online Magazine, I just thought it would be a good idea to bring these important articles to GotGames, AskMen.com is a great website for the best advice on dating, secrets of love, celebrity biography, relationships and health.

[yoyoo]

Originally Posted by james

Avoid MSG
You will find MSG in many foods, especially packaged goods, and studies show that MSG contributes to obesity. MSG crosses the blood-brain barrier, sending signals to the brain that destroy blood cells. The result is improper distribution of fat that settles in the abdomen, contributing to heart disease. Eliminating MSG is a serious consideration as a weapon against heart disease.

mmm, ..... i'm asian >_>

but there's some good stuff thank you

[RoniX_]

if u put all dem good ones in one big dish, would u be like super man?

[Dysfunction]

brb buying a bucket load of sunflower seeds from flower power

[NickBVK]

You should be a GotGames writer.

[Boagz]

So drinking copious amounts of alcohol is not right?

[SHo]

Someone at Askmen.com stole your written piece.

You should sue them.

[Westy]

credit where needed

[n00bwhoneverlogsin]

Originally Posted by SHo

Someone at Askmen.com stole your written piece.

You should sue them.

I did advertise them in the original post, I removed it because I was adding more and couldn't be fucked finishing it yet so I put the rest on a word document.

And theres at least 3 articles there so no one made all of them.

[God]

Without taking this the wrong way, you're gonna need a better bibliography if that's the case- without references to authors, links to them, and other details you would normally find, it's considered plagiarism.

inb4 twinky

[Velicoma]

There is some good advice in there, however, there is also some very smart side stepping statements.

Whole grains aren't perfect, they just contain less GI loading and sugars than white (btw I eat whole grains as much as possible). Plus the latest studies show that heart disease is primarily a genetic disposition. Sure eating and living healthy helps, but it most cases it will not prevent it happening, just prolong the inevitable.

I honestly wouldn't reccomend just copy pasta from other sites, as with most of the online ones, they contain many fallacious statements and half truths.