5 Foods that Make You Smarter

Get your brains in tip-top shape with these cognitive-powering foods

Phrases like "eat your carrots, they're good for your eyes" are common in almost every household with kids. While there may be truth to that statement, and other benefits of eating carrots, sayings like these can often fall on deaf ears because it seems that every food is responsible for something -"eat spinach to grow strong like Popeye" and "drink milk for strong bones."

RELATED: 10 Brain-Boosting Foods for Back-to-School Eating 
The truth is that eating fruits and vegetables is good for you, plain and simple. And eating a variety is even better, so your body can get all of the nutrients and vitamins it needs to operate at its optimal level. The best part is that most foods offer a two-for-one deal, if you will. Carrots, for example, may help not only your eyes, but also your brain. And it turns out that if kale or kale chips have become recent staples in your kitchen, they might be doing more good for you than you think.

RELATED: Benefits of Eating an Apple a Day 
So, if there's a time when focusing on brain power or energy is a must, say while studying for the bar exam or the GMATs, it might not hurt to increase your intake of healthy foods that have been linked to improving brain productivity and function. Granted, some are meant for long-term health rather than short-term, but it really can't hurt to tackle both ends of the spectrum when it comes to health.

RELATED: 10 Foods That Help You Burn Fat 
To find out more about the connection between our brains and food, we turned to nutritionist Kelly Aronica. Check out what she has to say and which foods you might want to start incorporating into your diet.

Carrots

Also found in spinach, red peppers, and summer squashes, B vitamins, according to Aronica, help manufacture and release chemicals in the brain known as neurotransmitters. "The nervous system relies on neurotransmitters to communicate messages within the brain, such as those that regulate mood, hunger, and sleep."

RELATED: 10 Foods That Keep Your Energy Up

Yogurt

Vitamin B12, often referred to as the "memory vitamin," is only found naturally in animal foods, so Aronica suggests vegans should be careful to use supplements. As she explains, its integrally involved in nerve function and found in yogurts, cheeses, salmon, shrimp, and beef.

Spinach or Kale

"I'd list dark leafy greens (spinach is probably my top choice, or kale) as one of the top foods for brain health," says Aronica. She explains that the huge antioxidant punch is the main benefit for the brain, but they are also powerhouses overall in terms of vitamin and mineral content.

Green Tea

Green tea is not only a great source of antioxidants, but it also provides a hefty amount of caffeine, which is good for coffee-turned-tea drinkers. Aronica adds that research has shown caffeine to improve cognitive function, focus, and concentration. Coffee and chocolate also have antioxidants, but probably aren't as strong of a source as green tea.

RELATED: Pecans, Almonds, and 8 More of the Best Nuts for Your Health

Eggs 
With the conflicting evidence about egg yolks (Good for you? Bad for you?), Aronica says that for brain functions, they're not to be ignored. Choline, a building block from the brain neurotransmitter acetylcholine, is involved in memory and is found in eggs, specifically the yolk.

Click here to see more brain-boosting foods 

Ref:  http://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/blogs/shine-food/5-foods-smarter-182700084.html

The Way of Eating Fruits

The way of Eating fruits - This opened my eyes It's long but very informative 

� We all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths. It's not as easy as you think. It's important to know how and when to eat. 

� What is the correct way of eating fruits? 

� IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS! * FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH. 

� If you eat fruit like that, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities. 

� FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD.Let's say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so. 

� In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil.... 

� So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals! You have heard people complaining — every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat during my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet, etc — actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat! 

� Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes all these will NOT happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach. 

� There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight. 

� When you need to drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans. Don't even drink juice that has been heated up. Don't eat cooked fruits because you don't get the nutrients at all. You only get to taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins. 

� But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look! 

� KIWI: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange. 

� APPLE: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke. 

� STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals. 

� ORANGE : Sweetest medicine. Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer. 

� WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene — the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium. 

� GUAVA & PAPAYA:Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content.. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation.. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes. 

� Drinking Cold water after a meal = Cancer! Can u believe this?? For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine.. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal. 

� A serious note about heart attacks HEART ATTACK PROCEDURE': (THIS IS NOT A JOKE!) Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. Sixty percent of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive. 

� A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life. Read this....It could save your life!! Must Share.

10 health mistakes that everyone makes

Health mistake 1: Driving with the windows down

We feel pretty content cruising up the motorway with the wind blowing through our hair on a warm day, but we never spare a thought for our poor lungs as we breathe in the harmful pollutants emitted by cars. A study from the University of Southern California has found that spending a mere six per cent of our day driving in the car with the windows down exposes us to around 45 per cent of the pollutants that we encounter in 24 hours – that’s a lot of pollutants to come into contact with in such a short amount of time. In cities, driving with the windows down poses an even higher threat to your health. Instead of winding the windows down during a traffic-ridden commute, try letting some fresh air in before you start your journey and save having the wind blowing through your hair for your voyage through the countryside.

driving through cities with windows down is bad for health

Health mistake 2: Carrying a heavy handbag

You’ve packed your makeup, baby wipes, phone, purse and keys. And your camera too (were you planning on taking pictures of anything interesting during your trip to the chemist?) Oh, good to see you brought the old batteries from the remote – never know when you might need them. Those broken headphones could come in handy – thank goodness they found their way in there too.  Erm, ladies (and gentleman, if you’re quite partial to carrying a ‘manbag’) do you really need all this stuff?  Surely these ‘essentials’ could be cut down a bit? Lugging a heavy load around can really take its toll on your health by causing back spasms, disc degeneration, neck problems, arthritis, and poor posture. Spring clean your handbags and manbags, and possibly consider trading them in for a smaller version.

[Mum loses 10 stone using her HOME as a gym]
[Shocking number of women go to extreme lengths to lose weight. Are you?]

Health mistake 3: Spending too long exercising

It’s pretty common to think that the more time we spend on the exercise bike, the better. The truth is, too much of a good thing can be counterproductive and that goes for exercise too. Working your body too hard can lead to abnormal hormonal changes (which can trigger weight gain), a weaker immune system, muscle damage, shin splints, and knee, foot, or back problems. Whilst it’s important to reap the benefits of exercise for a healthy lifestyle, don’t go overboard; expecting abs like Arnold Schwarzenegger on week two of your workout routine isn’t going to happen and it isn’t going to be healthy.

Health mistake 4: Scrimping on sleep

You’ve crammed everything you can possibly fit into twenty four hours and more, when suddenly you look at the clock and it’s way past the time you hoped to go to bed and closer to the time you need to get up for work. Scientific research has proven that we look less attractive when we’ve had little sleep, but droopy eyelids and pasty skin are the least of our worries when it comes to our habit of scrimping on sleep. No matter how healthy you are, how much you exercise, or how much you weigh, getting too little shut-eye can seriously affect your health. Scientists studied 5,600 people of a healthy weight and size for three years and found those who skipped sleep quadrupled their risk of stroke and heart disease. Fix a specific time to go to bed and stick to it. 

Health mistake 5: Avoiding the scales

In many households across the world, the scales are the one piece of equipment gathering more dust than the treadmill. A common way to gloss over our weight problems is to avoid going on the scales altogether; we go by the mantra “If I don’t see that I’ve gained weight, then I don’t have to believe it”.  If you feel like you’ve gained weight, it’s best to face the facts to see how much you’ve gained so you can do something about it before it gets out of hand. Everyone’s weight naturally fluctuates so don’t panic if you’ve gained a couple of pounds here and there, but if you gain more than five pounds, you should probably reign in your eating habits.  Checking your weight on a regular basis allows you to nip it in the bud if you discover a weight problem – losing the odd few pounds is much easier than trying to shed a stone.

Health mistake 6: Silent worrying

You worry about the meeting at work, you worry about putting the bins out, you worry that you might forget to feed the cat, and it’s really getting you down. Whilst stress can be positive in helping to keep you alert and avoid danger, too much of it can be detrimental to your health. Endless worrying eventually leads to distress which causes headaches, high blood pressure, an upset stomach, chest pain, and sleep deprivation.  Whilst it’s natural to worry when you have a deadline looming, panicking too much about petty things needs to be sorted. When you’re worrying, ask yourself a few simple questions and answer them as honestly as you can. Will you still be worrying about this in a couple of week’s time? Can this problem be easily resolved? If you can’t let it go, tackle the problem head on until it is resolved. If you can learn how to control your worrying, you’re well on your way to a happier, healthier lifestyle.

[Is the gym making you put on weight?]
[Ditch the caffeine for a flat tum]
[Six steps toward making yourself happy]

Health mistake 7: Stopping medicines suddenly

Most of us are guilty of this one; we’re feeling much better and stop taking our medication, but suddenly end up feeling a whole lot worse. How often do you consider the health risks of this? Depending on the medicine you are taking, going ‘cold turkey’ can cause all sorts of health risks which range from mild, to moderate, or serious. Discontinuing your medicine suddenly can cause mild headaches, rapid return of the illness that you were treating, and seizures, to name only a few. Abruptly stopping certain medications can be life threatening, so keep taking it until your doctor tells you to stop, and when you do get the ‘all clear’ take medical advice when you’re discontinuing them.

Health mistake 8: Forgetting to floss

Flossing is a key component when it comes to oral hygiene, but it’s a step that many of us skip because we don’t feel much different whether we floss or not. It’s worth changing your routine though, because plaque between the teeth can be more serious than you may think. If the bacteria finds its way into the blood stream it can cause chronic inflammation and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and premature birth.  The cosmetic implications of not flossing are another obvious concern; unless you would like to lose all your teeth in favour of some rapper-style gold ones, it’s recommended that you floss at least once a day to stop your pearly whites from being weakened by plaque and eventually falling out. It looks like we need to start brushing up (get it?) on our dental hygiene routines for the good of our health.

Health mistake 9: Skipping breakfast

Skipping your breakfast and then continuing with your day is like trying to drive your car with a very low tank of fuel – it will feel fine to start with but eventually slow down and cut out. Not only will you feel less active and sluggish, skipping breakfast – whether it is due to lack of time or fear of putting on weight – is linked with a higher risk of diabetes and can lead to obesity as your body stores up more fat to use as fuel throughout the rest of the day. Eat breakfast to feel happier, more functional and, most of all, healthy.

skipping breakfast is bad for your health

Health mistake 10:  Drinking water from the warm tap

“Throw salt over your left shoulder”, “say ‘white rabbits’ at the start of each month”, “never drink water from the warm tap” – you’d be forgiven for thinking that the latter statement was an old wives’ tale like the others, but scientists suggest that drinking water from the warm tap could cause lead poisoning. Lead can enter some water systems – normally homes that were built before 1930 – from corroded plumbing work, but drinking high levels of it can have potential health risks, particularly in children where it can lead to brain damage. Although scientists emphasise that the risks of lead poisoning are small, it’s recommended that you use the cold tap for preparing baby formula, drinking, and cooking. 

Ref:  http://sg.news.yahoo.com/10-health-mistakes-everyone-makes-080038977.html