CHAPTER 9

THE FEEL BETTER FAST DIET

FOODS THAT HELP YOU FEEL GREAT NOW AND LATER

The real “weapons of mass destruction” are highly processed, pesticide-sprayed, high-glycemic, low-fiber foodlike substances in plastic containers.

MEMORY RESCUE

With the help of my wife and coworker, I traded the fast food for more nutritious options. At first I was very fearful that I wouldn’t be satisfied, or that my cravings would just drive me back to the same old foods and huge portions. But something amazing happened —my cravings disappeared virtually OVERNIGHT. I had no idea that nutritious foods could be so satisfying! It’s like someone flipped a switch in my brain!

RICK, WHO LOST 100 POUNDS IN A YEAR AND HAS KEPT IT OFF FOR FIVE YEARS

Victor, 53, had suffered with anxiety, depression, and insomnia for decades. He had seen endocrinologists, psychiatrists, cardiologists, and sleep doctors with no relief. He had tried multiple medications after a suicide attempt, but none of them had helped.

One of the strategies we commonly use at Amen Clinics is to change our patients’ diets. We help them eat foods that nourish their brains and bodies —such as colorful vegetables and fruits as well as healthy proteins and fats —and eliminate, at least temporarily, all of the potential troublemaker foods that could be causing negative reactions in their bodies, such as gluten, dairy, corn, soy, food additives and preservatives, and artificial sweeteners. I first heard of this idea more than 25 years ago from my friend Dr. Doris Rapp, who saw remarkable improvements in children with ADHD, aggression, and even autism when they eliminated these foods. Subsequently, I have read a growing number of studies in journals, such as the Lancet, reporting significant benefits from dietary interventions.[251] Some of our patients resist —remember, the brain hates change —but we reassure them that when this strategy is conscientiously applied, it can be more effective than almost anything else they could do for their health.

In medical school, like most of my colleagues, I received minimal nutrition education, equivalent to two days out of the 140 weeks it takes to get a medical degree. This state of affairs is insane given that 75 percent of the health care dollars in the United States are spent on chronic, preventable illnesses[252] that stem from our diet and lifestyle choices. Research suggests that our poor choices account for 90 percent of type 2 diabetes, 80 percent of coronary artery disease, 70 percent of strokes, and 70 percent of colon cancer.[253] Poor diets are also associated with depression,[254] anxiety,[255] ADHD,[256] dementia,[257] and even suicide.[258] But there is good news: Brain-healthy diets have been shown to be effective treatments for depression,[259] ADHD,[260] and cognitive decline.[261]

When I first attended Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings as part of my psychiatric training, I was dismayed to see that many recovering alcoholics continued to smoke cigarettes, drink loads of coffee filled with fake creamers and sugar, and eat donuts and other unhealthy foods. In their attempts to get better, they were perpetuating inflammation and making themselves worse. Even today, when I speak at churches, schools, hospitals, addiction treatment centers, and businesses —places that are supposed to be serving the health of others —I’m routinely horrified by the food that’s served, which is toxic to brain health.

Victor, whose story I opened with, was a vegetarian, which put him at a higher risk of depression,[262] and his diet consisted mostly of beans, rice, corn, and cheese. He told our nutritionist he was willing to try a healthier diet and gave up gluten, dairy, corn, and all the other potential problem foods mentioned earlier. As I wrote in Memory Rescue, after a week on the new eating plan, his mood was better than it had been in years. Then he added back each of the foods, one at a time. He added back gluten, and nothing happened. The same was true of dairy, except he had more gas and a queasy stomach, and of soy. But when he added back corn, he said he knew “within a couple of bites” that it was the problem. He had an image of putting a gun in his mouth and pulling the trigger, something that had not happened since before he went on the diet. Even though Victor loved corn chips, corn tortillas, and popcorn, they obviously did not love him back. He decided that this bad relationship was not worth the pain, so he kicked corn out of his life. He was shocked that after suffering for so long he could feel normal with so little effort. You can too —by eliminating foods that are potentially harmful for you and only eating those that serve your health.

Food can be medicine or poison. Intuitively, most people know that certain foods affect their energy and moods. Having a big plate of pasta at lunch, for example, causes a blood sugar spike that makes you feel great for a short while. But it also stimulates your pancreas to produce lots of insulin, which will ultimately make your blood sugar fall so you feel tired and lethargic, as if your mind were swimming in mud.

This chapter will give you a dietary plan in five straightforward strategies to help you feel better fast.

THE FEEL BETTER FAST DIET: FIVE SIMPLE STRATEGIES

  1. Give yourself an attitude makeover.
  2. Learn the Feel Better Fast food rules.
  3. Time your meals to get healthier.
  4. Choose 20 foods you love that love you back.
  5. Know which foods to lose and which to choose to help attention, energy, mood, memory, anxiety, pain, and sleep.

Strategy #1: Give yourself an attitude makeover.

Your attitude, or mind-set, may be the single most important factor in feeling better fast. When your mind-set is one of deprivation and your focus is on what you cannot have, you are more likely to remain mired in illness and brain fog. Yes, you may be giving up sugary fast foods and beverages you enjoy —which are often, by the way, pesticide-laden —but these are the very things that drive inflammation and illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, depression, dementia, and early death. To feel better fast and make it last for a lifetime, it is critical to develop an abundance mind-set, where you focus on the high-quality, nutritious, and delicious foods you can have that build and sustain your health. If you are able to change your attitude about this, everything else will be easier.

Think for a moment about the advertising slogans that swirl on the airwaves and Internet and on food packaging, targeted at you and your children:

Big business has purposefully designed these catchy jingles and phrases to target your mind and trigger the “bliss point” in your brain. Yes, you are being brainwashed. In the 1970s, Howard Moskowitz, a mathematician, discovered the perfect combination of sugar, salt, and fat that would optimize the human brain’s pleasure experience —what he dubbed the “bliss point.” Triggering it not only increases sensory experiences like taste and texture but activates the nucleus accumbens and other centers deep in the brain that are associated with motivation and pleasure. As discussed in chapter 8 (see page 183), the nucleus accumbens is the same part of the brain that is activated by certain drugs, such as cocaine, methamphetamines, nicotine, and morphine. In other words, the job of food designers is to create foods that hook your brain, just as addictive drugs do. “Betcha can’t eat just one”! They were not kidding.

Here are a few of the weapons food scientists have discovered or manipulated to hook your brain:

Society and corporations blame you for being overweight or sick because you lack self-control and portion control, or because your level of exercise is inadequate. But how can you have self-control when food scientists have been using sophisticated neuroscience and plotting against your brain for decades?

The first step in reorienting your eating habits is to stop being a victim of the food companies and start taking control of the food you put in your body. Start by changing your attitude. Why do I buy only healthy food for my family and team members at Amen Clinics? These are behaviors that help fuel success in every area of our lives. Plus, I love my family, the people I work with, and myself. Doing the right things for our health is never about deprivation; it is always about the abundance of what we really want —happiness, mental clarity, energy, effectiveness, and longevity. Why should you be serious about the quality of the nutrients you put in your body and the bodies of those you care about? Because doing so gives all of you the best chances at feeling great now and later, and because you love your friends, your family, and yourself. It’s really that simple. Making consistently good decisions about food is an act of love. Damaging your most precious assets (brain and body) with poor-quality foodlike substances is an act of pure sabotage toward yourself and others.

Over the years, many people have told me this position is extreme and I should lighten up. Their reasoning includes responses like these:

Research is uncovering ever more reasons for urgency. In a recent study in mice at the University of Bonn, scientists found that a high-fat, high-calorie Western diet appears to make the immune system react as it would to a bacterial infection. This diet made the mice’s immune systems more aggressive over the long run, and even after the animals were put on a healthy eating plan, their bodies responded with greater inflammation —a response that may be linked to the development of type 2 diabetes and clogged arteries.[265] All this research can provide motivation for us to make over our attitudes and develop a positive mind-set toward healthy eating.

Strategy #2: Learn the Feel Better Fast food rules.

There are nine rules, or guidelines, that will help you start to eat healthier. You may already be following some of these guidelines —if so, good for you! The more of them you adopt, the better off your brain and body will be.

CONCENTRATE ON CONSUMING BRAIN-SMART CALORIES

Calories do matter. If you eat more of them than you burn, you will definitely gain weight, and as discussed in the introduction (see page xxv), as your weight goes up, the size and function of your brain go down. Yet the quality of your calories matters more than the amount. Contrast a 582-calorie meal of a large soda and a slice of pizza, which promotes inflammation, brain fog, and illness, with a 540-calorie meal of wild salmon, Swiss chard, sweet potato, and dark chocolate, which promotes good health. Your brain will be sick on the first regimen and healthier on the second. If you struggle with your weight, focusing on quality, not quantity, may also lead you to consume fewer calories and shed pounds: A recent study of 600 people led by the Stanford Prevention Research Center found that those who focused on eating healthier foods without worrying about cutting calories lost significant amounts of weight and improved on a number of health measures, including waist size and blood sugar and blood pressure levels.[266]

I am a value spender. Even though I have enough money, I hate wasting it. I think of calories like money and hate wasting them as well. Focus on foods that are nutritious, delicious, and calorie smart.

MAKE (ZERO-CALORIE) WATER YOUR BEVERAGE OF CHOICE

Your brain is 80 percent water. Being dehydrated by just 2 percent impairs your ability to carry out tasks that require attention, memory, and physical performance.[267] I recommend drinking about eight 10-ounce glasses of water a day. If you drink a glass of water 30 minutes before meals or snacks, you’re likely to eat less and still feel satiated. However, avoid drinking water with your meal, as it slows down digestion by diluting stomach acid. And try to limit consumption of anything that dehydrates you, including caffeine, alcohol, and other diuretics.

Just as critical is that you avoid drinking your calories. Replace sodas (including diet sodas —see the section on artificial sweeteners on page 214), fruit juices, and other sugary drinks with water. Drinking just one can of sweetened soda or fruit punch a day can result in a weight gain of up to five pounds in one year! No wonder so many Americans are always on a diet.

EAT SMALL AMOUNTS OF PROTEIN SEVERAL TIMES A DAY

Think of protein the way you do medicine —that it should be taken in small doses with every meal and snack. Protein helps to balance blood sugar levels, decrease cravings, and burn more calories than eating high-carb, sugar-filled foods. Protein also provides your body with the amino acids it requires. Nuts, seeds, legumes, some grains, and vegetables contain some of the 20 essential amino acids you need. Fish, poultry, and most meats contain all of them. To the degree your budget allows, shop for animal protein that is free of hormones and antibiotics, free-range, and grass fed. It is more expensive than industrial, farm-raised animal protein, but it is a good investment in your health. Be careful not to overdo it on protein, as that can put an increased strain on your kidneys and promote inflammation. Somewhere in the range of 15 to 25 percent of your total daily calories is a healthy amount.

MAKE FRIENDS WITH FAT

Fat continues to get a bad rap, despite the fact that good fats are essential to the health of your brain and do not raise your cholesterol. In fact, low-fat diets are bad for the brain. A Mayo Clinic study found that people who ate either a fat-based or a protein-based diet had a 42 percent or a 21 percent lower risk, respectively, of developing mild cognitive impairment and dementia, but those who ate a diet based on simple carbohydrates (think bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, and sugar) had a 400 percent increased risk of developing these conditions.[268] Fat is not the problem —sugar is.

In a powerful new study from multiple highly regarded institutions around the world, researchers followed more than 135,000 people from 18 countries for an average of 7.4 years. They found that those who consumed the highest amount of dietary fat, including saturated fat, had a 23 percent reduced risk of death, while those who ate the highest amount of carbohydrates had a 28 percent increased risk of death. Higher consumption of saturated fat was surprisingly associated with a lower risk of stroke. The researchers concluded, “High carbohydrate intake was associated with higher risk of total mortality, whereas total fat and individual types of fat were related to lower total mortality. Total fat and types of fat were not associated with cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction, or cardiovascular disease mortality.”[269]

While it’s smart to avoid fried fats, trans fats, and some saturated fats, cutting way back on healthy fats is harmful, because your body needs them for many crucial functions. Here’s a brief look at how different kinds of fats impact health:

The healthiest dietary strategy is to cut back on certain types of saturated fats (especially myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids) and increase consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish oil, nuts, and seeds.

CHOOSE HEALTHY (HIGH-FIBER, BLOOD-SUGAR-STEADYING) CARBOHYDRATES

So-called “smart” carbohydrates are essential to life because they are loaded with nutrients, help to balance your blood sugar, and decrease cravings. Most vegetables, legumes, and fruits, such as apples, pears, and berries, that are low glycemic (unlikely to raise blood sugar) are smart carbs. High-glycemic, low-fiber carbohydrates steal your health because they promote inflammation, diabetes, and depression.[273] Examples include sugar and foods that quickly turn to sugar, such as bread, rice, pasta, and white potatoes.

Fiber is a special type of carbohydrate that enhances digestion, reduces the risk of colon cancer, and helps to balance blood pressure and blood sugar. The average American consumes far too little —less than 15 grams of fiber daily. Women should consume 25–30 grams of fiber every day; men, 30–38 grams. High-fiber foods, such as broccoli, berries, onions, flaxseeds, nuts, green beans, cauliflower, celery, and sweet potatoes (the skin of one sweet potato has more fiber than a bowl of oatmeal!) have the added benefit of making you feel full faster and longer.

FILL YOUR PLATE WITH COLORFUL VEGETABLES AND FRUITS

Colorful vegetables and fruits have tremendous health benefits. They provide an enormous array of the plant nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are necessary for good health. Plant foods also help prevent cancer and reduce inflammation, which contributes to Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, arthritis, gastrointestinal disorders, high blood pressure, and many other illnesses. A 2016 study found a linear correlation between the number of fruits and vegetables you eat and your level of happiness.[274] The more colorful fruits and vegetables you eat —up to eight servings a day —the happier you become, and it happens almost immediately. No antidepressant works this fast! Just stick with a two-to-one ratio of vegetables to fruits to limit sugar.

ADD BRAIN-HEALTHY FLAVOR WITH HERBS AND SPICES

Food seasonings contain so many health-promoting substances that it almost makes sense to store them in the medicine cabinet rather than the spice cupboard! Here are some of the most powerful of these herb and spice brain boosters.

AVOID OR ELIMINATE FOODS THAT CAN POTENTIALLY HURT YOU

Some foods are not worth the downsides that come along with them. The following are several to limit or avoid altogether if you want to keep your brain healthy. If you struggle with mood issues, anxiety, temper problems, or learning challenges, eliminate all of the foods listed for at least a month. Then, once all of them are out of your system, add back one each week and see which, if any, may be causing you trouble. This process may make an amazing difference in your health. While I believe everyone would benefit from eliminating these foods permanently, I know not everyone may choose to do that. Most people are willing to start with the elimination diet. When they see how much better they feel off these foods, many will make permanent changes.

CHOOSE ORGANIC, TOXIN-FREE FOODS WHENEVER POSSIBLE

Fast food, sugar, simple carbohydrates, dairy products, trans fats, excess omega-6 fatty acids, and foods that are processed, engineered, or refined promote chronic inflammation. These are the foods that the standard American or Western diet is built upon. That’s why it’s so important, whenever possible, to shop for organically grown or raised foods, which are free of hormones, antibiotics, and chemicals. Try to eliminate food additives and artificial preservatives, dyes, and sweeteners, too, and look for meat that is grass fed.

Fish is a great source of healthy protein and fat, but some varieties tend to have more toxins. The larger the fish, the more mercury it may contain, so it’s best to eat mostly smaller varieties and have the larger ones (like tuna) less frequently. Eat a fairly wide variety of fish, preferably those highest in omega-3s, like wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, anchovies, hake, and haddock. Learn more at www.seafoodwatch.org.

I understand that many people cannot afford to buy only organic and sustainably raised food. That is why I recommend consulting the Environmental Working Group’s annual lists of produce with the highest and lowest levels of pesticide residues to help inform your choices. (Stay updated at www.ewg.org.)

Strategy #3: Time your meals to get healthier.

If you have symptoms of low blood sugar, getting your diet right can make an immediate positive difference for you. I had a patient who was arrested multiple times for angry outbursts, but in my office, he was typically one of our sweetest patients. One day he came to see me, sweating profusely, and he was angry and inappropriate with our office staff. Suspecting low blood sugar, I ordered a glucose tolerance test. We measured his blood glucose level at baseline and again 30 minutes and two hours after he drank the equivalent of sugar water. His two-hour blood glucose level was dangerously low. When the brain does not get enough glucose, watch out!

Symptoms of Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Glucose)

If you suspect you suffer from low blood sugar levels, make a practice of eating four to five meals a day that combine protein, fat, and smart carbohydrates to help steady your blood sugar.

If you do not have hypoglycemia, “intermittent fasting” or “time-restricted feeding” can significantly improve memory,[280] mood,[281] fat loss,[282] weight, blood pressure, and inflammatory markers.[283] Nightly 12-to-16-hour fasts turn on a process called autophagy, which helps your brain take out the trash it accumulates during the day.[284] This can help you think more clearly and feel more energetic, and it’s simple —if you eat dinner at 6 p.m., don’t eat again until 6–10 a.m. the next day. Your brain will have the time it needs to cleanse itself.

Not eating within two to three hours of bedtime also reduces your risk of heart attack and stroke.[285] In healthy people, blood pressure drops by at least 10 percent when they go to sleep, but blood pressure in late-night eaters stays high, increasing the risk of vascular problems. Also, new research suggests that if you have more calories at lunch and then eat a light dinner, you are more likely to lose weight than the other way around.[286]

Strategy #4: Choose 20 foods you love that love you back.

To be successful at optimizing your diet, you must find foods you love that love you back. As I detailed in chapter 4 (see page 69), we are creatures of habit and change can be hard. That is why you have to set yourself up to win. Do this by finding 20 high-quality, delicious foods and beverages, based on the rules outlined above. If you can find 20 foods, odds are you will be able to find 40, 80, 100, or more. To give you a head start, here is a list of 162 of my favorite Feel Better Fast Brain-Healthy Foods and Beverages that comply with our food rules. Some of these items may be new to you, but you can research them more online or ask your grocer where to find them.

FEEL BETTER FAST BRAIN-HEALTHY FOODS AND BEVERAGES

Beverages

  1. 1. Water
  2. 2. Beet juice (to increase blood flow)
  3. 3. Cherry juice (to help sleep)
  4. 4. Coconut water
  5. 5. Herbal tea
  6. 6. Lightly flavored waters, such as Hint
  7. 7. Spa water (sparkling water with berries, a sprig of mint, or a slice of lemon, orange, peach, or melon)
  8. 8. Sparkling water (add a splash of chocolate or orange stevia [brand: SweetLeaf] for a refreshing, calorie- and toxin-free “soda”)
  9. 9. Unsweetened almond milk (for amazing taste, add a few drops of flavored stevia)
  10. 10. Vegetable juice or green drinks (without added fruit juice)
  11. 11. Water with cayenne pepper to boost metabolism

Nuts, Seeds, Nut and Seed Butters, and Meal

  1. 12. Almonds, raw
  2. 13. Almond butter
  3. 14. Almond flour
  4. 15. Brazil nuts
  5. 16. Cacao, raw
  6. 17. Cashews
  7. 18. Cashew butter
  8. 19. Chia seeds
  9. 20. Coconut
  10. 21. Flax meal
  11. 22. Flaxseeds
  12. 23. Hemp seeds
  13. 24. Pistachios
  14. 25. Pumpkin seeds
  15. 26. Quinoa
  16. 27. Sesame seeds
  17. 28. Walnuts

Legumes (small amounts, all high in fiber and protein, help balance blood sugar[287])

  1. 29. Black beans
  2. 30. Chickpeas
  3. 31. Green peas
  4. 32. Hummus
  5. 33. Kidney beans
  6. 34. Lentils
  7. 35. Navy beans
  8. 36. Pinto beans

Fruits —choose low-glycemic, high-fiber varieties

  1. 37. Acai berries
  2. 38. Apples
  3. 39. Apricots
  4. 40. Avocados
  5. 41. Blackberries
  6. 42. Blueberries
  7. 43. Cantaloupe
  8. 44. Cherries
  9. 45. Cranberries
  10. 46. Figs
  11. 47. Goji berries
  12. 48. Goldenberries
  13. 49. Grapefruit
  14. 50. Grapes (red and green)
  15. 51. Honeydew melon
  16. 52. Kiwis
  17. 53. Kumquats
  18. 54. Lemons
  19. 55. Lychees
  20. 56. Mangosteens
  21. 57. Nectarines
  22. 58. Olives
  23. 59. Oranges
  24. 60. Passion fruit
  25. 61. Peaches
  26. 62. Pears
  27. 63. Plums
  28. 64. Pomegranates
  29. 65. Pumpkin
  30. 66. Raspberries
  31. 67. Strawberries
  32. 68. Tangerines
  33. 69. Tomatoes

Vegetables

  1. 70. Artichokes
  2. 71. Arugula
  3. 72. Asparagus
  4. 73. Beets and beet greens
  5. 74. Bell peppers
  6. 75. Broccoli
  7. 76. Brussels sprouts
  8. 77. Butter lettuce
  9. 78. Butternut squash
  10. 79. Cabbage
  11. 80. Carrots
  12. 81. Cauliflower
  13. 82. Celery
  14. 83. Celery root
  15. 84. Chicory
  16. 85. Collard greens
  17. 86. Cucumbers
  18. 87. Green beans
  19. 88. Horseradish
  20. 89. Jicama
  21. 90. Kale
  22. 91. Leeks
  23. 92. Maca root
  24. 93. Mustard greens
  25. 94. Okra
  26. 95. Onions
  27. 96. Parsnips
  28. 97. Red or green leaf lettuce
  29. 98. Romaine lettuce
  30. 99. Scallions
  31. 100. Seaweed
  32. 101. Spinach
  33. 102. Summer squash
  34. 103. Sweet potatoes
  35. 104. Swiss chard
  36. 105. Turnips
  37. 106. Watercress
  38. 107. Wheatgrass juice
  39. 108. Zucchini

Prebiotic Foods (nondigestible substances that promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut)

  1. 109. Dandelion greens
  2. 110. Psyllium

(Several foods already listed are also prebiotics: artichokes, asparagus, chia seeds, beans, cabbage, raw garlic, onions, leeks, and root vegetables, including beets, carrots, jicama, squash, sweet potatoes, turnips, and yams.)

Probiotic Foods

  1. 111. Brined vegetables (not vinegar, as some people have negative reactions to it)
  2. 112. Chlorella
  3. 113. Kefir
  4. 114. Kimchi
  5. 115. Kombucha
  6. 116. Miso soup
  7. 117. Pickles
  8. 118. Sauerkraut
  9. 119. Spirulina

Mushrooms[288]

  1. 120. Black truffles
  2. 121. Chaga
  3. 122. Chanterelles
  4. 123. Maitake
  5. 124. Oyster
  6. 125. Porcini
  7. 126. Reishi
  8. 127. Shiitake
  9. 128. Shimeji
  10. 129. White button

Oils

  1. 130. Avocado oil
  2. 131. Coconut oil (good for high-temperature cooking)
  3. 132. Macadamia nut oil
  4. 133. Olive oil (avoid for high-temperature cooking)

Eggs/Meat/Poultry/Fish

  1. 134. Arctic char
  2. 135. Chicken or turkey
  3. 136. Eggs
  4. 137. King crab
  5. 138. Lamb (high in omega-3s)
  6. 139. Rainbow trout
  7. 140. Salmon, wild caught
  8. 141. Sardines, wild caught
  9. 142. Scallops
  10. 143. Shrimp

Brain-Healthy Herbs and Spices

  1. 144. Basil
  2. 145. Black pepper
  3. 146. Cayenne pepper
  4. 147. Cinnamon
  5. 148. Cloves
  6. 149. Garlic
  7. 150. Ginger
  8. 151. Marjoram
  9. 152. Mint
  10. 153. Nutmeg
  11. 154. Oregano
  12. 155. Parsley
  13. 156. Peppermint
  14. 157. Rosemary
  15. 158. Saffron
  16. 159. Sage
  17. 160. Thyme
  18. 161. Turmeric (curcumins)

Special Category

  1. 162. Shirataki noodles (made from the root of a wild yam plant [brand: Miracle Noodles] to replace pasta noodles)

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been in bad relationships in the past. I’m so thankful now that I have a partner and wife who is good for me and loves me in return for my love. Choosing healthy food is so much easier than finding the right life partner! I am committed to only eating and loving food that is good for me and loves me back.

Strategy #5: Know which foods to lose and which to choose to help attention, energy, mood, memory, anxiety, pain, and sleep.

When you are feeling low, there are nutrients you should lose and others you should choose that will help you feel better fast. Following the general “Foods to Lose” list are diagrams and lists of food choices that will improve your attention and energy, moods, memory, and sleep and will reduce anxiety and pain.

FOODS TO LOSE: THESE MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD NOW BUT NOT LATER

Why Do Restaurants Offer Bread and Alcohol before Meals?

It’s a great question. After all, restaurants could instead offer you cheese, almonds, or fresh-cut veggies with a little mashed avocado. The answer is that bread and alcohol reduce the function of your prefrontal cortex (PFC) and make you both hungrier and more likely to order additional food and drinks. Without the PFC supervising your decisions, you are apt to spend more money at the restaurant on alcohol and dessert.

Bread —especially white bread made from bleached and processed flour —spikes blood sugar, which pushes tryptophan, the amino acid building block for the neurotransmitter serotonin, into the brain. Serotonin helps you feel happier and less anxious, which is why many people, especially females, fall in love with bread, cupcakes, cookies, and the like. One study showed that males produced about 52 percent more serotonin than females, which makes females more susceptible to depression.[292] On SPECT, I’ve seen antidepressants called SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which raise serotonin levels) lower function in the PFC. Many of my patients who have taken SSRIs report that they feel less depressed, anxious, or worried, but they also tend to be more impulsive and less motivated. One of my patients, who owned a group of restaurants, told me that he had to stop taking Zoloft, a commonly prescribed SSRI, because although he was less depressed, he wasn’t getting his paperwork done. He just wasn’t motivated or able to focus, which is bad if you own a business. Anything that lowers PFC function makes you more impulsive and less worried about long-term consequences. Starting a meal with bread or simple carbohydrates helps you feel better, but it also makes you more impulsive when the dessert tray comes by toward the end of the meal.

Alcohol also reduces PFC function, making it more likely you will order extra food, make a stupid comment, or do something you later regret. We’ve long heard that alcohol in moderation can be healthy, but after looking at thousands of brains of moderate to heavy drinkers, I’ve just never believed it. A study at Johns Hopkins found that people who drink every day have smaller brains,[293] and when it comes to the brain, size does matter. Plus, alcohol is related to seven different types of cancer, including those involving the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, colon, rectum, and breast.[294] Alcohol is used to clean your skin of bacteria before you receive an injection and as a preservative for scientific specimens. It’s hard to imagine that it can be good for the 100 trillion bugs living in your gut that are essential to your life.

That’s not all. Alcohol can decrease judgment and decision-making skills, increase cravings, and make you less coordinated. Excessive alcohol is related to high blood pressure, stroke, irregular heartbeat, heart disease, and a weaker immune system. According to a recent study, heavy drinking and alcohol use disorders are the biggest preventable risk factors for dementia, especially early-onset dementia, which starts before age 65.[295] To detoxify alcohol, your liver uses glutathione and other essential antioxidants. This can make you more vulnerable to the buildup of toxins. Alcohol intake is associated with a fatty liver, damaged neurons, and decreased blood flow to the cerebellum, an amazing part of the brain that is associated with physical and thought coordination. Alcohol interferes with the absorption of vitamin B1 and is a common cause of nerve pain. It is listed as the seventh leading preventable cause of death, and excessive use can cause untold suffering, divorce, incarceration, and financial problems. For people who want a better brain but also want to drink, I recommend no more than two to four standard-size drinks a week —not a day.

Hold the bread and alcohol, wait for your meal, and you will be happier with the end result.

FOODS TO CHOOSE: THESE MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD NOW AND LATER

To Boost Attention/Energy: A higher-protein, lower-carbohydrate diet, especially consumed around the times you need to focus, can be helpful. Consider this diagram:

Diagram showing the progression of effects of a protein-dominant meal. You consume a protein-rich meal (think steak and seafood). It raises blood levels of all amino acids. All amino acids compete to enter the brain. Tryptophan (building block for serotonin) loses; tyrosine (building block for dopamine) wins. You feel more energetic and focused but may also be more worried and rigid.

To Boost Mood: Foods that raise serotonin can be helpful. Consider this diagram:

Diagram showing the progression of effects of a carbohydrate-dominant meal. You consume a carbohydrate-rich meal (e.g., pears, sweet potatoes, quinoa, zucchini, black beans). The pancreas releases insulin. All amino acid blood levels, except tryptophan, drop as they enter muscles. Tryptophan enters the brain and is converted to serotonin; dopamine levels become lower. You feel happier and less worried but may also feel unfocused and less motivated.

To Boost Memory: The Western, pro-inflammatory diet is associated with a smaller hippocampus and cognitive impairment.[310] A new way of eating for Americans is essential if we want to keep our brains healthy. Consider this diagram:

Diagram showing the progression of effects of a choline-rich meal. You consume choline sources (eggs, shrimp, scallops, etc.). Blood choline levels increase. Brain choline increases and brain makes acetylcholine. Your thinking and memory improve.

To Reduce Anxiety: Low blood sugar states are often associated with anxiety. Being “hangry” (irritable from extended periods without eating) and being anxious often go together.

To Reduce Pain:

To Boost Sleep:

THE FEEL BETTER FAST DIET: FIVE SIMPLE STRATEGIES

  1. Give yourself an attitude makeover.
  2. Learn the Feel Better Fast food rules:
    • Concentrate on consuming brain-smart calories.
    • Make (zero-calorie) water your beverage of choice.
    • Eat small amounts of protein several times a day.
    • Make friends with fat.
    • Choose healthy (high-fiber, blood-sugar-steadying) carbohydrates.
    • Fill your plate with colorful vegetables and fruits.
    • Add brain-healthy flavor with herbs and spices.
    • Avoid or eliminate foods that can potentially hurt you: sugar, artificial sweeteners, gluten, soy, corn, and dairy.
    • Choose organic, toxin-free foods whenever possible.
  3. Time your meals to get healthier.
  4. Choose 20 foods you love that love you back.
  5. Know which foods to lose and which to choose to help attention, energy, mood, memory, anxiety, pain, and sleep.

TINY HABITS THAT CAN HELP YOU FEEL BETTER FAST—AND LEAD TO BIG CHANGES

10 seconds to 15 minutes.

Each of these habits takes just a few minutes. They are anchored to something you do (or think or feel) so that they are more likely to become automatic. Once you do the behaviors you want, find a way to make yourself feel good about them—draw a happy face, pump your fist, or do whatever feels natural. Emotion helps the brain to remember.

  1. When I am tempted by French fries, sugary treats, or soda, I will resist and say to myself, “I only love foods that love me back.”
  2. Before I leave the house, I will put a full water bottle inside my purse or computer bag.
  3. When I prepare my food shopping list, I will include fish and vegetables.
  4. When I finish dinner, I will note the time and make plans to eat my next meal at least 12 hours later to give my brain time for waste removal.
  5. When I pick up a new item at the grocery store, I will read the food label.
  6. When I’m in a low mood, I will eat a piece of low-sugar or sugar-free dark chocolate to boost my serotonin level.
  7. When I eat a food I love that loves me back, I will note it down in my “favorite healthy foods” list.
  8. When the waiter comes for my order at a restaurant, I will say, “Please don’t bring bread to the table.” Making that one decision will help me make healthier choices throughout the meal.
  9. When I go food shopping, I will look for organic fruits and vegetables first.