Food is just one piece of the concentration puzzle, but it’s an important piece and a great place to start
One of the common COVID-19-related complaints I hear from clients is trouble concentrating. An article on “The Conversation” said it best: “Anxiety and worry seem to eat up attention.” Here are five foods to help you get your work done, read more than one page at a time and feel a bit better.
Eggs
There’s a nutrient in eggs, specifically in egg yolks, called choline. Choline is a precursor to a brain chemical acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is very important for cognitive function. So it’s about time — I mean, please, it’s 2020 — to ditch the egg white omelets and eat those nutritious yolks.
Water
In nutrition, there’s the tendency to seek out the latest, greatest ingredient or superfood — even I’m guilty of this. But we can’t forget the basics. Your brain needs water to function, and even mild dehydration can cause attention problems. I find most people don’t drink enough water in the first half of the day. Then, they’re playing catch up. Aim for one liter (4 cups) by lunch. I also talk to clients about “the two ‘p’s of pee;” your urine should be pale and plentiful.
Coffee & Green Tea
To all the coffee caffeine naysayers: it’s hard to argue that coffee helps with concentration and focus. However, it is dose-dependent. It’s different for everyone, but too much caffeine can leave you jittery. If any amount of coffee backfires for you, consider green tea. Green tea has caffeine and is an upper, but it also contains the amino acid L-theanine, which counters some of the jittery effects of caffeine.
Fatty Fish
Many people know that omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for brain function, but another benefit of is that they positively impact your mood. Salmon, sardines, anchovies and oysters are some of the highest dietary sources of omega-3. We suggest that clients who eat seafood consume four or more fish meals a week. There are plant sources of omega-3s, such as walnuts and chia seeds, but these are not nearly as absorbable as seafood sources.
Wild Blueberries
Wild blueberries are different from your regular blueberries; they are small berries, often sold frozen, that are higher in antioxidants than regular blueberries. Thus, they confer some specific benefits. Research shows that wild blueberries aid concentration and focus in a range of ages from schoolchildren to older adults. These berries are excellent in smoothies, or, if you heat them a bit, they’re a great topping for Greek yogurt.
As a nutritionist, I approach everything through the lens of food. Of course, your diet may only be one factor in many that affects your concentration, but trying these foods may be an important part of the solution.
Lauren Slayton is a nutritionist and the founder of Foodtrainers. This article appears courtesy of justbobbi.com, makeup artist and entrepreneur Bobbi Brown’s lifestyle and wellness site. More at justbobbi.com
