Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

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What is the optimal brain food best to eat in the morning for heavy mental work during the day? Which helps with concentration difficulties?

Good protein and fats are important, I guess. Maybe egg yolks. What else?

edited Aug 18 2011 at 10:59

asked Aug 18 2011 at 10:39

Primordial
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Great question which I would love to know the answer to. There are days where my memory is very good, I have clearer thoughts, I'm funnier, and I'm articulate. Then there are days where I forget simple words that I don't use everyday when I'm trying to piece together a sentence. For example....it took me 10 to 15 seconds to think of articulate right now. Happens all the time. What I do notice, is after a night of drinking beer, I wake up feeling like crap, but my brain is on point. – GPS Aug 18 2011 at 11:45

gps do you eat low carb? Beer contains carbs so this may be helping if you otherwise eat pretty low carb – cliff Aug 18 2011 at 12:09

Do you imply hat low-carb impairs brain function? – Primordial Aug 18 2011 at 12:11

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acetyl L carnitine is usually mentioned regarding cognitive function. Years ago I started taking it when I was VLC but i still take it now. 2 grams per day - one gram upon rising and one gram before bed. google and you'll see lots regarding its affect on brain control, err I mean function – ben61820 Aug 18 2011 at 12:15

I am starting to take L carnitine as well. – Eric Aug 18 2011 at 13:33

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Paxenos · Answer 1 · 2011-08-18 22:05:05Z UTC

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Top 20 Best Foods For Your Brain

List Includes:
Avocado
Blueberries
Wild Salmon
Nuts
Seeds
Pomegranate
Tea
Oysters
Olive Oil
Tuna
Garlic
Eggs
Green Leafy Vegetables
Tomatoes

Looks like a lot of the foods listed are perfect for Paleo!

EDIT: Wild Salmon Nuts is now Wild Salmon and Nuts. However, Wild Salmon Nuts must be twice the brain food.

edited Aug 18 2011 at 22:05

answered Aug 18 2011 at 11:03

Paxenos
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Wow, wild salmon nuts! ;) haha – Priscilla Aug 18 2011 at 16:16

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"Wild Salmon Nuts"!?, I bet the salmon would be wild if you ate his nuts:) – ComplexHunterGatherer Aug 18 2011 at 16:17

Haha! My bad, can't believe I didn't notice that! – Paxenos Aug 18 2011 at 22:04

cliff · Answer 2 · 2011-08-18 11:01:32Z UTC

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carbohydrates are the best bet imo. a couple pieces of fruit make a great addition to breakfast.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101123101751.htm

oj and coffee maybe?? :)

answered Aug 18 2011 at 11:01

cliff
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Too much carbohydrates make you tired. Afaik coffee wears out your adrenals in the long term. – Primordial Aug 18 2011 at 11:39

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Too much carbohydrates(how much is too much) make YOU tired, not me. Regardless carbohydrates are the only macronutrient proven to have short term memory benefits. I haven't seen the evidence that moderate coffee use wears out your adrenals, I don't need coffee personal but wouldn't mind using as a smart drug if i need. – cliff Aug 18 2011 at 12:04

okay, granted... – Primordial Aug 18 2011 at 12:16

andrew · Answer 3 · 2011-08-18 11:09:22Z UTC

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Fish! Very good brain food.

answered Aug 18 2011 at 11:09

andrew
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+1 I've always felt fantastic and more on point the day after a sashimi dinner. – Karen Aug 18 2011 at 12:00

free3337 · Answer 4 · 2011-08-18 15:55:47Z UTC

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check this out http://flare8.net/health/doku.php/mental_function , references included.

answered Aug 18 2011 at 15:55

free3337
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	thanks a lot, very helpful. – Primordial Aug 18 2011 at 16:32
	link no longer works :( – hhsuey Mar 7 at 8:45

TS · Answer 5 · 2011-08-18 19:36:22Z UTC

I actually asked Mark Sisson about this when I met him in person at his lecture in NYC in May. I mentioned that I work a desk job that is seasonally busy, so while the hours are normal for the better part of the year, there are also predictable periods when they are out of control, and that my coworkers' response to the stress usually involves taking breaks to eat crap/drink crap/smoke crap etc. I told him how I used to handle this (terrible sleep, tons of coffee with tons of milk, soda, energy drinks, sugary candy, processed snacks, chocolate bars, etc) but that the stress is still a huge factor and that if I'm going to "cave in" - what exactly should I be caving into? He said that for "serious number crunching" that my best bet would be to keep on hand some dark chocolate, nuts with good omega ratios, and that I should not go too crazy on the caffeine and make sure my sleep was the best it could be. Been thinking back to this now that things are picking up again! Not optimal for every day but it has definitely gotten me through some go-go-go times at work when avoiding modern day stress is not entirely possible.

Edit: he also mentioned yerba mate, since he a did a post about it around that time. Nice change from coffee!

Joey · Answer 6 · 2011-08-18 14:39:56Z UTC

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Fatty Fish,coconut,walnuts and very dark chocolate are usually referenced as brain foods

answered Aug 18 2011 at 14:39

Joey
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	Why dark chocolate? – Primordial Aug 18 2011 at 15:33
	Apparently it contains lots of flavonoids,which help to protect the brain.It is regularly being linked to prevent Alzheimer. My grandma needed to eat 1square dark chocolate a day for this.:) – Joey Aug 19 2011 at 12:33

Lars · Answer 7 · 2011-08-18 16:23:56Z UTC

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When I need to think good for hours straight, I don't breakfast. Breakfast makes me unfocused, sleepy and less creative.

answered Aug 18 2011 at 16:23

Lars
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Maybe I have some salad with coconut oil on for lunch. Other than that, it is nothing besides water and coffee. – Lars Aug 18 2011 at 16:25

Cory151 · Answer 8 · 2011-08-18 16:44:13Z UTC

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In my case, (n=1) the mornings that I intermittent fast, I seem to have the best clarity.

answered Aug 18 2011 at 16:44

Cory151
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Morticia Munster · Answer 9 · 2011-08-18 19:30:55Z UTC

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Seaweed! And other sea plants. Atleast, that's what I've heard. Also, fish.

answered Aug 18 2011 at 19:30

Morticia Munster
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Optimal Paleo Brain Food

9 Answers