Eat Well

Eat well. Here's why and how.

In The Biology of Success, Dr. Bob Arnot states that good nutrition is one of the fundamental ways to increase the production of key neurotransmitters responsible for mood and your level of alertness. He says that by supplying the building blocks of brain chemicals through the foods we eat, we can increase the quantity of brain chemicals in our body that, in turn, enhance positive mood, and help create mental energy. Here are a few of the tips he shares -- that will help you eat well, create mental energy, and make money:

· Improve alertness by eating lean proteins (e.g., turkey, fish, low-fat cottage cheese, nuts, natural soy)

· Induce calming by eating foods high in slow release, low-glycemic carbohydrates (e.g., vegetables, fruits, whole grain/high fiber foods)

· Enhance brain and heart function by consuming more omega 3 essential fatty acids (e.g., found in cold, salt-water fish oils like wild salmon, sardines – or omega 3 supplements)

· Eat a high protein breakfast to restore blood sugar levels and build alerting neurotransmitters

· Don’t eat high saturated (e.g. bacon, sausage, marbled steak, sauces and gravies) or high trans-fat foods (e.g., donuts, commercial crackers and baked foods, and fried food)

· Drink plenty (6-8 glasses) of good, pure water daily.

Dr. Andrew Weil, who heads the program in integrative medicine at the University of Arizona’s School of Medicine, reinforces Bob Arnot’s recommendations with suggestions in his Maximizing The Eight Weeks to Optimum Health Plan.

Three other excellent resources are: Henry Emmons, M.D. (The Chemistry of Joy, 2006), Mark Hyman, M.D. (Ultraprevention, 2005), and Dean Ornish, M.D. (The Spectrum, 2007). All of these are available at Amazon.com.

A relatively easy way to add fresh organic fruits and vegetables to your diet, to maintain top health and energy, is to buy local and/or from local source-to-home distributors (e.g., Pioneer Organics in our part of the U.S., and known and yet-to-become known sources in other parts of the globe). Having the right kitchen tools, helps too; Sur la Table is a great resource. And, for those who enjoy cooking and those who hate to cook, having some divine inspiration helps too! (Chez Panisse and Alice Waters have defined divine cuisine, that is adventurous and wholesome, for a generation in our region.)

A smart way to complement efforts to eat well and create mental energy, is to . . .