«Nutrition goes far beyond physical well-being. Nutrition profoundly influences our cognitive abilities and our intelligence.” In the digital world 3.0 where everyone is looking for stimuli to increase their mental faculties, Jeffrey Karpbiomedical engineer at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital from Harvard and MIT – Massachusetts Institute of Technologyproposes an all in all self-evident solution that goes through a careful diet. In an interview given to GQ magazine and on the occasion of the publication of the book LIT: Life Ignition Tools: Use Nature’s Playbook to Energize Your Brain, Spark Ideas, and Ignite Action, Karp has repeatedly emphasized the «importance of correct and constant nutrition: for the health of the body, of course. But also for the strengthening of cognitive processes.”
In particular, Karp and his team investigated the links between specific nutrients and their effect on improving brain activities, going so far as to support the idea according to which “what we eat influences our ability to think, learn and memorize”. This is a study that strengthens theories on the value of nutrition for the brain, suggesting how «a varied and balanced dietespecially prolonged over time and always under medical supervision, can be one of the keys to maximizing, in physiology, the intellectual potential of each of us”.
Nutrients that are good for the brain
The studies conducted by Karp and his research team focused primarily on essential nutrients. First of all Omega-3 fatty acids, in abundance in fatty fish such as salmon, preferably wild, and cod, and in nuts. Essential for brain health, Omega-3s “contribute to the regeneration of brain cells, enhancing memory and learning abilities,” Karp explained to GQ. They follow antioxidants mostly in colored fruit and vegetables such as, for example, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, red fruits in general. Effective against free radical damage, they “potentially reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases”. In legumes, meat and seeds, iron and zinc, however, “are vital for maintaining attention and information processing capacity.” While I vitamin B complexes — in whole grains, meat and eggs — “support cognitive function and neuronal health.”
Jeffrey Karp’s diet: what the scientist eats
From improving mood to helping prevent neurological diseases, “nutrition, therefore, plays a key role in determining mental well-being”, according to Karp. Whose personal food routine aims to optimize cognitive capacity starting in the morning. The scientist – he said – begins his days «with a breakfast designed to nourish his mind and body. This meal, consumed two to two and a half hours after waking up, is structured to encourage feelings of gratitude and appreciation for food.” Karp himself revealed what it consists of: «Breakfast includes a bowl of oatmeal, rich in vitamin B, capable of releasing the right dose of energy to the brain. Pair with macadamia nuts and Barù nuts, both sources of Omega-3, magnesium, zinc and antioxidants, help maintain concentration throughout the morning.” A distinctive element of the morning meal is Golden Milk, a vegetable drink with the addition of turmeric and pepper, known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Karp does not neglect other essential elements such as, for example, «seaweed flakes, hemp seeds and blueberries, the latter otherwise called “brain berries” due to their appreciable content of flavonoids, polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant power”. The scientist’s diet also includes cereals high in fiber and protein, and oat drink “to enhance memory and give a good mood”. Lastly, Karp follows a low Fodmap — acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols, namely oligosaccharides, disaccharides, fermentable monosaccharides and polyols — which tends to exclude foods capable of promoting the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Let’s talk about «wheat, onion, garlic and some fruits such as oranges and grapefruits». On the table, then, less red meat – no more than twice a week -, little alcohol, less processed foods and less sugar. Karp made it known that he prefers coffee green tea «for its beneficial effects on concentration and reducing anxiety». And to always eat at the same time every day “so as to regulate the biological clock, stabilize blood sugar levels and provide adequate energy to the brain”.
Not just Jeffrey Karp
Various international clinical and experimental studies also support the thesis of Karp and his entourage according to which «a correctta power might have preventive effects against age-related cognitive decline, offering a potentially valid strategy to combat diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.” «It seems increasingly clear that Targeted dietary approaches can improve our intelligence and protect the mind over the years”, concluded the scientist.
