Healthy Living Column | Shabnam Nasir |
September 12, 2006
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Eating
your way to a Higher IQ
By Shabnam
Nasir
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(Dubai Health & News) For every school going child, the
process of acquiring an education is a long and challenging one. With
academic competitiveness being as tough as it is in today's world we
need to be fully aware of any kind of adaptations that can help to raise
IQ levels.
We all know that every child is born with a unique hereditary
composition and that intelligence levels are determined at an early age.
However, research also shows that there are many simple changes that can
be achieved through eating the right kinds of food and making certain
adaptations in lifestyles that may work to increase brainpower
efficiency.
Intelligence Quotient (IQ) is a measure of a person's intelligence.
Ironically, this measure was initially used to determine the lower
levels of IQ amongst children, so that lower intelligence level children
could be placed under special education regimes. Nowadays, IQ testing is
used to identify the intelligence levels amongst adults, and different
tests present different results. Many scientists and theorists have
spent considerable time arguing that intelligence is perceived
differently amongst various cultures of the world. Other researchers
insist that mathematical and verbal skills are the true measure of an
individual's intelligence levels.
Whatever the argument may be, it is
interesting to know that many factors may be influential in increasing
or decreasing the levels of a person's intelligence. For instance,
nutrition and a nurturing environment can do wonders in boosting IQ
levels.
Children, especially, need to eat a balanced diet to maintain their
health. With the trends in today's children consuming huge amounts of
'fast food' they are in danger of missing out on the essential nutrients
that will ensure mental and physical enhancement.
There are certain types of food that come under the list of 'brain food'
for the nutrients they possess, and they work to actually enhance the
brain's working power. Fish is an essential 'brain food', the reason
being that oily fish contain omega-3, which is a very useful group of
fats that enhance brain development and help children to think, store
and retrieve memories. Deficiencies in omega-3 can lead to degenerative
diseases and declines in brain function. In fact, research has shown
that the prevalence of depression sufferers is much more apparent in the
US as compared to Japan. This study is particularly relevant to the fact
that fish consumption is much higher in Japan as compared to the United
States.
Vitamins and minerals are also essential for brain function, and
vitamins A, C and E are known as antioxidants that protect the brain
from harmful substances. The B vitamins are essential for proper brain
function and a deficiency of B complex vitamins may lead to poor
concentration and a reduced memory. So when talking of proper mineral
and vitamin intake, nuts, seeds, citrus fruits, soybeans, eggs, dairy,
meat, fish and whole grains are foods that should be definitely included
in a child's diet to enhance brain power.
Parents should be watchful to provide their children with a controlled
diet when it comes to sugar intake. While eating sugar may give an
initial 'boost' in energy, its lasting effect causes a 'sluggish'
feeling which actually makes it harder to think. A diet high in
carbohydrates will also cause the same effect; so white flour and
potatoes should be eaten in moderation too.
Along with changes in diet there are other things that should be
included in lifestyles to promote brain function. Memory games or mental
exercises that stimulate activity in the brain encourages the generation
of brain cells and helps memory cells to strengthen. Other simple
exercises such as yoga, relaxation or just breathing deeply can help the
brain to function more effectively. These methods encourage a person to
take more oxygen into the lungs, which in effect results in providing an
increased supply of oxygen for the brain.
In general, these simple changes in lifestyle methods, when used
collectively, can significantly help a person (whether child or adult)
to enrich the functioning of their brain power that can subsequently
lead to increased IQ levels and optimum mental health levels.
Shabnam Nasir is a TV News Presenter for PTV World - National Network
of Pakistan, Winner of the National Award for Best English Newsreader
2003-2005 (PTV Nework), Freelance Writer, and the author of 'The Whispering Wind'
(poetry).
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