ALL ABOUT FOOD: How to ‘feed your head’

Do you ever find yourself making a phone call and having a moment of panic because you couldn’t remember whom you called? On Monday, can you remember the movie you saw Saturday? Are notes and lists becoming an essential part of your life? If you are of a certain age, as we are, this will all sound very familiar.

Longtime Laguna resident Josh Reynolds, our local brain fitness guru, wants to help you out. This brain scientist/ inventor has worked out a program to improve your focus and memory, called 20/20 Brain Power. There is a growing body of scientific evidence that certain foods feed the brain, while others are detrimental. Every day we read about the benefits of antioxidants and omega 3s as well as the negative effects of trans-fats and high-fructose corn syrup.

Reynolds is an interesting guy. Born into American aristocracy, tracing his lineage back to the Mayflower, he chose early on to take a different path and left his high-stress Wall Street job to pursue the creative and inventive side of his nature.

His real passion is “first and foremost”¦the deeper levels of reality with an emphasis on the connection between the mind and the body.” He founded the Stress Transformation Center, based on principles of biofeedback. An extension of his research into body temperature and emotions led him to develop the Mood Ring, while his lifelong commitment to exercise and physical fitness resulted in his invention of the ThighMaster. He had no idea how popular these devices would become.

Next he developed software that measured the speed and efficiency of the brain while exposed to different stimuli. In the course of several years, he was able to study more than 1 ½ million brains using online testing.

He was fascinated by the way food, diet and nutraceuticals affect the brain. This all came together in the program 20/20 Brainpower, which is about exercising your mind, nourishing your brain and eliminating stress. He has also developed two brain-enhancing, nutraceutical supplements.

Reynolds is a big exponent of the Mediterranean Diet, which many recent scientific studies have recommended for preventing mild cognitive impairment and which may improve overall health. In contrast, a recent study concluded that mice fed a diet rich in sugar and saturated fats developed a preliminary stage of the irregularities that form in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. There is even a new study from Northwestern University suggesting that Alzheimer’s may be a form of Type 3 diabetes.

The brain runs on blood sugar but ideally, it works best with a steady supply rather than with the wild fluctuations that are caused by simple carbs (like processed flour and sugary foods). This means that complex carbs are the best fuel because it takes them longer to break down, consequently providing a steadier source of energy.

Foods with a low glycemic index also keep blood sugar levels steadier. Beans and lentils have the lowest GI of any foods. Grapefruit, apples, cherries, oranges and grapes are low, while whole fruits are lower than juices. Dairy products are lower than fruits but beware of their fat “” focus on low or no fat. Cereals and whole grains have a relatively low index with oatmeal and bran being best. If you must eat sugary food, eat it as dessert since all the other food you have consumed with your meal will slow the absorption of the sugar.

The most important brain nutrients are omega 3 fatty acids because they allow nerve cells to function at a high level and keep blood vessels clear of blockages. The brain is 67% fat and will absorb whatever fat you feed it. It yums it right up but if you feed it trans-fats, they will gum it right up.

So it follows that junk sugar, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, trans-fats and overeating in general are the bad guys.

A short list of the best brain foods include: wild fish, especially fatty fish; vegetables like spinach, broccoli, red onions and garlic; fruit, especially dark berries, prunes and avocados (the less ripe the better); legumes, seeds and nuts, especially black beans, pumpkin and flax seeds and walnuts; and “good” oils “” especially extra virgin olive oil. In addition, some herbs and spices are also important, especially rosemary (for remembrance), sage, tumeric, ginger, arugula, basil and cilantro.

The lowly egg has been seriously maligned but has subsequently returned to favor in moderation. Reynolds, however, feels that the yolk, which is one of the few dietary sources of choline “” essential to the growth of infant brains and now thought to prevent memory loss “” can be eaten with abandon unless you have a specific cholesterol problem. He stipulates that the yolk becomes less beneficial as it hardens, so stick to soft boiled or poached.

Another easy tip from Josh is to eat a “rainbow diet” of fruits and vegetables, which means all the different colors from white to purple.

Also, according to him, cilantro and/or seaweed and tumeric, made into sauces, will help to eliminate the mercury in fish. He suggests eating cold- deep-water, wild small fish twice a week. The bigger the fish, the more mercury it will contain.

Reynolds likes Trader Joe’s extra virgin olive oil with the sediment on the bottom, and he says, “Don’t throw that stuff away, it is the healthiest part, as is the sediment on the bottom of juice bottles.”

For more about 20/20 BrainPower, and Josh’s brain supplements, contact him at brainman001@gmail.com.

ELLE HARROW and TERRY MARKOWITZ owned A La Carte for 20 years. They can be reached for comments or questions at themarkos755@yahoo.com