HOT TOPIC - Feeding Your Brain

It is unlikely that you will not know that the effect of diet on behaviour has been a hot topic in the press for the last six months.

According to a recent report by Sustain’s Food and Mental Health Project, 

“There is…very little awareness of the growing evidence that the same factors responsible for obesity, (i.e. too much and the wrong kinds of food), may also be partly responsible for the increase in…behavioural problems.”

With the staggering increase in the number of people who have reached a weight considered detrimental to their health, there is no doubt that this is an important subject.  How can you as trainers and coaches do your part to make a difference to this phenomenon?

Although it has been said before, there is substance in the old adage that we are what we eat.  The brain itself requires specific nutrients, without which, it is unable to function to its full capacity.

Believe it or not, approximately two-thirds of your brain is made up of fats.  Not just any type of fat, however – the brain cells require particular fat types.  These are Omega-3 fatty acids – such as those found in cold water fish and leafy green vegetables, and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in seeds and nuts.

The trans fatty acids found in our processed foods work against omega 3 and 6, disrupting communication and encouraging cellular degeneration.

So what can you do?

Ask your venue to provide lunches and snacks which encourage increased concentration.

Although sugary snacks will give an instant pick-me-up, the effects are short lived and can actually work in reverse once the initial effects have worn off.  Offer your delegates small packets of nuts, or have a fruit bowl on the table.  Bananas and carrots are particularly good.

Instead of filling them with coffee, which can make some irritable and jittery, offer fruit juices and smoothies at breaks.

Encourage your delegates to go for a tuna salad or a smoked salmon sandwich for lunch and to steer clear of the mayonnaise-packed options.

The best advice, is to maintain a well-balanced diet.  Although you may not be able to change the way your delegates eat once they are out of your course, you can certainly help to keep them engaged while they are there.

If you are interested in reading Sustain's report - Changing Diets, Changing Minds, visit their web site.