We all know now, brain needs carbohydrates as its fuel to run but it also need other nutrients to perform the tasks we assign and increase memory power. Quality and the quantity of these vitamins and nutrients will decide how well it works, improve memory and brain functioning. By providing these Vitamins and nutrients in the right balance to our brain in combination with the brain exercise or brain fitness program, we can turn it into a super brain. Here is the list of “Food that is good for the Brain”, to create a super brain. Brain food for the adults will be similar to the baby brain food, except the quantity. Please do not choose yourself how much of what to take, consult a diet doctor. Diets, structure of body and chemicals available in every human body is different, excess or lack of these chemicals will determine, how close you can get to having a super healthy brain.

Whether its infant nutrition or child nutrition, a balanced nutrition program will set you in the right direction. A diet consultant or a diet doctor can provide you with the exact nutrition program according to your child’s attributes. Healthy diets, organic foods, and balanced diet full of good natural vitamins will give your child a healthy brain and improved memory power. Healthy eating for kids does not stop at home, teaching children about school nutrition will keep them alert and active at school and provide better brain health.

Choline for brain:

Choline is a component of two fat-like molecules in the brain that are responsible for brain function and health. Choline is good for the brain and memory development.

Sources: Nuts, Eggs yolk, Soy, Wheat germ, Peanuts, also available as choline supplements from health food stores

Antioxidants for brain:

Antioxidants are good for memory improvement. An abundance of foods are packed with brain-boosting antioxidants like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene, help protect brain cells from free-radical damage caused by environmental pollution. Protection against free radicals is important to protecting the brain well into the golden years.

Sources: Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, Pecan nuts, Beans, Legumes, Krill oil, Wheat germ, Green Tea, also available as antioxidant supplements or anti aging supplements from health food stores.

Omega-3 fatty acids for brain:

Remember our brain is made of more than 60 % fat and Omega-3 fatty acids are the essential fatty acids in forming the brain cells and its structure. Consuming foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids keeps cells’ membranes flexible and maximizes their ability to allow important nutrients in. They have been proven to improve cognitive functions of the brain.

Sources: Fish like Salmon and Tuna, Avocado, flaxseed oil, olive oil, nuts like almond and walnut, krill oil, Fish oil supplements

Folic Acid for brain:

Folic acid improves performance of information processing speed and memory. In studies it has proven that folic acid can prevent or even in some case reverse memory loss.

Sources: Wheat germ, Papaya, Orange juice, Black eyed peas, Lentils, Spinach, Broccoli, also available as folic acid supplement from health food stores.

Carbohydrates for brain:

Carbohydrates are the only source of energy for the brain. Complex, whole-grain carbohydrates contain folate and other B vitamins which help improve memory function and are rich in fiber, providing a steady stream of energy.

Sources: Whole grains, Potato, Sweet potato, Dry dates and apricots, Honey, Jaggery, Red kidney beans

Iron for brain:

Iron helps protect the brain from oxidative stress while reducing the risk of suffering from an age-related decline in function. Iron-rich foods also improve mental alertness and energy levels. Iron is important for brain health because a deficiency can impair concentration and mental performance.

Sources: Red meat, Poultry, Spinach, Dried fruits, Citrus fruits, Fruit juices, Berries, Tomato, Capsicum, Broccoli, Cabbage, Raisin bran, also available as iron supplements from health food stores

Magnesium for brain:

Magnesium protects the brain from toxic effects of chemicals such as food additives. Magnesium is a mineral that helps relax blood vessels, preventing the constriction and dilation characteristic of migraine and tension headaches.

Sources: Wheat germ, Kelp, Sunflower seeds, Nuts, Spinach, Tea, Raisin bran, also available as magnesium supplements from health food stores

Water for brain:

Staying well-hydrated is extremely important and helps prevent fatigue and keep concentration levels going strong.

Source: Water, Juices, Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Vitamins for brain:

B vitamins play an essential role in brain function. In combination with folic acid, vitamins B6 and vitamin B12 help manufacture and release chemicals in the brain known as neurotransmitters. The nervous system relies on neurotransmitters to communicate messages within the brain, such as those that regulate mood, hunger, and sleep.

Essential Vitamins:

Vitamin a (Beta Carotene):

Promotes growth and repair of body tissues, reduces susceptibility to infections, aids in bone and teeth formation, and maintains smooth skin.

Vitamin b1 (Thiamin):

Promotes growth and muscle tone; aids in the proper functioning of the muscles, heart, and nervous system, assists in digestion of carbohydrates.

Vitamin b2 (Riboflavin):

Maintains good vision and healthy skin, hair, and nails, assists in formation of antibodies and red blood cells, aids in carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism.

Vitamin b3 (Niacin amide):

Reduces cholesterol levels in the blood, maintains healthy skin, tongue, and digestive system, improves blood circulation, and increases energy.

Vitamin b5:

Fortifies white blood cells, helps the body’s resistance to stress, and builds cells.

Vitamin b6 (Pyridoxine):

Aids in the synthesis and breakdown of amino acids and the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates, supports the central nervous system, and maintains healthy skin.

Vitamin b12 (Cobalamin):

Promotes growth in children, prevents anemia by regenerating red blood cells, aids in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, maintains healthy nervous system.

Biotin:

Aids in the metabolism of proteins and fats; promotes healthy skin.

Choline:

Helps development of brain and liver, eliminate toxins.

Folic Acid (Folate, Folacin):

Promotes the growth and reproduction of body cells. Aids in the formation of red blood cells and bone marrow.

Vitamin c (Ascorbic Acid):

One of the major antioxidants, essential for healthy teeth, gums, and bones, helps to heal wounds, fractures, and scar tissue, builds resistance to infections, assists in the prevention and treatment of the common cold, prevents scurvy

Vitamin d:

Improves the absorption of calcium and phosphorous (essential in the formation of healthy bones and teeth) maintains nervous system.

Vitamin e:

A major antioxidant, supplies oxygen to blood, provides nourishment to cells, prevents blood clots, slows cellular aging.

Vitamin k (Menadione):

Prevents internal bleeding, reduces heavy menstrual flow.

Other Vitamin supplements for brain

• Selenium supplements

• Ginkgo Biloba supplements

• Chromium supplements

• Zinc supplements

• Calcium supplements

Bad food for brain

• Foods with artificial sweeteners or coloring

• High-fructose corn syrup

• Sugary fruit drinks soft drinks and alcohol

• Refined oils, white sugars and breads

• Trans fats and partially-hydrogenated oils

• Processed snack foods and meats

“You watch television to turn your brain off and you work on your computer when you want to turn your brain on.” — Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Computer and Pixar, in Macworld Magazine, February 2004

Few days back I went to pick up my friends little girl from the child care center. I was shocked watching those little young children in front of the television set, watching babies and toddlers educational TV shows. I wondered, if there’s any age limit for kids “media watching”. Are there any benefits of those satellite television shows aimed at little boys and girls? Are those “Cartoon TV Shows” or “Kids Comedy Shows” helping our kids to become “Smart kids”.Whether its a Cable TV or Satellite TV or free to air television, all of them are filled with television programming aimed at young babies to toddlers to teenagers. It does prove that there is a market for young children television and TV stations are making money. The question that still remains unresolved is “How is your child been affected by watching television?”. Consider these findings from a study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation:

For children under the age of 3:

More than seven in 10 (72%) of children under the age of 3 watch TV every day and nearly half of them watch videos or DVD’s every day. Most parents (95%) of these under 3 year olds who watch TV every day say they are in the same room with their child while they are watching TV either all or most of the time. 90% of all infants and toddlers have watched TV before the age of 3.

For children over the age of 3:

On average, toddlers and young children spend between 2 to 4 hours a day in front of the screen media. In most of the cases it is more than the time spent playing outside and other physical and mental activities. 99% know how to turn the Television on 85% turn on the TV by themselves 79% ask for their favorite videos and television shows Since the TV started ruling our lives there has been flood of research on how it affect us in many different aspects of our lives. In the last two decades there have been a great increase in studies on affects of watching TV on kids. In the last decade even the infants and the toddlers are getting their fair share of research, since the arrival of programming for infants and toddlers. Our busy lives make these programs our simple choice because it buys us the time to do things around the house or to have some “me time”.

Affects of TV watching for the children under the age of 3

Two-thirds of infants and toddlers watch TV an average of 2 hours a day. In 1999 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended that kids under 2 years old not watch any TV. Researchers at University of Washington in Seattle have carried out the study and found infants vocalize less and hear fewer words from nearby adults when the TV is on, which in turn affects their cognitive development. For the study, researchers equipped 329 infants, aged between 2 and 48 months, with lightweight recorders that captured every noise they heard in a 24-hour period. Then, a computer program determined whether each sound came from the infant, an adult or the television. The analysis showed that for every hour of television an infant is exposed to hear 770 fewer words from adults, on average a 7 per cent reduction. Infants watching TV also utter fewer “googoos” and “gagas” and interact less with adults than kids whose parents use the off switch more enthusiastically. The newborn brain is very much a work in progress. All that cognitive stimulation is critical to the underlying architecture that’s developing. Every word that babies hear, and every time they hear it, is extremely important. In fact, this finding is backed up by observations made by a team at the University of Massachusetts, which found that infants exposed to television hear 20 percent fewer words from their parents during each hour of programming they watch. Most of this infant programming and DVD’s, claiming to promote parent-child interaction, don’t really work. Best advise to all the new parents is to minimize exposure of TV during the first two years of your child. TV and other electronic media can get in the way of exploring, playing, and interacting with parents and others, which encourages learning and healthy physical and social development. Here is another two studies proving toddlers have difficulty translating the message from TV to the real life. First study is by G.L. Troseth and J.S. DeLoache. In these experiments, two-year-olds were shown videos of experimenters hiding objects in a room. Then the toddlers were allowed into the room and told to find the object. Accuracy ranged from 44 percent to 25 percent, despite the fact that there were only from four to six possible hiding places in the room. Their performance was no better than if they had simply searched the room at random, with no video to help them. Many toddlers did seem to look in the right spot after watching the first video, but if the task was repeated with a different hiding place, they simply returned to the original spot, ignoring the new video evidence. In a second experiment, the researcher hid a stuffed toy Snoopy in a separate room from the toddler, then either told the child where the toy was hidden in person, or on TV, before letting him or her into the room to search for the toy. Again, there were four possible hiding places. Once again, being told in person resulted in significantly better performance. As before, the TV-watchers got worse over time. Clearly the toddlers can understand the verbal descriptions of the objects, but somehow they don’t get the message on TV. these experiments show that toddlers don’t have true mental representations of scenes. Instead, they rely on direct experience. So while toddlers can understand what’s going on on TV, they don’t think about what they see on TV the same way older kids and adults do. They don’t connect it back to the real things they encounter in their world, so they can’t learn from TV. Whatever it is your toddler gets from watching TV, these researchers say, it’s not learning.

Affects of TV watching for the children over the age of 3

Kids between the age of 3 and 6 watch an average of about 2 hours of screen media a day, primarily TV and videos or DVD’s. Kids and teens between the age of 8 to 18 years, spend nearly 4 hours a day in front of a Television screen and almost 2 additional hours on the computer (outside of schoolwork) and playing video games. Don’t forget the time spend on watching television on the internet. As kids get older, too much screen time can interfere with activities such as being physically active, reading, doing homework, playing with friends, and spending time with family. Of course, television, in moderation, can be a good thing: Preschoolers can get help learning the alphabet on public television, grade schoolers can learn about wildlife on nature shows, and parents can keep up with current events on the evening news. No doubt that TV can be an excellent educator and entertainer. But despite its advantages, too much television can be detrimental:

Children who consistently spend more than 4 hours per day watching TV are more likely to be overweight or obese.

Kids who watch violent acts are more likely to show aggressive behavior but also fear that the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them.

TV characters often show risky behaviors, such as smoking and drinking, and also reinforce gender-role and racial stereotypes.

That’s why it’s so important for you to monitor the content of TV programming and set viewing limits to ensure that your kids don’t spend too much time watching TV.

Teaching Good TV Habits

Here are some practical ways to make TV-viewing more productive in your home:

Limit the number of TV-watching hours:

Stock the room in which you have your TV with plenty of other non-screen entertainment (books, kids’ magazines, toys, puzzles, board games, etc.) to encourage kids to do something other than watch the tube.

Keep TVs out of bedrooms.

Turn the TV off during meals.

Don’t allow kids to watch TV while doing homework.

Television is a privilege:

Treat TV as a privilege. Watching TV has to be earned its not a right. Establish and enforce family TV viewing rules, such as TV is allowed only after chores and homework are completed.

Try a weekday ban:

Schoolwork, sports activities, and job responsibilities make it tough to find extra family time during the week. Record weekday shows or save TV time for weekends and you’ll have more family togetherness time to spend on meals, games, physical activity, and reading during the week.

Set a good example by limiting your own TV viewing:

Check the TV listings and program reviews ahead of time for programs your family can watch together (i.e., developmentally appropriate and nonviolent programs that reinforce your family’s values). Choose shows that foster interest and learning in hobbies and education (reading, science, etc.).

Preview programs before your kids watch them:

Come up with a family TV schedule that you all agree upon each week. Then, post the schedule in a visible area (e.g., on the refrigerator) so that everyone knows which programs are OK to watch and when. And make sure to turn off the TV when the “scheduled” program is over instead of channel surfing.

Watch TV together:

If you can’t sit through the whole program, at least watch the first few minutes to assess the tone and appropriateness, then check in throughout the show. Talk to kids about what they see on TV and share your own beliefs and values. If something you don’t approve of appears on the screen, you can turn off the TV, then use the opportunity to ask thought-provoking questions such as, “Do you think it was OK?”  Talk to other parents about their TV-watching policies and kid-friendly programs they’d recommend.

Offer fun alternatives to television:

If your kids want to watch TV but you want to turn off the tube, suggest that you all play a board game, start a game of hide and seek, play outside, read, work on crafts or hobbies, or listen and dance to music. The possibilities for fun without the tube are endless — so turn off the TV and enjoy the quality time together.

Some resources to check out:

Kaiser Family Foundation’s report on children watching tv
Cognitive Daily: Are toddlers incapable of learning from TV?

How important are manners and etiquette’s in this modern world and child development? Most of the good schools require kids to have proper child manners and child etiquette’s. “Military Schools” and “Private Schools” are very strict about this and most of them have extra classes to teach kids proper manners and etiquette’s. Not only that there are etiquette schools, etiquette classes and even etiquette consultants to teach, train and arm our kids as well as the adults with modern manners and classic etiquette’s.

Children are reflections of their parents. On special occasion’s, gatherings, parties or visiting friends and relatives parents expect their children to show proper manners and etiquette’s, be polite and respectful. Manners and etiquette’s cant be learn overnight its a gradual process and needs a lot of time and patience from the parents. Teachers as well as senior adults have noticed and raised the voice that, children now a days show very little respect and manners than previous generations. Parents manners and etiquette’s help develop childrens manners and childrens etiquette’s. When teaching child manners, do not overload a child with many lessons at once, deal with one or two at a time so that they can grasp it in full detail. Do not ever tell them “Do it because I say so.”, you have to explain them “Why it’s not right?”, What will be the benefits of doing the right things?”. Please don’t forget to praise them for doing the right thing, it will be just like, if you work very hard at your job and not being praised or rewarded for it.

Etiquette training starts at an early age, kids learn by observing things and behavior of people around them. Parents discipline and parents manners will set the right examples, you are the one who is their first influence, first learning example. If you talk with mouth full of food, they will notice that and assume its right to do so. Family manners and etiquette’s are all those little things that we do everyday, around kids at home or outside. If the parents do not force the family manners and follow them themselves it will make a big difference later in the kids life. Rules should be equal for everyone in the house, than only kids will respect you and each other.

The way they behave is the way they are treated. Remember the magic word “REWARD”, its the key to teaching manners to young kids. Reward doesn’t have to be financial or a gift. Reward can be your love to them, may be just a hug and a kiss, praising them for what they did, may be taking them along for a bike ride or shopping, may be allowing them to go and play with their friends. In the end for every good deed they need to be rewarded to understand the importance of doing the right things.

Parent’s role in teaching child manners

As I said before, kids learn by watching adults around them. Parents manners and family etiquettes, therefore play a huge role in teaching child manners and etiquette’s.

Respect:

Your parenting style has a lot to do with respect. Treating children with respect teaches kids to respect others and you. Talk kindly to your children and they will learn how to talk kindly to others and you. It is also helpful to talk to children regarding how to respond in specific situations to better prepare them for when these situations arise.

Sharing:

Share with your kids so they can understand the importance of sharing with others. Compliment them when you see them sharing with others.

Politeness:

Everyone in the family must practice “please” and “thank-you” policy in which, for example, no request is considered unless the person asking says “please.” When one of your children forgets, just say “Where are the magic words?”. They soon catch on. You can teach them to say “thank you” in the same manner.

Apologizing:

In the begining children are always shy to apologise, but before the age they become stubborn to apologise parents should encourage children to apologize, when they do something wrong. Apologies should be sincere. If they are not comfortable apologizing face to face, they should write an apology note. Good judgment should be used by the parent as to when an apology is appropriate.

Compliment:

Emphasize the right thing to do and compliment your children when they exhibit good manners, rather than criticizing them for using poor manners. Praise is a wonderful teacher. Tell your children how proud you are when you notice them being polite.

Model the manners:

Remember your child is watching you every moment and will learn to do everything that you are doing, so watch out for your own actions.

Instruct in small doses:

Teach manners in a step by step process. For example, telephone manners or telephone etiquettes, begin instructions with “hellos” and “good-byes,” then teach asking the caller to “please wait, I will go and get my mum” and in the end , guide children to take messages. Dining etiquettes or table manners are another important learning task. Try in small step by step process as well, for instance begin with how to sit properly on the table, to how to hold cutlery and in the end teach them how to set up the dinner table and serve the guests.Try step by step process with other manners as well.

Keep kids healthy:

Children tend to show bad manners or mis manners and etiquettes when they’re tired or hungry. Kids need proper sleep and nutritious foods to survive. If you think you will be having late night at the family gathering, make sure your kids have an afternoon nap to cope with the late night stress instead of misbehaving.

Be patient:

Don’t expect perfection overnight. As with any skill being taught, there will be mistakes along the way. Learning is a trial and error process. We all learn from our mistakes. Give your kids enough time and opportunity to learn and grasp new skills. As I said before young children or teen kids they are the reflections of their parents. As a parent we all want to give them the best, but sometimes we are not fully equipped with all the information. If you feel you are stuck with some questions feel free to take “parenting advice”. There are many “Child Care Services” that help young parents with free Parenting Advice.

Have a happy parenting.

It has been proven in many researches that on an average we use only 1/6th of our brain. At the chemical level, food is the brain’s primary link to its environment and to its evolution. What we eat affects the brain chemicals. This change in the brain chemistry than influences our mood, behavior, the thought processes and the emotional reactions. More we can find out about the food and brain connections, better dietary decisions we can make to enhance our brain performance. With the help of “brain training” and “brain exercises” and the combination of proper “brain food” and “brain nutrition”, we can dramatically improve a human brain to perform a lot better than any average human brain. Improved brain performance is not only good for adults but will help kids becoming smarter.

What’s in the brain?

About 2/3rd of human brain is full of fat. Its not just any fats but they are very specialized fats. One of the most common fatty acids is oleic acid, which is also the most abundant fatty acid in human milk and in our diet. Mono saturated oleic acid is the main component of olive oil as well as the oils from almonds, pecans, macadamias, peanuts, and avocados. These fats are composed in myelin which is the protective sheath that covers communicating neurons. The membranes of neurons are composed of a thin double-layer of fatty acid molecules, these layers allow oxygen, glucose (blood sugar), and the micro nutrients as their food to function.

Brain food

To build brain cells we need two essential fatty acids. Our body does not produce them, which means we have to get them from the foods that we eat.

• The first essential fatty acid we need is Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is the foundation of the “omega-3″ family of fatty acids. Food sources of omega-3 include flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, sea vegetables, and green leafy vegetables.
• The second essential fatty acid we need is Linoleic acid (LA). LA is the foundation of the “omega-6″ family of fatty acids. Food sources of omega-6 include cold-pressed sunflower, safflower, corn, and sesame oils.

Since the time of birth, children’s brain keeps developing, consumption of information and knowledge is at a very high rate during the early years. During this period good “health and nutrition” and proper brain food will help them to develop brain power and brain health for the future. Three-quarters of a infant’s energy goes straight to the brain. DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and AA (arachidonic acid) are both crucial to the optimal development of the brain and eyes. During pregnancy the mother supplies the developing fetus with these fatty acids, and she continues to provide this important brain food to her infant through breast milk. A study published by American Journal of Clinical Nutrition have found that ” DHA was the likely breast milk nutrient that provided the improved academic outcome experienced by breast-fed children. Mother’s milk is high in DHA, and children who receive adequate amounts of DHA were shown to have higher IQs, as well as better vision than children who didn’t get enough DHA.”

Consumption of fish during pregnancy may also be beneficial for your babies brain according to a research published in Lancet in February, 2007. But in most countries doctors prescribe to stay away from the seafood because of the presence of methyl mercury in the fish. At the same time fish also contains omega-3 fatty acids which are very essential to the baby’s brain development. Parental advice is play it safe and take omega 3 fatty acids in the form of pills. From the health food shops you can get high strength odorless fish oil, fish oil supplements or fish oil capsules.

We know now that our brain functions on the good fat. In modern world our brain is going through the biggest shock of its life time of centuries. Most of the junk food we consume is full of TFA (trans fatty acids). TFA’s are not natural, they are man made and instead of helping our brains TFA’s are damaging our brain cells. TFA’s are known to disrupt brain communications. Avoid eating junk food. Now we know what we eat affects our brain. Lets look at the fresh fruits and vegetables. Most of the fresh food and vegetables that we buy are not organic they are full of chemicals through fertilizers and pesticides. When these chemicals are digested in our body some of them do make their way to the human brain. This can cause chemical imbalance in our brain and cause several illnesses. We can not completely avoid them as the structure of the market place. Try to buy the organic fruit and vegetables and don’t forget to wash them because they do get sprayed with chemicals to keep them fresh from the farm to the supermarket. Deficiencies or excesses of certain vitamins or minerals can damage nerves in the brain, causing changes in memory, limiting problem-solving ability, and impairing brain function. Scientists have just begun to understand how changes in particular nutrients alter the brain and how these neural changes then affect intelligence, mood, and the way people act. Always consult with a health care professional before starting a diet or nutritional supplement program. Small changes in diet can have large effects on our health.

Brain training exercises

Just like we do physical exercises to keep our body’s fit, we need to do brain exercises to stimulate our brain and keep it fit. We can not physically message our brain but we can stimulate it with the mind exercises. There are many brain training software’s available in the market for kids as well as adults. Right brain exercises are known to increasing brain power, stimulate brain cells and help brain development. Listening and playing music, playing board and puzzle games are good ways to start kids brain activities.

Here are some online free brain game sites for adults as well as kids.

• Brain Gym

• Brain Metrix

• Braingle

• Sharp Brain

• Mini Clip