Whether you’re leading meetings at work, helping kids with homework, or just having a leisurely conversation over dinner…

Life is better when your brain is working at its best. Peak brain performance means…

• Focus comes easily. 

• Your mind feels sharp. 

• You feel creative and clear.

• You can confidently make decisions. 

• You have the mental energy and stamina to stay productive throughout the day. 

Peak brain performance translates into greater success, deeper relationships, and more happiness in your life. 

If that sounds amazing, then keep reading. We’ll cover root-cause health factors that affect brain performance, foods for brain health, supplements for mental clarity and focus, and habits to boost brain power. 

Let’s dive in.

Root Causes Affecting Brain Performance

The first thing to know about boosting your brain power is that your brain function is a byproduct of the health of your entire body. 

Here are 3 health factors (that most people never even think about) that can influence your memory and mental clarity:

Root Cause #1: Menopause

According to neuroscientist Lisa Moscani, estrogen is key to energy production in the brain. Changing estrogen levels at menopause mean altered energy production in the brain—triggering everything from hot flashes to mood swings to memory lapses. 

Root Cause #2: Poor Gut Health

The gut has been called the second brain because it produces many of the same neurotransmitters as the brain (including dopamine, serotonin, and GABA). Your gut and brain are connected through a communication network that researchers call the gut-brain axis. Plus—in people who struggle with digestive gas and bloating? Brain fog is common. 

Root Cause #3: Blood Sugar Swings 

Blood sugar swings are bad news for the brain. When blood sugar is low, the brain struggles to access enough energy to function. When blood sugar is high, there are shifts in neurotransmitter levels that affect memory and focus. Over time, high blood sugar damages the blood vessels and compromises circulation to the brain. 

Other Root Causes Affecting Brain Performance

Other reasons brain performance can suffer include chronic infections, exposure to environmental toxins, autoimmune disease, or poor circulation. These are all things we explore through functional medicine testing when patients come to us for a naturopathic approach. 

The point here is that achieving peak brain performance will only be possible if you look beyond the brain to understand and optimize the health of the entire body. 

Once we have taken care of any root causes, it’s time to start optimizing with food, supplements, and habits!

Foods for Peak Brain Performance

Food is the best place to start if you want more mental clarity, focus, creativity, and stamina. 

Brain-boosting foods tend to be rich in antioxidants (to protect brain cells from damage), healthy fats (to build fluid nerve cell membranes), or B vitamins (for neurotransmitter and energy production).

 

Load up on these foods to give your brain an extra advantage:

• Berries as a source of antioxidants

• Brocolli as a source of antioxidants

• Avocados as a source of healthy fats

• Nuts and seeds as a source of B vitamins and healthy fats

• Eggs as a source of choline (considered to be part of the B vitamin family) for neurotransmitter production 

Then, in addition to a healthy diet, we can add supplementation for more targeted results. 

Nutritional Supplements for Peak Brain Performance

Here are a few examples of supplements to enhance mental performance.

Choline

Choline is a building block for acetylcholine (a chemical messenger in the brain), phosphatidylcholine (building nerve cell membranes), and sphingomyelin (protection around nerves). If you don’t eat eggs every day, you may not be getting the recommended amount. 

Magnesium Threonate

Magnesium is needed for neurotransmitter production, energy production, and nerve signaling. Magnesium threonate is a readily absorbed form that crosses the blood-brain barrier to boost levels of magnesium in the brain.  

Bacopa, Ginseng, Ginkgo, and other herbs

These and other herbs support healthy brain function. They are categorized as “adaptogenic” herbs because they help your body adapt and be more resilient to stress. Herbs typically act by multiple mechanisms at once. Ginkgo, for example, has antioxidant effects, protects nerve cell health, and supports circulation to the brain. 

Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, and Reishi

Often called “medicinal mushrooms,” these supplements support a healthy gut microbiome (which links to the gut-brain axis), boost antioxidant defenses, and support growth factors in the brain. They are popular for supporting memory, focus, and concentration. 

This list gives a glimpse of the possibilities, but not everybody will benefit from all of them. When we work with our patients to support peak brain performance, we always prioritize supplements so that we can get the best effect with the least number of interventions.

Health Habits for Peak Brain Performance

In addition to food and nutrition, brain function also depends on everyday activities, movement, emotions, stress level, and more. 

If you really want to achieve peak brain performance, consider adding in one or more of these 5 habits to boost brain power…

Move Your Body

Exercise gets your circulation flowing, reduces stress, and boosts your mood. It also triggers production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which maintains the health and connectivity of neurons in the brain.  

Play Brain Games

Any activity that stimulates the brain qualifies as a brain game. Games like chess, Sudoku, or crossword puzzles enhance critical thinking and problem solving. Creative activities like drawing or playing a musical instrument help build new connections in the brain. Not sure what to do? Try a brain game app!

Practice Deep Breathing

Your brain needs oxygen. Deep breathing brings in more oxygen for the brain while also triggering a relaxation response to relieve stress—all of which are needed for peak brain performance. 

Meditate 

The benefits of meditation extend far beyond relaxation. Meditation can help relieve stress and anxiety and boost mood. It can support mental clarity, focus, memory, and overall brain performance. 

Program Positivity

A happy brain has the mental freedom to think clearly and come up with creative solutions. You can program your brain to be more positive by intentionally enjoying small moments of the day—whether it’s that first sip of coffee, completion of a small task, or greeting your loved ones at the end of the day. 

Why Prioritize Peak Brain Performance?

It may sound like a big undertaking—to look under the hood for root causes of brain fog or memory lapses and then optimize brain performance with foods, supplements, and everyday habits. 

So is it worth it?

If you are committed to a life of success and happiness…living full-out in your zone of excellence…and feeling elevated in your health…

Then the answer is yes. 

Peak brain performance will create ripples throughout your life so that you think better, feel better, and excel beyond your biggest dreams.