SMART STUFF FOR YOUR BRAIN: YOUR BRAIN'S OWN SMART CHEMICALS

When it comes to the gray matter of the brain, nothing is black and white. Scientists probably know more about the stars and planets of our galaxy than they do about the three-pound orb in our heads. But what is known about smart nutrients can help you accomplish a lot. The smart foods and nutrients that form the foundation of the Eat Smart, Think Smart plans can help your brain communicate with itself and the rest of your body by boosting the levels of its own smart chemicals.

How do smart nutrients make you smart? Your brain cells speak to one another by releasing neurotransmitters (made exclusively from smart nutrients) that chemically communicate a brief message to other cells in your brain and in the rest of your body. Neurotransmitters play a key role in controlling memory, mental energy, intelligence, sex drive, sleep, appetite, and mood every day. The six important brain neurotransmitters that you'll learn about at the end of this chapter and will read about throughout the book play a vital role in all areas of the Eat Smart, Think Smart plans because they are, in essence, your brain's own smart chemicals.

The smart nutrients and foods that form the foundation of the Eat Smart, Think Smart plans all contribute to the synthesis of these and other essential neurotransmitters. The smart nutrients—over forty of them are known already—are found in such foods as fish, fowl, beef, eggs, liver, beans, peas, lentils, and an array of ordinary garden vegetables, including carrots and broccoli. Some of these foods of animal origin contain such high levels of fat and cholesterol that I can't, in good conscience, recommend that you wolf them down indiscriminately to achieve maximum mental performance. Therefore, I'll show you how to get the smart nutrients you need from foods and supplements without running the risk of eating too much fat and cholesterol. Once you've learned how to feed your brain, I'll tell you about the newest smart nutrients and drinks and how they can protect your brain from premature aging and senility.

Tennis champion Ivan Lendl learned the value of supplementing his smart nutrient-rich meals with formulas I've created to boost his alertness and energy on the court. Cher discovered how to start her long workdays on the movie set with my fat-burning smart breakfast beverage. Glenn Frey found that smart foods and nutrients could help stir the creative juices necessary to write and record beautiful and soulful songs. Boosting your brain's own smart chemicals can help you sustain your creative and mental energy just as dramatically.

Along with your newly acquired positive mental energy and creativity, you may begin to notice that a broader spectrum of ideas will present itself to you. You'll no longer solve problems solely by deciding between choices A, B, or C. Suddenly, something may occur to you that you hadn't previously considered (maybe A + Â + Ñ—what about D?). You'll focus on the solution to the problem you've been wrestling with in a new way, and you'll realize that until now, you've lacked this unique perspective. Whatever you need to accomplish will come easier and go more smoothly, with no hesitation, dread, or procrastination.

I know you think there's a catch, but there isn't. Because your body does not build up a tolerance to smart nutrients, you'll never have to take more to get the same effect. And when the smart nutrients wear off, they do so peacefully, so you don't "crash" or have a hangover. You'll feel nothing unusual—just the satisfaction of having done something worthwhile within the sixteen hours we call a day.

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