Every once in a while when I feel hungry, I will share a brain healthy food tip. As the son of an avocado farmer, let’s talk about God’s butter. Avocados contain:
- 18 out of 20 essential amino acids
- 7 fatty acids, including omega threes
- more protein than cow’s milk
- 65-80% water (don’t forget the brain is 80% water)
- the most easily digested source of fat and protein in a whole food
Don’t eat too many of them, as they are calorie dense. But a little avocado a day is good for your brain. You are what you eat. Your brain needs healthy nuitrition. Eat foods rich in nutrients and avoid the ones that poison your body.
My new PBS special, Change Your Brain Change Your Life has been picked up by 53% of the PBS stations across the U.S. It is a very exciting time. We are going to have a special internet pre-screening fo the show, with a live chat. Sign up for my free e-newsletter Brain In The News to find out when.
Until next time, please know that success starts with a healthy brain. Failure is often the result of a brain gone wrong. The good news is that no matter how bad you have been to your brain it is never too late to change your brain and change your life. To your brain health,
Daniel Amen, MD
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Dr. Amen,
I am so inspired by your work and want to write a book to help the parents whom I work with at an American High School in Germany. I was just telling someone of the benefits of avocados. I wish I could get parents to learn what healthy eating looks like and teenagers also.
Thanks for your work.
I would like to understand more about the types of fats in the avocado and how that relates to its cholesterol levels and how the body will use/store/absorb the avocado’s cholesterol. I recently read that there are different types of blood cholesterols and that lab tests are not always screening them well enough….
your thoughts on this matter please.
thx
Dr. Amen,
I recently watched one of your DVDs about brains and addiction. My question is about Methadone and the brain. You said that Methadone really does a lot of damage to the brain like other opioids. Is a person on methadone maintenance (100 mg daily) at this risk of so much damage to the brain? Or is it just pertaining to those that abuse methadone?
Thank You in advance.
I have been given a free consultaion with Ann Petia concerning my abuse of dextro-methorphan in conjunction with a SSRI and Wellbutrin. Since the ketamine studies for TRD(my situation) has their been any spect work on dissascotives mixed with SSRI’s and a nor-epeniphrine blocker?? This combination has been the only effective treatment of my TRD and ADD these past 8 years. Would you be interested in scaning my brain for your brainplace archives?? I’ve written you several letters over the years and only recentely recieved a response. I appreciate your attention on this matter. I will call Ann Petia soon. Perhaps you could say something to her. I did a intake at the Tacoma clinic a while back. Thanks, Benjamin . p.s. Go Pen’s! Sorry about my poor spelling.
Dr, Where are we at in research to help peopale with Fronto lobe Dimentia. my Dad has it and it such an acute debilitating situation to see him degenerate. The affect upon his appetite is so drastic it is causing other negative effects to his health. whre or is there any thing out there to help people with this brain dysfuntion? HELP please.
Dr, Where are we at in research to help people with Fronto Lobe Dimentia. My Dad has it and it such an acute debilitating situation to see him degenerate. The affect upon his appetite is so drastic it is causing other negative effects to his health. Where or is there any thing out there to help people with this brain dysfuntion? HELP please.
I once had a list of supplements to enhance the brain…could you re-send that to me or could you tell me how to have this again.
Julia
Hello Dr Amen… I just watched one of your P.B.S programs and i was wondering if you could tell me about how methadone effects the brain… I have been on it for almost 7 years…i started on 100mg and over the past year have weened down alot…im proud to say im at 17mg….Im almost 35 and have perfect blood pressure…and other than having to be on 20mg of Zocor, fish oil, and a low fat diet have not had any health issues…I have an active job so i get mild exercise with it…but not enough to raise my heart rate significantly…I have done alot of substance abuse in the past but not anymore…except the 17mg of methadone Im done with that part of my life and cant wait to get off this methadone…Im wondering if my brain would look like swiss cheese or not..and if methadone damages my brain…if so…can it totaly repair itself?? I forgot to mention that i have a couple herniated discs in my lower back and they hurt alot more now that im on a lower dose of methadone but i will NOT let it stop me from getting myself off methadone. With the Lord’s help of course…he got me this far. Thank you soooo much Im buying your video soon Jason
Hi Dr. Amen. I am a 21 year old Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome patient (a variant of sleep apnea….extremely similar disorder with same symptoms)and it has taken such a toll on my body and mostly my brain. I havn’t been able to work or go to school, or basically lead a normal life in 2 and a hhalf years because of two failed airway surgeries and failed compliance to every, even the most advanced form positive airway pressure machine, ASV-PAP(adaptive servo-ventilatiion positive airway pressure)and i don’t know what else to do. My latest sleep test this past september, which was to see if my second airway surgery helped (which was a two night study, one night without, and the second night with the most advanced positive airway pressure machine there is, called adaptive servo ventilative positive airway pressure machine) revealed that not only my hypopneas had become greater in number by the hour,but it also revealed that I spend literally less than 1/3rd of the time in deep sleep that my mind and body needs ( on, and off of the airway machine that my sleep physician thinks is the best invention ever for people like me)but according to him,Dr Robert w. Clark of Columbus Community Regional Sleep Disorders Center in OH, spending that much tme in deep sleep is “OKAY” and “still a sound sleep” which i know not to be true. I live in S.Carolina and the reason I traveled so far to see him is because he was the only sleep Doctor that was able to properly diagnose me, since the sleep doctors in my states tests’ were saying i was testing negative for any kind of sleep related breathing disorder…..he proved that their sleep testing equipment stunk. He recently discharged me from his clinic because i went in the machine and changed something without permision becasue it wasn’t working for me…even on the strong sedatives he gave me, becasue i was so desperate for sleep, but still havn’t got it. He even mentioned munchinhousins syndrome to my mom when we were last ther because he thinks that this is in my head but i know that this airway machine is bothering me in my sleep just as much as the anatomical disorder itslef be casue i feel worse when i use it thatn when i don’t….plus my blood has been tested for every other thinkg that can possibly make me tired from aids to zinc deficiancySO if you would, I would like to talk to you more….my time on my computer session ends in literally one minute so let me send this…. i haave more to say in a minute
Dr. Amen, My husband has had a brain biopsy giving the diagnosis of Pick’s disease. Is there any research available to help my children decrease their risk of developing this when they turn 40 years old? My husband is signed up with the brain bank that will enable more study. We have lived with this nightmare for 17 years. My college graduate children have a hard time thinking about a relationship with another. Thank you for your passion about research.