Roast salmon with just a sprinkling of thyme and a dash of olive oil. The end result is exquisite. - Photo by Nashauna Drummond

Along with the purchase of ginseng and multivitamins this September to boost your studying abilities, you may want to think about eating more fish and crunching on nuts on a daily basis.

Researchers note that the essential fats found in fish and nuts can help more than your heart. They can also reduce memory loss and strokes, claims a new study.

In addition to general good health, fish may also improve memory and mental performance.

Fatty, cold-water fish contain healthy omega-3 fats (DHA and EPA). Rich sources of these marine omega-3 fats are sardines, salmon, mackerel, and fresh tuna.

There is some evidence to show that poor dietary intakes or low blood levels of these omega-3 fats can result in learning difficulties, behavioural problems, and mental illness. This may indicate a strong relationship between eating fish and brain development.

At www.cbsnews.com, it was reported that eating fish at least once a week slowed the rate of mental or cognitive decline in elderly people by 10 per cent to 13 per cent per year.

"That rate of reduction is equivalent to being three to four years younger in age," writes researcher Martha Clare Morris, ScD, of Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, and colleagues in the Archives of Neurology.

Meanwhile, Vallie Holloway, a researcher at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill., has stated that the fatty acids found in fish, nuts, seeds and some oils are needed for a long list of body functions. However, while the human body manufactures most of the fats it needs, it does not make these two elements, requiring people to get them from their diets.

blood pressure and memory

As reported at www.health24.com, Holloway studied 180 rats for a year to examine how their diets influenced their blood pressure and memory. Half of the rats were bred to have high blood pressure, and the other half were bred for low blood pressure. While all of the rats were given a normal diet and a regular regimen of maze-running, half of each group also got a supplement of omega-6 fatty acids.

The results were striking. The hypertensive rats that didn't get the omega-6 supplement saw their blood pressure increase as their brain function decreased. Researchers state that nuts and seeds also boost your brainpower and balance your moods.

Most common nuts, such as walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews and almonds, and the more exotic seeds and nuts can clear up that 'brain fog' and enable you to think clearer and be happier when you eat.

Outlook Team