Can Genius Foods Make You Smarter, Happier?
Max Lugavere has always been interested in nutrition, but it wasn’t until his mother started showing the early signs of dementia that he started researchi
ng the link between food and the brain. “After the trauma of her diagnosis and seeing the way cases like hers are treated in the top neurology departments in the U.S., I became laser-focused on learning how food affects cognition,” says Lugavere. “What shocked me was finding that often, changes begin in the brain decades before the first symptom. I decided to use my platform to educate others on how powerful their choices are when it comes to brain function.”
Now, in Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life, Lugavere presents a comprehensive guide to brain optimization. He uncovers the stunning link between our dietary and lifestyle choices and our brain functions, revealing how the foods you eat directly affect your ability to focus, learn, remember, create, analyze new ideas, and maintain a balanced mood.
Weaving together pioneering research on dementia prevention, cognitive optimization, and nutritional psychiatry, Lugavere distills groundbreaking science into actionable lifestyle changes. He shares invaluable insights into how to improve your brain power, including:
> The nutrients that can boost your memory and improve mental clarity (and where to find them);
> The foods and tactics that can energize and rejuvenate your brain, no matter your age;
> Brain-boosting fat-loss method so powerful it has been called “biochemical liposuction”; the foods that can improve your happiness, both now and for the long term.
Lugavere believes that protecting and improving the cognitive function of the brain takes place in the kitchen. In his book, Lugavere outlines the “genius foods” that make you “smarter, happier, and more productive.” Sound too good to be true? Below are four “genius” food groups and the science behind them.
DARK LEAFY GREENS
Benefits: If you only incorporate one “genius food” into your diet from this book, Lugavere recommends it be dark leafy greens: “Research shows that one-third of a cup of dark leafy greens per day—the equivalent of a large salad—is related to up to 11 years of reduced brain aging. This is likely because dark leafy greens contain a myriad of micronutrients and fiber, which help keep inflammation at bay while supporting the body’s hardwired detox programs.”
EGG YOLKS
Benefits: Eggs have been found to actively boost cognitive function. In fact, Lugavere says whole eggs (including the yolks) are “one of the most nutritious foods you can consume.” Yolks contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which have been shown to protect the brain and even improve neural processing.
EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Benefits: Look to those who follow a Mediterranean diet: Studies suggest they have a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease, perhaps because of their love of olive oil. This staple ingredient protects the brain and fights inflammation.
AVOCADOS
Benefits: Avocados are an “all-in-one ‘genius food’—the perfect food to protect and enhance your brain,” says Lugavere. They contain 12 grams of fiber, which feeds bacteria in your gut to reduce inflammation, enhance insulin sensitivities, and boost growth factors in the brain.
With Genius Foods, Lugavere offers a cutting-edge yet practical road map to eliminating brain fog and optimizing the brain’s health and performance today—and decades into the future.
