In the ever-present world of “bio-hacking” and looking for the magic pill, there are claims of all sorts of substances that can mitigate certain human conditions and enhance a multitude of human performance measures. As much as I’d love to say Bradley Cooper’s metamorphosis in “Limitless” is a true story, there is yet to be an invention that can come anywhere close to the do-it-all genius pill his character was nearly killed for.
Being able to improve one’s brain processing speed and expanding the bounds the mind can eclipse have each long been part of modern and ancient culture. For thousands of years, Native Americans have used peyote for its religious ceremonies with its strong hallucinogenic attributes. Indigenous South Americans have been using ayahuasca for at least 1,000 years and its hallucinogenic properties have been well documented.
Psychedelics, such as early LSD-like alkaloids and psilocin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms better known as psilocybin now) have been traced back to Greek/Roman and Incan traditions.
And although these compounds above have been linked to religious or spiritual ceremonies, they are often believed to open the minds of the users and tap into regions of the brain previously untouched. Chasing an edge in the ability to think beyond what we currently think is capable is nothing new.
So while the above substances have been deemed (on the extreme end) dangerous in some societies and (on the more liberal end) risky in other societies, are there safer more ubiquitous sources of brain expanding foods and supplements out there?
Unfortunately there is no “Limitless”/panacea pill out there (despite assertions to the contrary), but there seems to be some specific sources that can help to improve a host of abilities. Cognitive enrichment compounds have been studied for a long time and there seems to be some foods/nutrients/supplements that can make a case for providing brain boosting benefits (say that 3 times…)
Can certain diet choices help to lead to some positive brain stimulating effects? Experts think so. Specifically, spices such as curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) can decrease anxiety by lowering inflammation and thus protect the brain. Saffron has anti-inflammatory, anti-atherosclerotic and anti-Alzheimer’s components and can even combat depression. Pretty cool.
There is a school of thought that the enteric nervous system (the gastrointestinal tract) is our bodies’ “little brain”. A happy gut micro biome can impact our brains’ effectiveness. Thus, many fermented foods can help lay good gut bacteria in our micro biome and help to make even better food choices moving forward. Kombucha, sauerkraut and certain Greek yogurts have shown powerful results. I make a homemade yogurt that I gently heat for 36 hours with 3 particular probiotics that exponentially replicate due to the long duration of heating. All my girls and I are currently eating it everyday after we’ve all had a bout with antibiotics given to us to proactively fight possible Lyme disease (and in my case a sinus infection).
Dark chocolate has flavonoids (used, among other things to produce more glutathione—the “liver antioxidant”) and other antioxidants. Avocados contain large amounts of magnesium to ward off depression. Walnuts, pecans and pistachios are some of the better nuts to choose from due to higher concentrations of omega 3 fats (macadamia—my favorite— is 4th).
Eggs contain choline. Choline increases memory retention and reduces inflammation. Eggs also contain tryptophan—an amino acid that is a key player in protein synthesis. And yes tryptophan is a precursor for serotonin, the neurotransmitter that regulates sleep as well as a host of other functions. Sleep needed for memory retention and processing of ideas.
And leafy greens contain vitamin E, flavonoids and folate. Folate is intricate in red blood cell formation and is significant in neurotransmitter function.
Other sources of potent cognitive benefits come in the form of supplements such as alpha GPC, creatine and certain racetams. While the first two alpha GPC and creatine have no side effects, racetams should be taken with caution.
And remember that just pumping the body full of the above list is only part of the equation. Sufficient sleep and exercise are needed to balance the body and utilize the above calories. Small intermissions of little breaks and/or meditation can give the body much needed moments of rest in between work sessions.
Stop multitasking. Singular jobs will support clearer thinking habits. It’s harder said than done, but creating an environment that is conducive to less distractions will beget more efficient creative and thinking patterns. So resist responding to texts and messages on your phone during projects or put your phone in another room altogether (airplane mode is a good one too).
Ultimately, the benefits of the aforementioned food and supplemental choices need to be complemented with healthy lifestyle choices as well. We don’t necessarily need to hallucinate to have transcendental thoughts to become smarter overnight. A healthy food selection paired with optimal sleep and exercise should be enough.
So although there is no one “Limitless” pill your doctor can give you to make your entire life better, many combinations of the above foods coupled with those healthy life style choices can synergistically compile a “pill: pretty damn close to being limitless. – CT
