What to Eat to Raise Your IQ By 20 Points?

There are countless ways that eating healthy food can improve your lifestyle: It can help you slim down, sleep better, and improve your skin, to name a few. Well, new research from Dave Asprey, a tech entrepreneur and author of the New York Times Best Seller The Bulletproof Diet (published by Women’s Health’s parent company, Rodale), found that healthy food can also boost your brainpower.

Asprey spent 15 years studying his own biology (he even traveled to faraway places like Tibet in search of ancient health wisdom), and managed to lose 100 pounds—and raise his IQ by 20 points in the process. Because of his success, he developed an entire diet centered around his findings, as outlined in his new book. The basic premise of the diet is that if you eat foods to fuel your brain, you will become sharper over time. What’s more, you’ll strengthen your willpower, which, in turn, curbs cravings and may make you better able to resist unhealthy foods.

Asprey says there are three things you need to do to eat for your IQ. Read them below—and, if you’re feeling super inspired, try the Bulletproof Diet out for yourself. New Year’s resolution, anyone?

1. Fill Up on Fat
No, this is not an invitation to stuff yourself silly with gooey peanut butter brownies. (Sorry.) But Asprey does suggest upping your (healthy) fat intake quit a bit. In fact, his diet is often compared to the grain and dairy-free Paleo diet, but his actually encourages you to eat even more fat than Paleo does. Why? Your brain thrives on fat. “Here’s the thing: Different cells in your brain like different things,” says Asprey. Neurons prefer energy from fat, whereas glial cells (another type of brain cell) prefer energy from carbohydrates, he explains. “Your body usually has enough carbohydrates, so what you need to do is give your body more fat energy for your brain.”

Asprey suggests ingesting your extra fat from his very own Bulletproof coffee, which is made from low-mold coffee beans (more on that below in #3), a tablespoon of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, which is an easily digestible fat, and two tablespoons of unsalted butter. Otherwise, if you want to DIY it, add coconut oil to your coffee, and increase your helping of other healthy fats like salmon and avocado.

2. Pack in More Protein
Another way to eat for your brain is to add more healthy protein into your diet. The reason? Proteins contain amino acids, and your body needs amino acids to build neurotransmitters (like serotonin and dopamine) in your brain, says Asprey. “Generally speaking, the more neurotransmitters you have, the smarter you’ll be, so you need to be sure your body has enough of them at all times,” he says. To get that healthy protein, Asprey suggests eating a moderate amount of high-quality animal protein, as well as more egg yolks. “Your brain goes nuts for the choline [the yellow stuff] in pastured egg yolks,” says Asprey. So think twice before ordering an egg white omelet; keeping the yolks in may be better for you overall.

3. Cut Down on Grains, Legumes, Beans, and Coffee
Get ready to have your mind blown: The reason Asprey says you should cut down on these foods is that they all contain high levels of—wait for it—mold. Yes, mold. “Mold contains neurotoxins, which slow your brain down,” says Asprey. So if you cut down on these toxins, you’ll be sharper.

Asprey conducted a study to prove it. He had half a group of people drink coffee with mold, and half drink it without mold—and those who drank the non-mold coffee performed better on cognitive tests. That’s partly why he developed his specialized Bulletproof coffee, which is made from low-molded beans. And he also recommends swapping vodka for beer and wine, which both have loads of high-mold grains. “When you eat a diet with less toxins, your brain will function better,” he says. “It’s that simple.”

What You Should Eat Before Bed to Lose Weight

Classic scenario: You finished dinner around 8 p.m. You're hitting the hay soon, but your brain and belly say to hop into the kitchen first. You're trying to slim down, though, so is it better to go to bed with a little something in your belly or absolutely nothing?

Nutritionists Stephanie Clarke, R.D., and Willow Jarosh, R.D., of C&J Nutrition, say there's no black-and-white answer to this question because it depends on your personal habits and healthy goals. But you ask, "shouldn't you feel hungry at night if you're trying to lose weight?" Let's just debunk a popular myth right now: Eating late at night won't cause you to gain weight. As long as you're not exceeding your calorie needs for the entire day, it won't affect the scale. So there's no need to avoid eating for the sheer sake of dropping pounds.

However, that’s not giving you the green light to devour an entire batch of chocolate chip cookies before slipping on your pajamas. You don't want to eat so much that indigestion, discomfort, or pain makes sleep impossible or that you're too full by morning that you need to skip breakfast, which can mess with your metabolism. But you also don't want to starve yourself because hunger pangs could be so intense that it makes it difficult for you to fall asleep or stay asleep. Holding off and depriving yourself can also backfire, leading you to wolf down an entire pint of ice cream.

It's up to you to find a happy medium. If you're always hungry an hour or two after dinner, the solution may be just as simple as eating a little bit more for that last meal. Also, make sure you're eating a balanced meal that includes protein, high-fiber carbohydrates, a little bit of healthy fat, and plenty of veggies because that will help you to feel satisfied for longer. Just be sure you map out your day's eating schedule to allot enough calories (about 150 calories) for after dinner. Preplan some healthy, properly portioned snacks—these snacks will satisfy your dessert cravings—so you can feel good noshing.

The 7 WORST Foods To Eat At Night

Eating right before bed is a recipe for gaining weight and sleeping poorly, but it can also seriously damage the tissue in your throat and esophagus. No doubt you’re familiar with acid reflux—which occurs when digestive juices back up into the chest or throat and cause a burning sensation—but there’s also something called “silent reflux,” which is different from common heartburn. It has the same causes but without the usual symptoms. Instead of indigestion, sufferers get sore throats, chronic coughs, and difficulty swallowing. Nearly 50 percent of Americans have silent reflux and don’t know it, says aryngologist Jamie Koufman, M.D., who has been studying and treating the condition for about 30 years.

“The single greatest risk factor is, by far, the time that people eat dinner,” says Koufman. She recommends having supper no later than three hours before bed. But even if you manage to do that, be aware that late-night snacking can have the same ruinous effect. If you are going to hit the fridge or pantry before you hit the sack, here are eight things you should never, ever grab.

Alcohol
It relaxes the valves that connect the stomach and esophagus. When this happens, your body is unable to keep food where it belongs. “If you have alcohol just before bed, you’re pretty much asking to have reflux,” says Koufman.

Soda
It doesn't get much more acidic than soda. In fact, soda is actually more acidic than anything found in nature, says Koufman. The acid damages those same valves. Plus, carbonation increases stomach pressure.

Chocolate
Certain flavors are high in fat—which comforts and relaxes the valves, too—and it contains caffeine and a lesser-known stimulant called theobromine, essentially making it a triple whammy.

Cheese
It's another fatty food, but if you must indulge, hard varieties such as Parmesan and Swiss have less of a reflux effect than softer types such as feta and mozzarella. (Yes, that means no pizza.)

Nuts
When it comes to reflux, fat is fat, whether saturated or unsaturated. So despite the fact that nuts generally contain a healthy dose of the latter, they should be avoided before bed. Cashews, walnuts, macadamias and peanuts are the worst, says Koufman, while pistachios and almonds aren’t quite so bad.

Citrus
It’s also highly acidic. A glass of orange juice or a green apple are your worst choices, but some people can eat red apples without problems—it depends on the person.

Coffee
Not only is it inherently acidic, but the caffeine it contains also generates additional stomach acid. If you must sip, decaf generally has lower acid levels than regular.

So what options are left when the midnight munchies strike? Koufman suggests anything that’s low in acid, such as bananas, a bowl of low-sugar cereal with low-fat milk or, her favorite, chamomile tea. “It’s soothing,” she says. “It sort of fills you up and settles the stomach.”

How to Get Rid of Belly Pooch Forever?

Clean eating and hitting the gym can help you reach your weight-loss goal, but you might find you have a little extra pooch around your midsection. Here are three things you can do to help you achieve a trimmer belly.

When Eating
Take an honest look at your diet and your bathroom schedule. Your belly might not be caused by fat but by air trapped in your digestive system. If you're not getting enough fiber (you need 25 to 30 grams a day), constipation can cause bloating. On the other hand, overdoing it on fiber or eating too many gas-producing foods like broccoli, apples, or beans can also make your belly pooch a bit. Thankfully, there are also foods you can eat—like blueberries—that are proven to diminish belly fat, so sip on this flat-belly smoothie or crunch on this flat-belly salad to keep you regular and help you debloat.

When Doing Cardio
Studies show that including interval training in your cardio sessions is proven to diminish stomach fat. If you find that you normally stick to a consistent pace when running, biking, or swimming, mix it up by adding 10- to 60-second, fast-paced or sprinting intervals—here's a 45-minute treadmill workout that does just that. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) works on the same principle as intervals, where you push to your maximum training for a period of time and follow up with a shorter rest period. Give this type of workout a try with our full-body 10-minute HIIT workout.

When Strength Training
Basic crunches can help tone your abs, but they only target certain abdominal muscles. Incorporate full-body exercises like variations of plank or core moves using a ball. Simply balancing on one leg on a BOSU will target your core, too. Also, try using different types of equipment—this 10-minute abs video features a small hand towel to sculpt your core.

7 Weight Loss Tips That ACTUALLY work

We would never tell you to take weight-loss supplements or to try something super sketch like the corset diet. In general, making small, sustainable lifestyle changes is the best route to weight loss. But we get that doing something quick-and-easy is more appealing—so we talked to top weight-loss experts to find out which get-fit-quick tricks will actually help you slim down (and are also totally, 100 percent safe).

1. As hard as it is to utter those words (the cozy red wine! the hot toddies!), quitting drinking for a month is an efficient way to slim down quickly. But no worries, you don’t have to 86 it for life: “Once you start seeing results, you can slowly start introducing alcohol back into your routine again," says Keri Gans, R.D., author of The Small Change Diet. "It’s just a quick trick to help you jumpstart your weight loss efforts without having to do anything super drastic." And when you do add alcohol back into your routine, think about how much you were drinking before—and subtract a little, suggests Gans. “So if you normally had three glasses of wine with your friends, cut it to two.” 

2. You don’t have to buy special foods or even go to the gym every single day. You just have to not eat past 9 p.m. “Snacking after dinner usually equals extra calories, plain and simple, because chances are, you’ve already consumed enough for the day," says Gans. "You’re probably just eating out of boredom, stress, or habit."

3. We’ve said it so many times, but that’s because it works. “Our bodies can mistake dehydration for hunger, so one of the easiest ways to reset your appetite is to stay hydrated,” says Michelle Davenport, Ph.D., R.D. “Plus, research has shown that eating foods primarily composed of water, like brothy soups and salads with lots of juicy vegetables, can keep us full with fewer calories." Aim for six to eight glasses a day, and if you can’t get there, just do the best you can. It’s better than nothing!

4. This is quite possibly the easiest weight-loss tip ever—all you have to do is log eight hours of shuteye. “Most people don’t realize that sleep directly affects the hormones that control our hunger and satiety cues," says Davenport. "By clocking in at least eight hours of sleep a night, we can keep those hormones balanced and thus keep our appetites in check." 

5. Interval training is perhaps the most efficient use of your time at the gym. The idea is that, by doing a certain exercise at your max intensity for short intervals (with recovery breaks in between) you can burn more calories and increase your fitness level in less time than it would take to see the same results if you were working out at a steady pace that's more sustainable. Plus: “With the right HIIT program, your body will keep losing fat after your workout—while maintaining muscle tone,” says Greg Justice, an exercise physiologist at AYC Fitness in Kansas City.

6. As long as you skip out on the super high-cal latte triple pump whatevers, coffee can be a great tool to help you slim down. “Caffeine may increase the release of free fatty acids in the bloodstream, which helps you train longer and more intensely,” says Justice. “Coffee has been shown to suppress your appetite, as well.” We’ll sip to that!

7. Rather than count your calories, count your protein and fiber intake. “Nutritionists used to believe that 3,500 calories was equivalent to one pound, which was the premise for calorie tracking for many people,” says Davenport. “But now, new research has found that the exact number of calories needed to shed pounds is specific to the individual and that it’s more effective to track protein and fiber—the nutrients that keep us full at every meal." Try to have one serving of protein and fiber at every meal, and you’ll pretty much be good to go.      

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