Ever feel foggy after lunch? It’s not all in your head, the food you eat has a very real impact on your mind. So if you value your brain power, which foods should you steer clear of?

1. Alcohol: alcohol is a neurotoxin, which means it can posion your brain and kill brain cells.

2. Refined foods: white flour, sugar, white rice, and other highly processed foods (including soda) can cause wild fluctuations in your blood sugar, and for your brain to function optimally it needs to receive a steady supply of fuel. Imbalances can cause irritability, distraction, and tiredness.

3. Trans fats (hydrogenated fats): Trans fats are found in fried foods, margarine, baked goods, vegetable shortening, bread, cookies, snack crackers, salad dressings, granola bars, cereals, frozen dinners and much more. These artificial fats raise your triglycerides, which may contribute to hardening of your arteries (atherosclerosis). This, in turn, increases your risk of not only heart attacks but also strokes (or “brain attacks”). Trans fats have also been linked to other mental problems ranging from ADHD and dyslexia to autism.

4. Food additives: Flavor enhancers like MSG and “natural flavors”, artificial colors, artificial flavors, and preservatives are known as “excitotoxins”, and are all part of a group of substances that cause brain neurons to die. So, what should you eat for brain power?

• Leafy vegetables, like spinach
• Fruits, especially blueberries and apples
• Seeds and nuts, especially walnuts
• Wild-caught, low-mercury fatty fish (salmon)
• Organic cage-free eggs
• Organic, grass-fed meats and chicken
• Whole grains

My recommendation? Get smart and get back to the whole real foods, usually found along the outer perimeter of the grocery store.