Earlier this week we spoke about the role of du’aa (supplicating to Allaah) on your journey towards memorising the Qur’aan. We’ll now start to look at simple changes you can make in your lifestyle to improve the strength of your memory. Today, we will focus on foods that you can add to your diet.
Many of us would have heard the saying, ‘You are what you eat.’ No one who uses their intellect will dispute this statement. What you feed your body has an effect on your physical health as well as your emotional and spiritual well-being. It has been proven by scientists that eating the right foods can boost your IQ, improve your mood and concentration, sharpen your memory skills and think faster, stabilise your emotions and keep your mind young. We all know the benefits of eating a healthy balanced diet and the harms of indulging in unhealthy foods. We also know the importance of eating halaal food and by this we don’t just mean the meat and chicken you buy from the butchers. All the food you consume should be halaal so even foods such as fruits and salads can be haraam for you if you purchase it with money that is obtained from haraam means.
Allaah, subhaanahu wa Ta’aala, orders us to eat of the good that He has provided for us on this earth;
فَكُلُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللّهُ حَلالاً طَيِّبًا وَاشْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتَ اللّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ
So eat of the lawful and good food which Allaah has provided for you. And be grateful for the Graces of Allaah, if it is He Whom you worship. (An-Nahl 16:114)
In Soorah al-Baqarah, we find a similar verse which connects food to the following of shaytaan and sinning;
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُواْ مِمَّا فِي الأَرْضِ حَلاَلاً طَيِّباً وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
O mankind! eat of that which is lawful and good on the earth, and follow not the footsteps of Shaytaan (Satan). Verily, he is to you an open enemy. (Al-Baqarah 2:168)
And in another aayah, Allaah makes a mention of good lawful foods with doing righteous actions;
يَا أَيُّهَا الرُّسُلُ كُلُوا مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَاعْمَلُوا صَالِحًا إِنِّي بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ
O (you) Messengers! Eat of the Tayyibaat [all kinds of Halaal (legal) foods which Allaah has made legal (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables, fruits, etc.], and do righteous deeds. Verily! I am Well-Acquainted with what you do. (Al-Mu’minoon 23:51)
So we hope these Aayaat show the effect of food on our spiritual connection with Allaah.
Food and Memory
Your brain requires certain amounts of specific nutrients for optimal neural functioning. We won’t give you a science lesson here but briefly, the biochemical process of thinking depends on chemicals called neurotransmitters which are made from amino acids. The three key neurotransmitters are:
- Acetylcholine (ACh).
Acetylcholine rich foods include: egg yolks, peanuts, wheat germ, liver, meat, fish, milk, cheese and vegetables (especially broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower)
- Dopamine
Dopamine rich foods include all proteins (meat, milk products, fish, beans, nuts, soy products). 3-4ounces of protein will help you to feel energized, more alert and more assertive.
- Serotonin (or 5-HT)
Serotonin rich foods are carbohydrate based e.g., pasta, starchy vegetables, potatoes, cereals, breads.
The following is a brief list of foods that are well-known to improve memory.
Raisins
Raisins have many health benefits and Ibn al-Qayyim and some of the Salaf have advised to eat them for improving memory. In the book al-Jaami’ by al-Khateeb (2/394), he mentions that Imaam az-Zuhree, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Whoever wants to memorise hadeeth should eat raisins.” He also said, “You should eat honey because it is good for the memory.”
Fish
This is one of the top three foods we recommend. Fish is a great source of protein which is essential for making neurotransmitters as well as improving mental performance. Oily fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, trout and mackerel are excellent sources of Omega-3 fatty acids which are highly recommended for IQ and memory performance. Fish is also a good source of glutamine, an amino acid found abundant in the brain and said to improve mental performance. Another key component that you need in your diet is zinc and fish is a great source of it. One study in Rush University Medical centre in Chicago followed more than 3000 men and women for six years to see how their memory was affected by their diet. Results found that people who ate fish at least once a week had a ten percent slower decline in memory than those who didn’t. This difference meant that they had the memory and thinking ability of a person three years younger.
Milk and Honey
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, has informed us about the benefits in these two foods and Allaah tells us in the Qur’aan that in honey, there is a cure for man. Try to get pure honey, preferably Manuka honey as it is high in antioxidants and has many other nutritional benefits.
Blueberries
Fruits that are rich in antioxidants and are excellent for improving memory. Blueberries are rich in antioxidant phytochemicals and are great for regulating blood sugar levels which is critical to your intelligence as it affects one’s concentration levels over prolonged periods of time. Blueberries have been proven in a clinical study to have boosted memory in elderly people suffering early memory problems. To read more about this, visit this article at HealthyMuslim.Com (http://www.healthymuslim.com/articles/wwoep-blueberries-boost-memory-study-finds.cfm)
Cruciferous vegetables
Such as brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and bok choy.
Green leafy vegetables
Such as spinach, collard, kale, Swiss chard and mustard greens.
Foods high in anthocyanin (a phytochemical)
Such as berries, cherries, black-currants, grapes (red, black and purple), eggplant, plums, red apples, rhubarb, red onions and red/purple cabbage.
Foods high in quercetin (a phytochemical)
Such as kale, leeks, onions (red, yellow and white), cherry tomato, broccoli, blueberries, black-currants, elderberries, apricots, apples with skin and grapes (red, black and purple).
Other important food recommendations
- Be mindful of your cholesterol levels as anything that impedes blood flow will starve your brain cells from the nutrients (especially oxygen) which they need to function properly.
- If you smoke, give it up! Many scholars have unanimously agreed on it being haraam and if that isn’t enough, it is not also harmful to your lungs and other organs.
- Eat slow-releasing carbohydrates (i.e. those with a low glycemic index such as grains, fruits and vegetables) as these will not cause your blood sugar levels to rise rapidly. Eating small, regular meals is also an effective way to regulate blood sugar levels.
- Supplement with a B-vitamin complex. One study showed that supplementing with vitamin B3 improved memory by up to 40%.
- Supplementing with folic acid because it helps to break down and lower homocysteine which is an amino acid that is toxic to nerve cells.
- You can also supplement with herbs to improve your memory, such as turmeric, Ginseng and Gingko Biloba.
- Finally, drink lots and lots of water, at least 8 glasses per day.