and sardines are great, low-mercury choices), pastured or
omega-3 eggs, and grass-fed beef. On days that you are
unable to get your dose of preformed EPA and DHA,
supplemental fish, krill, or plant-based algae oil may help.
Once you cover those bases, ALA from whole-food sources
like walnuts, flaxseeds, or chia seeds is a great addition.
Monounsaturated Fats: Your Brain’s Best
Friend
As with polyunsaturated fats, the brain is rich in
monounsaturated fats, which form the brain’s myelin sheath.
This is the protective coating that insulates neurons and
allows for speedy neurotransmission. However, unlike
polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats are chemically
stable. Oils composed primarily of these fats not only are
safe to consume but seem to have a number of positive
effects in the body. Some common sources of
monounsaturated fat include avocados, avocado oil, and
macadamia nuts, and the fat content of wild salmon and
beef is nearly 50 percent monounsaturated. But perhaps the
most famous source of monounsaturated fat is extra-virgin
olive oil.
In Mediterranean countries such as Greece, southern
Italy, and Spain—where rates of neurodegenerative diseases
like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s are lower—extra-virgin
olive oil is the ultimate sauce, used liberally on steak, beans,
vegetables, bread, pizza, pasta, and seafood, in soups, and
even in desserts. My friend Nicholas Coleman, chief