Do you ever feel like you’re walking around with your head in a fog? Maybe you’re not quite as quick to the punch as you once were or you find that common words seem to continuously slip your mind. Well, this doesn’t have to be. Certain foods can actually help to boost your brainpower, clear away your mental fog and leave you with enviable quick-thinking skills.

So if you’d like to increase your intelligence to the level you’re capable of achieving, take a moment and read through the list below. Choosing these foods will not only make you appear smart to those around you, they will actually help you to increase your mental clarity and ability to think.

Fish Oil

As the old saying goes, "Fish is brain food." Unfortunately, I can’t recommend fish because it is overwhelmingly contaminated with mercury and dangerous PCBs. What I can recommend, however--and I can’t recommend it highly enough--is fish oil. Packed with beneficial omega-3 fats including DHA, fish oil may reduce inflammation in the brain and offer a protective effect.

Our brains are made up of approximately 60 percent fat, and most of this fat is either DHA or AA (arachidonic acid). AA is best obtained from uncooked dairy products like raw butter and raw cream, but DHA is primarily obtained from fish sources, not plant sources like flax seed.

When using fish oil or cod liver oil it is important to obtain a high-quality reputable brand. In my research--and in my clinical experience with my patients--I have found that:

• The liquid form is superior to capsules
• Certain brands definitely seem inferior to others
• The Carlson's brand of fish oil/cod liver oil is of an exceptional quality and purity

It is likely not the only brand in the world of such high quality, but up to this point it is the only one of such quality that I can recommend, so I now offer the Carlson's fish oil and cod liver oil on Mercola.com; you can also check your local health food store to see if they carry it.

Now is the time of year when people living in cooler climates will want to switch from fish oil to cod liver oil. The main difference between cod liver oil and fish oil is that cod liver oil is high in vitamin D. In warm weather months, the more intense sunshine allows your body to produce high and usually sufficient levels of vitamin D without any supplementation necessary. However, in cool weather when intense sun exposure is limited, your body will need more vitamin D, and so I recommend cod liver oil versus fish oil in cool weather months or climates.

Organic, Raw Vegetables (Metabolically Appropriate)

There is little that compares to the nutritional value of organic, raw vegetables according to your nutritional type. Specifically, low levels of folic acid, a nutrient found in green leafy vegetables, have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, and the many antioxidants and phtyochemicals in vegetables will help to keep your mind sharp.

My general recommendation is to eat one pound of vegetables daily for every 50 pounds of body weight. The easiest way to achieve this is be regularly consuming vegetable juice.

However, if you know your Metabolic Type then you will want to modify this recommendation based on the results. For instance, if you are a strong protein type (like me), then you really don’t need as many vegetables, perhaps as little as half a pound to a pound a day would be sufficient for the typical protein-type adult.

If you find you are more of a protein type then your vegetables would also be oriented more toward lower potassium varieties, like cauliflower, green beans, spinach, asparagus, mushrooms, celery and avocados. Regular lettuces and typically wonderful vegetables like collard greens, kale and Swiss chard are far too high in potassium for protein types and will tend to cause biochemical imbalances. This also means that if you are a protein type, vegetable juicing may not be necessary at all. On the other hand, a carb type may benefit from consuming far more vegetables, and the best varieties would include the collard greens, kale, Swiss chard, and so on, which were not ideal for protein types.

Please note that while I recommend organic vegetables for the most nutritional benefits, if you can’t find or afford them, don’t use this as an excuse not to eat any vegetables. Eating any vegetables, whether they are organic or not, is much better than not eating any vegetables at all.

Raw Eggs

Raw whole eggs are a phenomenally inexpensive and incredible source of high-quality nutrients that many of us are deficient in, especially high-quality protein and fat. While it may take some getting used to, this is a simple way to improve your mind and your overall health. Eating cooked eggs will not have the same effect, although the less you cook the egg, the better it will be nutritionally.

There are several ways to consume raw eggs: "rocky style," a whole egg with the yolk intact swallowed whole, blended in a shake using some raw milk, or stirred gently into your vegetable juice or Living Fuel Rx.

If you’re concerned about salmonella, please review the raw eggs article in the links below for information that will relieve your concerns.

Avoid Sugar

This is obviously not a food, but more of a "foods-to-avoid" category. If you want to perform at your top level, intelligence-speaking or otherwise, it is imperative to limit, if not completely avoid, sugar. High-sugar foods will disrupt your body's homeostasis and insulin levels, which will contribute to disease and brain fog.

Some easy ways to avoid sugar in your diet is to cut out soda and candy, but also watch out for less obvious sources like fruit juice.

Blueberries

Not only do blueberries taste good, but they are one of the most potent antioxidant foods on the planet. They are small and densely packed with a variety of potent phytochemcials that can do wonders to normalize and improve health, including direct benefits to the brain. Blueberries have been shown to actually reverse some of the aging that occurs in the brain.

Blueberries are full of other health-promoting qualities as well, and my only caution for them is to watch how many you eat at once due to their sugar content. Other small, darkly colored berries, like cherries, raspberries, gooseberries and mulberries provide similar health benefits.

We now carry delicious and convenient Wild Blueberry IQ Softgel Capsules in our store that are made from whole fresh blueberries -- and contain 40mg of potent disease fighting anthocyanins per capsule -- more than any other available supplement!

Raw Eggs for Your Health -- Major Update

Healthy Diet Keeps Brain Sharp Into Old Age

Berries--The Best Overall Fruits for Your Health

124 Ways Sugar Can Ruin Your Health