The Diet, Exercise and Creativity Connection

People who deem themselves "starving artists" may be starving more than their bodies. Their creativity may also be suffering.

Contrary to popular belief, many artists rely on nutritious foods. In her memoir, "The Alice B. Toklas Cook Book," Alice B. Toklas, who in her role as companion, friend and cook to Gertrude Stein, concocted dishes for many creative giants, spoke of Pablo Picasso's doctor-recommended diet, which emphasized fish and spinach. Ernest Hemingway, depending on what was available, dined on fish, meats, avocados, other fruits and wine. Numerous modern-day artists, including actress Mayim Bialik, singer/songwriter Fiona Apple and actor/producer Brad Pitt, eat plant-based diets. While the specific effect artists' diets have on their work remains unknown, researchers have learned a great deal regarding the importance of nutrition for the brain in the general population.

Not everyone strives for Picasso or Hemingway's level of creative expression or success. And other factors, such as personal interests, your upbringing and genetics play a role. But whether you're a Picasso in-the-making or simply wish to enhance your ability to function creatively at work, school or play, healthy dietary changes make a positive difference.

Brain Food

Without enough calories and nutrients, your brain suffers. And with it, your ability to form and create new ideas.

Your brain requires twice as much energy as the rest of your body's cells. It runs on glucose -- a form of sugar reaped from carbohydrates. Since it can’t store glucose, the brain relies on your bloodstream for a steady supply. But that doesn’t mean you should fill up on sugar-laden foods.

“If you think of the brain as an engine," said Paul E. Bendheim, neurologist, founder of BrainSavers and author of "The Brain Training Revolution: A Proven Workout for Healthy Brain Aging," "it’s going to run better on high-grade fuel. That’s what a brain-healthy diet provides."

Such a diet emphasizes whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and fish. And while many studies positively link boosted brain function and healthy foods, taking nutrients in supplement form has not been proven effective.

"Study after study fails to show a benefit when you take nutrients in isolation, such as most supplements," Bendheim said. "They’re not in their natural matrix as they are in real, unprocessed foods."

Antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables not only boost overall brain function, they also protect against gradual cognitive decline, increasing your odds of staying creatively sharp throughout your life.

In 2005, researchers at Harvard University Medical School examined data collected from more than 13,000 women ages 70 and older. Women who ate plentiful vegetables, particularly cruciferous varieties, such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts, and leafy greens, like spinach, showed the slowest rate of cognitive decline compared to women who did not. Other antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, which tend to be colorful, include berries, red grapes, citrus fruits, carrots, artichokes, bell peppers and winter squash.

Swapping refined grains, such as white flour and instant rice, for whole grains, such as oats, barley and brown rice, also boosts your antioxidant intake. And because they have a low glycemic index, or level of impact on your blood sugar, incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and low-fat dairy products into your diet helps keep a steady energy flow to your brain.

For protein, choose mainly lean sources, such as fish, beans, lentils and low-fat yogurt. Eating too much unhealthy fat, which is prevalent in whole milk products, fatty meats and fried foods, damages your heart, arteries and brain.

“If you want to give your brain every advantage, you want to decrease the amount of saturated, fatty foods you consume in your diet," Bendheim said.

Cold-water fish, such as salmon and mackerel, provides the added benefits of omega-3 fatty acids -- nutrients that play a valuable role in brain function.

Create Your Plate

Emphasizing nutritious eating is only one part of enhancing creativity. Your overall habits, such as how often you eat, should promote positive hormone and blood sugar levels -- factors that make way for stable moods and clear thinking.

“The key to eating well for your brain and body is to give your body what it needs on a regular, consistent basis,” said Jae Berman, a registered dietitian and personal trainer at Bay Club San Francisco. “Then your body will work for you and not against you.”

This may mean eating three balanced meals and one to three healthy snacks or five or six “mini” meals throughout each day. And most of your meals should contain all three macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

 

“If you look at your plate and it is always a fruit, starch or vegetable then you are not getting enough protein,” Berman said. “If you are munching on nuts, deli slices or cheese as your snack and never eat bread you are not getting enough carbohydrates. Your body and brain need everything, so work toward getting a balanced plate at all meals and snacks.”

One way to create well-balanced meals is the "plate method." At each meal, imagine a line drawn down the center of your plate, fill half of it with vegetables, such as spinach and tomatoes, one-quarter with protein, such as grilled salmon -- which also contains healthy fat, and the remaining quarter with a healthy starch, like whole wheat pasta or brown rice.

Here's the good news: You need not eliminate your favorite treat foods, whether they’re high in saturated fat and sugar or devoid of vitamins and minerals.

"I tell people that it is OK to eat that hot fudge sundae or doughnut once in a while,” Bendheim said. “It’s only bad for you if you eat these types of highly processed foods frequently, but it’s fine for you if it’s a special, once in a while treat.”

So feel free to top your salmon/veggie/brown rice meal off with some dark chocolate or a slice of pie. Just do your best to stick to reasonable portion sizes when it comes to fatty foods and sweets or make larger portions an occasional experience.

Move to Be Moved

In a study published in the “Creativity Research Journal” in 2005, 63 college students took the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking -- a widely used test that measures creative abilities in children and adults. Students who took the test just after moderate-intensity aerobic exercise tested highest. Students who took the test two hours after similar exercise scored slightly lower. Students who did not exercise beforehand tested the lowest of all three groups. The researchers concluded that exercise made a modest but significant positive impact on creative function.

“Our bodies are very complicated, but look at it this way,” said Shari Portnoy, a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer. “In trained athletes, the breathing rate is increased by about 10 percent. Oxygen therefore works more efficiently. The more efficiently the brain obtains oxygen, the better it works.”

In other words, physical fitness increases oxygen flow to your brain, resulting in heightened function. Aerobic activities, such as running, walking and biking, help you think sharper, recall information and learn more easily. If you can’t think clearly, remember or learn, creativity suffers.

While individuals’ activity needs vary, the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week or vigorous exercise for 75 minutes each week.

To increase yours odds of sticking with your fitness regimen, seek activities you enjoy. Then break it up into episodes, dispersed throughout your day or week. If you enjoy hiking, for example, aim for 30 minutes of hiking five days per week. You can also jog for 10 minutes in the morning and walk for 20 minutes later on -- or mix it up. Jog one day, dance another and clean your house on the next -- but make sure you break a sweat as you get the house sparkling to pay your fitness dues for the day.

If you have a creative project coming up, such as a paper to write or a painting to create, exercise within two hours beforehand for boosted function. Doing so also helps ease stress and anxiety involved with performing well. But don't depend on exercise for short-term benefits only.

"The key to anything is finding a program that works with your lifestyle," Berman said. "Find a plan that makes sense to you, feels good and works with your life. That is how to create long-term change."