Get-Ahead Diet Guide

Want to wow everyone at your next big presentation? Check out which foods will feed your brain and fuel those million-dollar ideas.

1. Pair protein with good carbs for breakfast (and if the event's in the afternoon, for lunch). The good carbs transform into glucose, which energizes the brain; proteins sustain that energy input for as long as four hours.

2. Load up on dark, leafy greens. They offer a megadose of folate, which boosts brain function.

3. Avoid junk food. Saturated fats put stress on nerve cells and hamper communication and activity, making you feel sluggish.

4. A half hour before the meeting, get your caffeine fix—assuming you haven't already had more than a cup. Caffeine, which enhances activity in the part of the brain associated with memory and focus, peaks in the body 45 minutes after your first sip, and the effect lingers on for a few hours.

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