Help Keep Your Brain Healthy With Foods We Eat Everyday
Help Keep Your Brain Healthy With Foods We Eat Everyday
By Hazel Trice Edney
It can happen all too often. Someone is talking and – right in the middle of a sentence – lose their train of thought, forget someone’s name or even a word they want to use. Whether it is called a senior moment, memory lapse or just plain forgetfulness, it can be quite embarrassing – and sometimes, even scary.
But just because someone experiences these moments, it may not mean they are developing a debilitating brain disease like a type of dementia for which there are yet no cures. Actually, according to medical experts, as people age, it is perfectly normal to experience changes in brain health and memory.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other medical agencies, there are also ways to boost brain health; including choices of healthy foods.
A CDC article, “Healthy Diet. Healthy Brain,” reports “a healthy diet may reduce your risk for memory loss and confusion. A healthy diet can help to improve your overall health, including brain health.”
It lists certain types of foods as the very best to boost brain health: They include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts; also, foods low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium) and low in added sugars are best for a healthy brain.
More specifically, according to the Harvard Medical School, in an article, “Foods Linked to Better Brain Power,” research has revealed that “the best brain foods are the same ones that protect your heart and blood vessels,” including the following foods that we eat every day, but just need more:
Green, leafy vegetables. Leafy greens such as kale, spinach, collards, and broccoli are rich in brain-healthy nutrients like vitamin K, lutein, folate, and beta carotene. Research suggests these plant-based foods may help slow cognitive decline.
Fatty fish. Fatty fish are abundant sources of omega-3 fatty acids, healthy unsaturated fats that have been linked to lower blood levels of beta-amyloid—the protein that forms damaging clumps in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. Try to eat fish at least twice a week, but choose varieties that are low in mercury, such as salmon, cod, canned light tuna, and pollack. If you're not a fan of fish, ask your doctor about taking an omega-3 supplement, or choose terrestrial omega-3 sources such as flaxseeds, avocados, and walnuts.
Berries. Flavonoids, the natural plant pigments that give berries their brilliant hues, also help improve memory, research shows. A study done by researchers at Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital found that women who consumed two or more servings of strawberries and blueberries each week delayed memory decline by up to two-and-a-half years.
Tea and coffee. The caffeine in your morning cup of coffee or tea might offer more than just a short-term concentration boost. In a study published in The Journal of Nutrition, participants with higher caffeine consumption scored better on tests of mental function. Caffeine might also help solidify new memories, according to other research. Investigators at Johns Hopkins University asked participants to study a series of images and then take either a placebo or a 200-milligram caffeine tablet. More members of the caffeine group were able to correctly identify the images on the following day.
Walnuts. Nuts are excellent sources of protein and healthy fats, and one type of nut in particular might also improve memory. A study from UCLA linked higher walnut consumption to improved cognitive test scores. Walnuts are high in a type of omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Diets rich in ALA and other omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to lower blood pressure and cleaner arteries. That's good for both the heart and brain.
Yes, so-called ‘senior moments’ can be scary, embarrassing; sometimes even comical, causing us to laugh at ourselves. But often times, through self-care, the goal of a healthier brain can be accomplished with foods that we eat every day.
This article is part of a series powered by AARP for the purpose of brain health education. Here's more information.
Latest Stories
- Help Keep Your Brain Healthy With Foods We Eat Everyday
- “I AM THAT WOMAN RETREAT” ANNOUNCES SPEAKER LINEUP
- One Million Degrees Hosts Inaugural Welcome Event at South Suburban College
- Opening Doors of Opportunity Can Heal the Nation
- First Black Woman Supreme Court Justice Talks About Memoir
Latest Podcast
Peggy Riggins
