As you age, moving into your 30s and 40s, your brain changes; he begins to shrink and continues to do so for the rest of his life. With that contraction can come changes in your cognitive habilytieswhich can become a cause for concern regarding dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
But don’t we all know someone in their 80s or 90s who is sharp as a tack with a memory like an elephant? Why have these people avoided what seems to be an inevitable part of aging? Genetics has something to do with it, but more research suggests diet does, too. neuroinflammation it can potentially be adjusted based on how we eat.
“Although today we don’t have a nutritional cure for dementia, there are now many studies indicating different ways that food can play an important role in preventing or slowing cognitive decline,” he says. Dr Uma Naidoonutritional psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, director of Nutritional and Metabolic Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, author of This is Your Brain on Food: An Indispensable Guide to Surprising Foods That Fight Depression, PTSD, ADHD, Anxiety, OCT, and More, and trained chef. “Our food choices can definitely help us preserve our memories and clear our minds of the brain fog that sometimes interrupts the clarity of our lives.”
Naidoo claims that diets high in fat and sugar can negatively affect the hippocampus, the part of the brain most involved in the formation of relational memories. On the other hand, the right kinds of food can protect memory. Dr. Naidoo explains some key eating habits that can slow brain aging.
Instead of cutting calories, you can focus on eating foods that have been proven to support brain health. Fortunately, researchers have developed a diet to address this called mind diet. “MIND” means Mediterranean-DASH intervention for neurodegenerative retardation. It is a combination of the Mediterranean-style diet and a diet designed to lower blood pressure and the DASH diet, or dietary approaches to stop hypertension.
“The important features of the MIND diet are that it is low in saturated fat, high in healthy oils, and red meat is eaten infrequently, two or fewer times per week,” says Naidoo.
If going all out on calorie restriction or the MIND diet is too daunting, Naidoo recommends simply filling your plate with the The best foods to protect memory. Start with green, leafy vegetables like lettuce that go into mixed salads, kale, collard greens, and spinach. Eat several servings daily.
“Projection green leafy vegetables because they contain folic acid, vitamin E, carotenoids and flavonoids, nutrients that protect against cognitive decline,” says Naidoo.
Even more nutrient-dense are microgreens, along with vegetables that are harvested just after sprouting. “Microgreens have up to 40 times more nutrients than their mature counterparts,” he adds.
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Try to eat at least three daily servings of colorful polyphenol-rich foods. vegetablessuch as yellow and red bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, beets, squash, and eggplant. Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, are also rich in an anti-inflammatory compound called sulforaphane, which studies show can protect against diseases that affect the brain.
Colorful berries are a concentrated source of flavonoids and other brain-friendly nutrients.
“Studies have shown that diets rich in blueberries reduce free radicals and inflammation in the brain,” says Naidoo.
Walnuts they are also neuroprotective. “The vitamin E in peanut butter, dry-roasted almonds, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds can help people experiencing stress, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms,” he continues.
“extra virgin olive oil— a heart-healthy fat — is a source of at least 30 phenolic compounds that are powerful antioxidants and brain protectors,” says Naidoo.
A 2019 study published in the journal molecules found that a cooking technique that uses extra virgin olive oil to make sofrito, a savory starter for many dishes, enhances the extraction of brain-protecting polyphenols from sautéed vegetables, such as onions, garlic, peppers, tomatoes and the chilies.
In 2019, a meta-analysis of double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials of patients with major depressive disorder showed that taking omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) relieved depression compared with placebo.
“Omega-3 fatty acids promote brain health by reducing inflammatory markers and protecting neurons from excessive inflammation,” says Naidoo.
The best omega-3 sources They are cold water fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring and sardines. However, you can also enjoy omega-3-enriched foods like eggs, and find omega-3s in plant-based sources like edamame, walnuts, and chia seeds.
Get in the habit of amplifying the flavors in your cooking without adding calories and get a brain boost.
“Turmeric, pepper, cinnamon, saffron, rosemary, ginger, and other spices have been shown to help memory,” says Naidoo.
Turmeric, the active ingredient in curcumin, is the star of the spice show. A 2019 review of animal studies in Current Neuropharmacology showed that curcumin could possibly reverse some brain damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease. another study published that same year found improvements in attention, cognition, and memory in people who took 90 to 1,500 milligrams of turmeric for 53 weeks.
“When taking turmeric, combine it with some black pepper. Black pepper can help curcumin absorption,” says Naidoo.
“Excessive alcohol consumption it increases the risk of all kinds of cognitive decline and dementia,” Naidoo warns.
However, Naidoo points to a 2019 meta-analysis of 28 studies that found that light-to-moderate alcohol consumption during middle and late adulthood was associated with a decreased risk of all types of cognitive decline and dementia.
“If you drink alcohol, I always recommend moderation,” advises Naidoo. “Alcohol can have many negative health effects, so talk to your doctor about other risk factors.”
