Brain Health

Brain health, decreased brain function and even dementia can be avoided especially those like diabetes, obesity and hypertension, if an individual takes actions to control them early on in life. This means diet and increased physical activity is paramount and can’t be overstated.

Eat hearty Mediterranean meals that include fish, nuts, fresh vegetables, fruits and beans. This will reduce your risk of Alzheimer by 34 to 48% according to studies done at Columbia University. Fatty Omega 3 acids in fish is important to maintain a healthy heart and experts believe that the same fatty acids are important to maintain healthy brain cells. Others data shows that older Americans who eat lots of fruits and leafy green vegetable experience a slower rate of cognitive decline and a lower rate of dementia than those who eat a lot of meats. Another study done at Vanderbilt University found that drinking several serving a week of vegetable or fruit juice from a bottle could be an alternative to eating them. They found that those individuals who drank three or more serving a week of vegetable and fruit juice had a 76% lower rate of Alzheimer than those who drank less than one serving a week

Having friends and an active social life can also preserve our brain health. We all need friends and having an active social life can provide us with emotional and mental stimulation and do much to lower our risk of dementia. University studies show that after only ten minutes of stimulating conversation, individuals do better on short term memory tests than those who do not. Those individuals who strive to learn something new and different also spur their brain cells with the challenge. Engaging the mind helps maintain healthier brain function and memory which can offset dementia.

Add Spice Our brain likes spice just as much as our taste buds. Spices and herbs like cinnamon, oregano, basil, black pepper, ginger, parsley and vanilla contain high amounts of antioxidant and can help stimulate and build brain vitality. Some scientists are have been especially intrigued by curcumin an ingredient found in turmeric, something that is used a lot in Indian curries. Studies have shown that those who eat curry foods often test best on cognition exams and receive much higher scores.

Vitamin deficiency can be another cause of lower test scores and decreased brain activity as one ages. Studies have shown that older individuals have lower test scores when they were measured for things like memory, reasoning and thinking. Research from the Rush University Medical Center has shown that those who do not get needed nutrients from the foods they eat could be at higher risk for dementia. Vitamin B12 deficiency which affects brainvitality was one in particular that was most prevalent. Some believe the mixing of different medications may have interfered or perhaps the decline in the digestive acids of older individuals could be the reason for the brain Vitamin B12 deficiency.