We all want to age gracefully, and most significantly with our minds intact. Brain health and food for brain health should be everyone’s concern, as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are devastating conditions, and therefore the numbers are rising still.
The future prospects for the population are dire generally health, and especially , in brain health.
5.3 million people currently have Alzheimer’s disease, and by the year 2050, 7 trillion people are expected to be sufferers of Alzheimer’s, the Alzheimer’s Association reports.
Still, we will hope that with some adjustments in diet and lifestyle, we may decrease these numbers and preserve our brain health.
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We can attempt to hope we won’t be the sufferers because cognitive decline like Alzheimer’s and dementia are terrifying conditions for both the victim and their loved ones.
So, what can we do to alleviate or avert, a health assault on our brain health?
This means that you simply should eat for your brain as you eat for your heart… you're eating for your heart, right?
Imagine yourself as an wife , and your body and brain are still strong, intact, and that they are often , with the proper brain food, and a touch exercise.
See yourself dancing and doing somersaults, shocking the gawking bystanders who are much younger than you, but they need nothing on you when it involves those dance moves! Yes, that’s how i would like to be!
And you'll roll in the hay too if you set your mind thereto , and feed the brain right, and move. you'll still be as sharp as a tack.
One of the worst things which will happen to us as we age is to possess cognitive decline.
It is interesting that you simply hear about heart health all the time, but not such a lot about brain health. to not really rank one over the opposite , but the guts cannot beat without the brain telling it to.
But I know, you don’t need anyone to inform you that your brain is extremely important. So important that it's going to be an honest thing to consciously choose food which will benefit not only your heart and each other organ and particularly the brain.
The amazing thing is that what you eat not only affects the function of your brain but also the structure of the brain, research has found
Visualize your brain as an upscale car, a Jaguar, or a Mercedes for instance . i prefer this analogy of an upscale car.
If you've got an upscale car, you baby it, you treat it delicately and only put premium fuel in it. Its an equivalent together with your brain. you set crap in it and you get out the same- yes, pun intended. And yes, meaning you damage it.
The damage, however, happens over time. So you'll not know the harm you're causing until much later, then it's too late to understand anything because then cognitive damage prevents that recognition.
These low-grade fuels are fast foods most cooked in bad oils like omega 6 as in vegetable oil , foods filled with simple sugars, processed foods like cured meets filled with chemicals, and high fructose syrup , you get the gist.
Think of beautiful vibrant alive colors once you consider food for the brain.
The low fuel foods like processed food promote insulin resistance and inflammation, and oxidative stress.
These non-premium foods are implicated per studies in health issues such s depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and even to a degree Alzheimers disease and dementia.
Research is obvious , high sugar diets, predispose one to develop metabolic syndrome and certain type two diabetes. And having diabetes, ups the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Research published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that consuming a diet high in saturated fats and straightforward sugars affected memory and learning even in relatively young women, those in their 25-45 age. this is often to not say the consequences don’t occur even earlier.
The gut-brain connection
Start thinking of your gut as your second brain. Have ever wondered why you are feeling butterflies within the stomach once you are nervous? Like once you have a serious interview for an excellent job. Suddenly the stomach doesn’t feel too good.
You see, the gut and therefore the mind have a relationship. they convey . 95 percent of your serotonin is produced in your gut, and your gut is lined with many nerve cells that communicate with the brain through the vagus .
This also explains why the items you eat can influence your emotions, and the way you act.
Also, researchers are finding that the microbes in your gut can do tons of things including affecting the way you behave. there's a link between your gut health and depression and anxiety. Your gut health depends on the sort of food you eat, that successively feeds the proper bacteria.
You eat an excessive amount of sugar and therefore the bad microbes grow and produce biochemical products that absolutely influence your emotions, psych, and psychological state .
Yes, it's been proven that these bad microbes will cause you to reach for more sugary food too.
You are not on top of things then. They are. Some microbes can even cure some diseases, or affect the way various medications affect you. Take a hear this TED Talk for more on how microbes influence one’s health here
Can diet affect your mental health?
Like many other health conditions, diet and lifestyle can affect brain health. Diet may prevent the danger of developing Alzheimer’s disease
The process that results in Alzheimer’s disease begins years before disease onset, research states.
So, allow us to check out the foods that feed the brain for better brain health.
What are the simplest foods for mental health?
The good thing is that it's not hard to feed your brain with some amazing superfoods. Here are 20 superfoods you ought to eat regularly.
1. Beets
Beets are a delicious and vibrant superfood. they're good for the guts also well because the brain.
And they are so underutilized. Just to line the record straight, really, when was last time you cooked or ate beets? See what I mean? we'd like to eat more beets.
Eat more beets and your brain are going to be well fed with the proper fuel. So what’s so great about them anyway?
A chemical called betanin, that's liable for the red color found in beets is related to slowing brain aging.
That is exactly what i would like , a young and agile brain. I hope you too! Researchers found that this compound betanin inhibits the buildup of the misfolded proteins or the alfa beta proteins related to Alzheimer’s. Betanin thereby slows down Alzheimer’s progression.
Beets also contain nitrates, which aids in improving blood flow through the body and thus helps nutrients to succeed in the brain and feed those brain cells in order that they perform at optimal levels. it's no good if you eat and therefore the transit system is clogged and nutrients transport is impeded.
Beets even have anxiolytic and antidepressant properties per research. they're anti-stress, have antioxidants, are anticancer. They protect the liver and therefore the kidneys, are great for wound healing and have anti-inflammatory properties. that's a superpower.
2. Avocados
I hope by now you're convinced that you simply should eat more avocados.
These delicious fruits are a powerhouse of wonderful nutrients and an excellent thanks to feed your brain.
They are also so versatile so you'll eat more during a sort of dishes, from quac, salads to smoothies, these superfoods taste good anyway you've got them.
The great thing too about avocados is that they not only taste good, but they're also good for weight loss because they're filling and keep you feeling full longer.
Additionally, they're an excellent source of excellent for you fats, including omega 3 fatty acids.
They contain monounsaturated fats. And intrinsically they contribute to improved blood flow too, again ensuring nutrients reach your brain.
Avocados, contain vitamin, K, A, D, E, potassium, magnesium, folate, and B vitamins. So yes, that's what I mean by powerhouse of nutrients. Folate and B vitamins, vitamin K, and magnesium are all essential for optimal functioning of the brain.
3. Green Tea
In recent years, science has proved that tea may be a powerful nutrient and an excellent one for brain health. tea is understood to induce mental clarity, cognitive function, physical activation, and relation.
This effect is compounded if one takes matcha tea during which these phytochemicals are concentrated, making matcha tea an excellent mood and brain food.
Green tea contains catechins polyphenols, EGCG antioxidants that protect the brain from the neurologic cognitive damage of Alzheimer and Parkinson’s disease, research shows.
The caffeine in tea improved alertness, performance on demanding cognitive tasks and increases vigor.
Additionally, the L theanine helps one relax by counteracting the effect of caffeine. improves mood, relaxation, and quietness which suggests the caffeine won’t make one crazy hyper. Instead one finishes up with a pleasant zen-like state while demolishing their to-do list after a cup of tea .
Theanine, per this text , also acts as a neurotransmitter and was found to scale back vital sign in animal studies.
Additionally, tea research found improves memory particularly by improving short-term plasticity of the parietal-frontal lobe brain connections. this is often great news and a simple thanks to improve your memory.
No more forgetting names as soon as they're provided. Drink your tea . Okay, I hope this converts you to a tea drinker, considering its many brain benefits.
4. Broccoli
Broccoli is a tremendous superfood. It contains choline, folate, Vitamin K, all of which contribute to brain health.
A study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that foods rich in choline metabolites are important keep the structural integrity of cell membranes and signaling during the event of neuron cells. and that i will hazard to mention , that seems like something we would like for our brain cells. improved signaling is important for cell functioning.
Eating broccoli is a simple and healthy thanks to strengthen your brain. it's a low-calorie food, and a powerhouse of many nutrients like vitamin C, calcium and much of potassium, and vitamin A also . of these nutrients are important for psychological state .
Vitamin K has been related to improved memory in older adults per studies like this, also as this one. While you reading this post might not be old, i might venture to mention that, optimizing our vitamin K consumption can help your brain health too now and within the future.
Please note that a discount in intake could also be recommended by your doctor if you're taking certain medications.
Also, compounds in broccoli like sulforaphane and Kaempferol, vitamin C and E, have an antioxidant effect within the brain. Researchers also propose that these phytochemicals also activate the brains own production of antioxidant through various pathways like Nr2f pathway.
This is a strong thanks to keep your brain healthy. The Nr2f is that the brains most powerful source of natural antioxidants, and activating it or optimizing it goes an extended way keep your brain healthy.
If you would like to optimize your Nr2f pathway new research is showing that you simply can take Nr2f in pill form with amazing results for general health.
5. Omega three fatty acids rich foods like fatty fish
Omega 3 fatty acids are extremely important altogether body systems health, and most significantly within the brain. Increasing research is showing the incredible effect of those essential fats.
Our bodies cannot produce this necessary fat, then we've to seek out it in our diet.
So guess what, if you don’t eat food that contains this necessary nutrient, and don’t supplement it, the body and brain functions suffer.
Unfortunately, regular western diet is sorely lacking in these beneficial fats. Instead, we are inundated with foods doused in inflammatory omega six fats. As a result, dire health consequences then ensue including psychological state issues, heart diseases, and metabolic syndrome.
Research shows that diets that are inflammatory like high cholesterol diets cause blood vessels lumen narrowing and intimal (that is a component of the anatomy of a blood vessel) thickness. The thickening of the lumen and vessel narrowing are signs of an inflammatory process.
One problem that results in a decline in brain health is inflammation and oxidation within the brain. Omega 3 fatty acids decrease the inflammatory markers, including monocyte activity, and macrophage aggregation showing a decrease in inflammation thereby protecting the brain. Omega three foods decreased intracranial atherosclerosis stenosis (narrowing of vessels) within the brain.
That means blood flow to organs including the brain where many nutrients are needed are impended. additionally , vessel narrowing also can cause stroke and terrible damage to the brain, which will be life-altering.
A double-blind controlled study published within the Journal of Alzheimer Disease found that supplementing with omega three fatty acids had a positive effect on memory in older adults, suggesting that these fats are often wont to improve memory function in adulthood .
We shouldn’t, however, wait till we are old. i think we will reap these same benefits before we are old.
Just eat these foods high in omega three fatty acids.
Fatty fish like wild salmon
sardines
Nuts
Walnuts, Almonds
Other great omegae3 foods include:
- chia seeds
- flax seeds
- hemp seeds
Studies done by several universities found that there's a correlation between the amount of DHA and EPA and dementia. They found that higher levels of DHA and EPA may help protect one from dementia.
This double-blind procedure followed healthy subjects for 26 weeks, testing for recall was better in those that had received Omega 3 supplementation.
More on Omega threes especially DHA in brain health.
6. Avocado
This study within the Journal of diabetic Research found that the metabolic changes that occur in diabetes which will cause diabetic encephalopathy and using avocado oil reduced the inflammatory effects that cause cognitive decline. It Prevented brain mitochondrial dysfunction, prevented ROS and oxidative stress.
This research found that using avocado oil led to reduced oxidative stress within the brain and better mitochondrial function.
First of all oxidation within the brain or anywhere within the body may be a bad thing. Secondly, the mitochondria are the cells energy factory, so we don't need a dysfunction there, because then the brain n won't get energy or use energy which will lead necrobiosis and brain dysfunction.
7. Blueberries
This research shows that blueberries are rich in flavonoids called anthocyanins which consumption of blueberries can prevent oxidative stress and inhibit inflammation.
Blueberries also prevent kidney injury and improve vascular health thanks to their high flavonoid levels, especially anthocyanin.
Recent studies have shown that supplementation with blueberry can alleviate age-related behavioral deficits and high-fat diet-related behavioral declines.
According to an equivalent study, blueberry supplementation enhances motor and memory performance in aged animals.
Results reported within the aforementioned study found that anthocyanins produced anxiolytic (Reduces anxiety) and motor enhancing effects in mice also as DNA protection from free radicals within the brain. we will hope that an equivalent goes for humans once they consume blueberries.
And consistent with research, flavonoids may help improve cognitive function and stop age-related and pathological degenerative processes within the brain.
Plus blueberry supplementation in experimental research was found to be helpful in autoimmune related encephalomyelitis almost like MS suggesting that blueberries could also be beneficial in alleviating the symptoms of MS.
The Phyto compounds in blueberries are found to accumulate in areas of the brain like the hippocampus, suggesting their positive effect in memory and learning. Other studies have also shown that berries with their richness of flavonoids slowed the speed of cognitive decline in older adults.
A study published within the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that in adults with early signs of dementia, blueberry supplementation.
The anthocyanin in blueberries study says are related to increased neuronal signaling within the brain center that helps mediate memory functioning, improve glucose usage, also as antioxidative and anti inflammatory effects altogether preventing neurodegeneration.
Although more comprehensive human trials are needed, the study found that supplementation with blueberries improves memory in older adults.
8. Celery
Celery may be a nearly calorie-free superfood. it's very easy to eat and doesn't almost everyone loves its juicy crunch? Celery helps calm inflammation within the brain Inflammation is that the favorite explanation for brain degeneration.
An amazing compound in celery, a kind of flavonoids called luteolin is in a position to prevent some gene encryption for necrobiosis and stops pro-inflammatory activity within the brain. This research found that the compound luteolin had great effects on microglia, an inhibitory effect of pro-inflammatory cytokines expression.
cytokines are those inflammatory chemicals that are produced by some white blood cells.
9. Nuts and seeds
Eating nuts regularly, consistent with research, increases cognitive well being. this is often yet one more good way to assist with the brain health.
Nuts contain vitamin E and good fats just like the omega 3 fatty acids which reduce oxidative stress and prevents cognitive decline as we get older . Omega threes which as discussed above are great for brain health. So what seeds and nuts to eat. such as:
Walnuts:
Researchers found that walnuts extracts protect against amyloid better-mediated necrobiosis . And walnuts supplementation in studies reduced the generation of free radicals and inhibited membrane and DNA damage. Walnuts prevented Aβ-mediated cytotoxicity (poisoning of cells), neuronal loss, and therefore the risk of developing AD study found.
10. Leafy greens.
For overall health, green leafy vegetables will provide you with various vitamins and minerals like vitamin A , K, Lutein, Beta carotin, and folate.
According to this study, published in Science Daily, Vitamin K, lutein, and folate are related to increased cognition during a study that followed 950 adults for a mean of 5 years.
This is one easy way of protecting your brain health as these sorts of greens are readily available in most places, and that they are easy to organize . So, love your greens.
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