Brain foods are key. What you eat affects aging and the brain. Your aging parents' brains can get added protection from Alzheimer's disease and other mental decline. Learn how to improve Brain Fitness by changing what they eat.
We've long known that what we eat can have a negative effect on our health. The studies are numerous - about high fat foods and disease - heart disease, gaining weight. What we hadn't realized is how fast the negative effects of fatty food really appear.
"...the new research shows how indulging in fatty foods over the course of a few days can affect the brain and body long before the extra pounds show up.
"Although the human data aren’t yet published, the researchers have also performed similar studies of high-fat diets in healthy young men who then performed exercise and cognitive tests. Dr. Murray said he is still reviewing the data, but the short-term effect of a fatty diet on humans appears to be similar to that found in the rat studies.
"It’s not clear why fatty foods would cause a short-term decline in cognitive function. One theory is that a high-fat diet can trigger insulin resistance, which means the body becomes less efficient at using the glucose, or blood sugar, so important to brain function."
All that stuff that made mom and grandma's foods taste so good -- the butter, the fat, the shortening, the frying, have an impact on aging and the brain that can be corrected.
"Among behavioral traits, diet may play an important role in the cause and prevention of Alzheimer's," the authors write as background information in the article. Previous studies have shown a lower risk for Alzheimer's among those who eat
a Mediterranean diet,
characterized by high intakes of fish, vegetables, legumes, fruits, cereals and unsaturated fatty acids, low intakes of dairy products, meat and saturated fats and moderate alcohol consumption."
Improved cholestoral levels, reduced blood sugar elevation, healthier blood vessels and decreased inflammation all work together to repair cognitive impairment.
Your parents may be tempted to think that eating healthy may mean going for lots of things that are exotic or unfamiliar. But that does not have to be the case. Maybe your parents would like to try some new foods that would be healthy every now and then. With the diversity of cultures, in most areas, you can get any number of new foods in local restaurants, delis, groceries, or try new recipes online.
If you are skeptical, consider this scientific finding on a common spice found in curry, reported by the
Brain Research Institute (BRI) at UCLA
"Researchers at UCLA found that curcumin, a compound in turmeric, was more effective at preventing the development of brain-damaging plaques seen in Alzheimer’s disease than any drug being tested. It is probably no coincidence that India’s populace has the lowest rate of Alzheimer’s in the world – and a diet rich in turmeric."
1. Go for Satisfying Grains: oatmeal, barley
2. Buy Vitamin-Rich Vegetables Frozen and Save
3. Boost Antioxidants With Apples, Oranges, and Bananas
4. Say Cheese -- Cottage Cheese, That Is
5. Pump Up Protein With Affordable Eggs
6. Fill Up on High-Fiber, Low-Cost Beans
7. Stock Up on Canned Tuna
8. Drink to Your Brain Health With Skim Milk and Water
9. Spice Up Your Meals - cinnamon, curry powder, garlic, sage
10.Become a Savvy Shopper (and Use Coupons to Stock Up)
Brain Foods to Brain Fitness
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