The Food-Memory Connection
What you eat can affect your memory… but the relationship between diet and memory is complex, and is still under debate. What we do know, however, is that:
· Certain vitamin deficiencies (e.g. B1, B3, B6, B12, folic acid) may be related to memory difficulties. Make sure to get your vitamins and minerals:
· B1 - sunflower seeds, whole and enriched grains, dried
· Beans, pork
· B3 - mushrooms, bran, tuna, chicken, beef, peanuts
· B6 - spinach, broccoli, bananas
· B12 - almost exclusively in animal products
· Folic acid - green leafy vegetables, orange juice, sprouts, chick peas
· It is important to eat a balanced diet!
· Eating or drinking something with sugar in it (like orange juice) can help you learn and remember things, at least for a little while.
· Keep your coffee and alcohol intake low, because it can lead you to become dehydrated, which doesn’t make you as sharp!
· People with high levels of cholesterol have found that lowering their cholesterol results in improved memory and cognitive abilities.
· Homeopathic remedies such as ginko and ginseng are becoming all the rage, but there hasn’t been much research on how these “natural” herbs affect your health or your memory. Anyone taking these products should talk with their doctor, because there can be very serious side effects.
For more information about healthy eating, check out our Nutrition Program.