Ben Smart discusses in his article “These Foods May Help Keep the Brain Young” about the importance of incorporating foods to keep your brain functioning properly. Brain health, according to Francine Grostein, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, is the ability to remember things and avoidance of diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. There is an abundance of further information that needs to be learned about how to optimize eating patterns to positively affect brain health. Gut bacteria is important to be aware of when thinking about brain health. Prebiotics help promote the growth of bacteria in the stomach, and some foods that would be considered prebiotics included are oatmeal, orange juice with pulp, bran cereal, bananas, unpeeled fruits in smoothies and other foods that contain fiber. Probiotics are beneficial for the gut for adding “good” bacteria. Foods that contain probiotics are yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi and even probiotic supplements.
There are certain foods that help increase overall brain health. Blueberries have high levels of flavonoids, which help decrease oxidation. Oxidation can damage cells in the body and increase aging processes. In general, blueberries can help decrease inflammation in the body. Green, leafy vegetables can also be an important part of a diet that increases brain health. Some examples include romaine, arugula, collard greens, kale, broccoli, spinach and Swiss chard. These types of vegetables are an important part of a diet named “MIND” which stands for “Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurogenerative Delay”, which was shown to help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in one study. Substituting fats from red meat for fats found in fish, tree nuts and oils can be beneficial for brain health. These foods include salmon, tuna, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, olive oil and algae oil. Francine Grostein states that people who incorporate more fish in their diet have a decreased tendency to develop memory problems. Omega-3 fatty acids found in these types of foods have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol, which can increase the incidence of stroke or heart attack.
It is important to be careful with any type of Omega-3 supplementation for concerns over contamination with heavy metals. Vegan Omega-3 supplements made from algae are available if heavy metals are a concern. It is recommended to purchase algal oil supplements that are high in DHA and EPA. Periodic fasting has been suggested as a way to ward off certain diseases but not enough evidence has been collected to prove this fact. As always, it is best to speak to a provider when implementing any new type of dietary approach, supplements or lifestyle regimes into life. To find out more ways to keep yourself healthy, please visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com.
