BRAIN HEALTH

BRAIN HEALTH

1) Eat beets. Researchers from Wake Forest University had 14 seniors (70 years old and up) drink either 16 oz. of beet juice or eat a control diet in the morning for two days. They used MRI machines to measure blood flow to the brain. The groups switched diets for another two days, then were tested again. The result: The beet-juice drinkers enjoyed 21 percent increased blood flow to the frontal lobes -- sensitive areas of the brain vulnerable to the degeneration that leads to dementia.

2) Eat more spinach, kale, broccoli and cauliflower. Harvard Medical School researchers found that middle-aged women who ate the most leafy greens and/or cruciferous veggies boosted their odds of maintaining mental sharpness in later years. Those who ate eight or more servings of vegetables, like spinach and broccoli, scored higher on cognitive tests than subjects who consumed just three servings a week.

3) Eat more berries. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and other varieties have anthocyanins that can help reverse some loss of balance and memory associated with aging. Researchers at the Neuroscience Laboratory at Tufts University found blueberry-supplemented animal subjects had improved brain and motor function coordination.

4) Don't forget fish. A study found that older people who eat fish at least once a week might reduce their risk of Alzheimer's by more than half. Other research indicates that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish may support the function of brain cell receptors. Fish keeps you trim: it has half the calories and less than a tenth the saturated fat as the same size serving of beef, yet fish protein may help you feel fuller longer.

5)Drink more fruit and vegetable juice. A Vanderbilt University study found that those who drank fruit or vegetable juice more than three times per week were an astounding 75 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's than once-a-week or non-juice drinkers. Researchers believe that the antioxidant polyphenols contained in the juice guard against the oxidation (or rust, if you will) of brain tissue. You'll get more healthy nutrients if you squeeze (or juice) your own fruit and vegetables.

Why is diet so important to brain health? The North Carolina Research Campus is the only campus in the world encompassing eight universities working together for the benefit of health and longevity. These include Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, NC State University, UNC Charlotte, North Carolina Central University, NC A&T State University, UNC Greensboro and Appalachian State University. According to Steven Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Nutrition Research Institute at the North Carolina Research Institute, "The same factors that affect the health of your arteries also impact the 100,000 miles of blood vessels that support your brain. Though most brains account for less than 2 percent of body weight, the brain uses 20 percent of the body's blood supply and 25 percent of its oxygen supply."

Be smart, and you'll stay smart -- for as long as possible. Exercise your brain and body, keep engaged with work and friends, and feed your brain with a healthy, plant-based diet and knowledge.

Feed the brain with healthy fats:

Avoid processed foods, which usually contain trans fats. Check food labels for "trans fats," "trans fatty acids," or "hydrogenated oil" and avoid. Foods can contain a small amount of trans fats and still say "0 trans fats" on the package but the small amounts add up. These foods are bad for your heart, your brain, and your mood.When you have to have to indulge your sweet tooth, finding food made without hydrogenated or trans fats.

• Eat a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, such as salmon and omega-3-fortified eggs or fish oil capsules. Rodale.com recommends Alaska wild salmon, and organic eggs.

• Use olive oil whenever you can for extra heart protection.

• Consume foods that are high in monounsaturated fats. Enjoy these healthy, brain-boosting fats in avocados, peanuts, walnuts, almonds, pecans, mackerel, salmon, and herring.

Omega-3 fatty acids are important for brain development and are associated with lower risk of depression and better mood and the expression of emotion and concentration. ALA, another type of omega-3 is found in plants like flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil and soy. Some easy foods to help you get more omega-3 fats are Wild Salmon, Chunk Light Tuna and Walnuts.

Healthy Carbohydrates Fueling the brain with breakfast is important for thinking, acting and learning. Children who are undernourished perform poorly on cognitive tasks. Research shows that fueling your kids with slower-burning carbohydrates like oatmeal, instead of breakfast foods like sugary cereals helps them maintain their concentration and attention throughout the morning. Eat healthy carbohydrates to fuel your brain such as oats or oatmeal, bran cereals, and whole wheat bagels.

Iron-Rich Foods Being even mildly iron-deficient affects learning, memory and attention. About 10 percent of young women are anemic because of their monthly loss of iron-rich blood. Restoring iron levels to normal also restores cognitive function. Good sources of iron are beans, dark leafy greens, poultry, fish, and soy.

Water and Water-Filled Foods Stay hydrated. Daily water needs for adults range from about 13 cups for men to about 9 cups for women (pregnant women and nursing mothers need slightly more), accounting for an additional 2 1/2 cups of fluids from foods. Daily water needs for kids range by age: kids 1-3 years need 44 ounces a day, 4-8 years need about 57 ounces, boys 9-13 years need 81 ounces, girls 9-13 years need 71 ounces, boys 14-18 need 111 ounces and girls 14-18 need 77 ounces of fluid a day. In addition to offering water with meals, remember that about 20 percent of our fluid intake comes from foods like cucumbers, watermelon, strawberries and salad greens.

Women who eat fatty fish, such as salmon, during their third trimester of pregnancy have babies who tend to perform better on cognitive tasks. Researchers think the omega-3 fatty acid DHA is needed during this time to build neurons and their connections. Salmon and other fatty fish, DHA-fortified eggs and yogurt are recommended.

Add Iron. By 5 or 6 months, babies have used up the iron stores they’re born with and need to get iron from food or supplements to support brain development.

Give them iron-fortified cereals.

Morning fuel. School-aged children should start their day with low glycemic index breakfast foods such as bran cereals, oatmeal or whole-wheat bagels.

Got iron? 10 percent of women are anemic, and new studies show that being even mildly iron-deficient affects learning, memory, and attention. Luckily, restoring iron levels to normal also restores cognitive function. Eat dark leafy greens, beans, meat or soy. Your red blood cells must have iron in order to take oxygen from the air and carry oxygen to the cells in your body so they can stay alive!

Eat your antioxidants. People who eat more brightly colored fruits and leafy vegetables have less cognitive decline than those who don’t; antioxidants in produce may mop up free radicals and protect neurons from damage. Eat berries and other fruits, greens and turmeric which contains curcumin.

Expand your Brain Power

Challenging your peripheral vision improves brain performance and helps you navigate the world safely.

Developing better habits of careful listening helps your ability to understand, think and remember. Reconstructing a song requires close attention and an active memory. When you focus you release brain chemicals like the neurotransmitter acetylcholine that enable plasticity and vivifies memory.

Playing an instrument helps you exercise many interrelated dimensions of brain function, including listening, control of refined movements and translation of written notes (sight) to music (movement and sound). Heavy crossword players show the same rate of cognitive decline as people who do few crossword puzzles.

You can't get rid of radio static by turning up the volume. Many people raise the volume because their listening has become "detuned". Matching TV volume to a conversational level can help you catch every word when talking with others.

Practice throwing and catching a ball up in the air. People who master these kinds of sensory-guided movement activities can hone their brains' visual, tactile and hand-eye coordination responses, with widespread positive impacts for the brain. This type of activity has been shown in MRI studies to thicken parts of the brain's cortex.

If you're right-handed, use your left hand for daily activities (or vice-versa) like brushing your teeth and eating. Doing such activities can drive your brain to make positive changes. Think of millions of neurons learning new tricks as you finally establish better control of that other hand!

Walking on bumpy surfaces, such as cobblestones, improves the vestibular system of the inner ear, which plays a central role in balance and equilibrium. Cobblestone walking challenges the vestibular system in ways that improve its function, which translates into better balance which is the key to preventing serious injuries.

Mentally rotating the shape of each piece of a puzzle in your head helps brain fitness.

Pay attention to the physical world around you. Notice things and make an active effort to find new details in a familiar situation.

When you stop learning, your brain stops growing

Habits That Could Lower Alzheimer's Risk

    Daily Chores And Exercise    Simple activities like cooking, cleaning, washing the dishes and exercise is associated with a decreased Alzheimer's disease risk, even among people who are age 80 and older. Researchers found that people who were the least active each day were two times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease.

   Being bilingual could strengthen your brainpower and protect against dementia, according to a recent study published in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences.

Consume Curcumin - Research in flies suggests that the main compound in turmeric, called curcumin, could have powers against Alzheimer's. Curcumin may work by reducing the amount of oligomers, which are the "precursor" forms of amyloid plaques in the brain.

   Life-long reading and game playing could decrease beta amyloid levels in the brain, which are considered a hallmark of alzheimers. Staying cognitively active over the lifetime may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's by preventing the accumulation of Alzheimer's-related pathology.

  Walk! Elderly people who walk six to nine miles a week could decrease their risk of dementia and brain functioning problems. People age 65 and older who regularly exercise have a decreased risk of vascular dementia.

Eat Your Fish And Nuts     Eating a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish, nuts and chicken, is linked with lower levels of beta-amyloid protein, which is linked with Alzheimer's disease.

Drink Green Tea   That refreshing green brew could have powers against Alzheimer's disease, according to research from Newcastle University. When green tea is digested, the released compounds have protective effects against Alzheimer's.