Search Weight Loss Topics: |
For better brain function, have a healthy diet starting young. But don’t worry, it’s never too late to start. – Yahoo Life
![](https://www.dgw.tv/wp-content/themes/elegant-brit-b/images/caticon.gif)
![](https://www.dgw.tv/wp-content/themes/elegant-brit-b/images/comicon.gif)
Heres some food for thought: How you eat is linked to better brain function. New research finds that people who eat healthily throughout their lives are mentally sharper than their peers, starting at age 4 through their 60s. Of the studys subjects, those with the poorest diets remained consistently in the lowest ranks for cognitive function.
The findings
Researchers followed 3,000 people in the United Kingdom for over 70 years. Participants submitted food diaries and took cognitive tests several times over the course of the study. Scientists then compared their dining habits to the United States Department of Agriculture Healthy Eating Index.
Studies like this arent necessarily designed to prove that eating well causes cognitive function to be better, but the link was clear. Forty-eight percent of those who ate high-quality diets rich in fruits and vegetables and low in ultra-processed foods and red meat and whose nutrition tended to improve over time were on the highest cognitive trajectory. That means their mental clarity was better than most of their peers, and stayed that way or improved over time. Conversely, 47% of those with the lowest quality diets were on the lowest cognitive trajectory, seeing mental sharpness decline over time, compared to their peers.
Its never too late to eat healthy
There are two key takeaways, Kelly Cara, lead author of the study and a PhD candidate in the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy program, tells Yahoo Life.
Eating healthily in adolescence seemed to set people on a course for a life of high cognitive function.
Youre not doomed if you dont have a high-quality diet from childhood, she says. Peoples eating patterns before age 50 showed up as a risk factor for how mentally sharp they would stay with age. That suggests that middle age is a good window of opportunity to make some positive dietary changes, says Cara. This is likely due to neuroplasticity, says Dr. Uma Naidoo, director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. If we try to tweak our current less-healthy diets toward eating more brain healthy foods that support cognitive health, reduce neuroinflammation and help neurotrophic factors, [then] we are very likely to fend off cognitive decline by lowering neuroinflammation in the brain.
Brain food diet
Caras study didnt look at specific foods, but the results offer insights into the dos and donts for eating with your mind in mind. People whose eating habits scored highly on the Healthy Eating Index tended to have consistently better cognitive function. For this reason, Cara suggests using the recommendations laid out in the U.S. Dietary Guidelines and MyPlate.gov, a free educational tool designed to help you learn to eat a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean or plant-based proteins.
When making changes, Cara advises adding healthy foods rather than taking what we think of as unhealthy foods away, she says. For example, rather than no longer eating your favorite breakfast foods, you could add a serving of blueberries which are packed with antioxidants, making them especially good for maintaining brain health to your morning plate. Naidoo advises upping your intake of similarly antioxidant-rich snacks, as well as other brain healthy foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients that help to reduce inflammation and promote good cerebral blood flow, including:
Green tea
Leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and broccoli.
Wild-caught fatty fish, including salmon, sardines and anchovies
Strawberries, blackberries and blueberries
Olive oil
Avocado
Nuts and seeds
Eggs
Dark chocolate
Spices like turmeric that contain curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits for the brain
However, there are some specific types of food that both Cara and Naidoo say you should limit your consumption of to keep them from wreaking inflammatory havoc on your brain, including:
Refined carbohydrates from foods like packaged bread and pastries
Trans fats from processed items such as margarine and fast food
Ultra-processed foods including store-bought chips and cookies
Artificial sweeteners
Alcohol
Fried foods
High sodium foods
See the original post here:
For better brain function, have a healthy diet starting young. But don't worry, it's never too late to start. - Yahoo Life
- Flat Abs Pilates Routine - Diet.com Video [Last Updated On: June 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 10th, 2011]
- Diet Coke+Mentos=Human experiment: EXTREME GRAPHIC CONTENT [Last Updated On: June 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 10th, 2011]
- Diet Recipe - Go Banana's! [Last Updated On: June 11th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 11th, 2011]
- 5 Diet and Nutrition tips [Last Updated On: June 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 12th, 2011]
- Diet [Last Updated On: June 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 13th, 2011]
- Diet Tips: Why You're Not Going To Lose Weight [Last Updated On: June 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 13th, 2011]
- Diet Coke + Mentos [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2011]
- How to stay on a diet - Tips on how to diet and lose weight [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2011]
- My Diet Plan: What To Eat To Lose Weight [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2011]
- The Hottie Body Jim-Miracle Diet [Last Updated On: June 15th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 15th, 2011]
- Japan vs. USA Diet, Why Japanesse Men and Women Live So Long, Nutrition by Natalie [Last Updated On: June 15th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 15th, 2011]
- Oblique Pilates Routine - Diet.com Video [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2011]
- How diet soda causes weight gain [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2011]
- Cardio Pilates Exercises [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2011]
- "The Digital Diet" by Daniel Sieberg [Last Updated On: June 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 18th, 2011]
- Dukan Diet Latest Trend in Weight Loss [Last Updated On: June 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 19th, 2011]
- The Talk - 'The CarbLovers Diet' Desserts Demo [Last Updated On: June 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 19th, 2011]
- Successful Diet Tips [Last Updated On: June 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 20th, 2011]
- Diet Soda Health Dangers [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2011]
- The Diet Solution Program Review [Last Updated On: June 22nd, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 22nd, 2011]
- Rihanna's Simple Fitness Plan (Diet [Last Updated On: June 22nd, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 22nd, 2011]
- New Diet Key: Love Yourself [Last Updated On: June 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 24th, 2011]
- Radical diet reverse effects of disease [Last Updated On: June 26th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 26th, 2011]
- Is diet soda addictive? [Last Updated On: June 28th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 28th, 2011]
- Diet.com YouTube Weight Loss Challenge Winner [Last Updated On: June 29th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 29th, 2011]
- 17-Day Diet Results Surprises Web (04.07.11) [Last Updated On: July 3rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 3rd, 2011]
- Health [Last Updated On: July 4th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 4th, 2011]
- UFC 131: Shane Carwin Discusses Leaner Diet, Plan of Attack Against Junior dos Santos [Last Updated On: July 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 5th, 2011]
- My Diet [Last Updated On: July 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 10th, 2011]
- How to Start a Raw Food Diet [Last Updated On: July 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 10th, 2011]
- The Truth about Diet and Weight Loss [Last Updated On: July 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 13th, 2011]
- Questions About My Diet And Exercise [Last Updated On: July 14th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 14th, 2011]
- Update On My Diet [Last Updated On: July 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 19th, 2011]
- The Texas Pushup Challenge - Diet.com Video [Last Updated On: July 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 20th, 2011]
- REVENGE of MENTOS [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2011]
- Back on the diet [Last Updated On: July 22nd, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 22nd, 2011]
- Lana Del Rey - Diet Mtn Dew [Last Updated On: July 28th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 28th, 2011]
- Pilates For Beginners: 100s Ab Exercise [Last Updated On: July 28th, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 28th, 2011]
- Diet dictated by blood type? [Last Updated On: July 31st, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 31st, 2011]
- Peter Schiff: Rehab [Last Updated On: August 2nd, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 2nd, 2011]
- On Call: Heart Healthy Diet [Last Updated On: August 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 12th, 2011]
- Jon Fitch food blog [Last Updated On: August 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 13th, 2011]
- Ryan Kwanten's No-Gym Workout (Diet [Last Updated On: August 13th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 13th, 2011]
- Healthy [Last Updated On: August 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 17th, 2011]
- Is Fresh Food Always Better than Frozen? (Diet [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2011]
- CBS News The Feed - The insect diet: Save money and lose weight [Last Updated On: August 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 19th, 2011]
- Kim Kardashian's Diet Secrets (Diet [Last Updated On: August 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 25th, 2011]
- Vitiligo (Diet [Last Updated On: August 30th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 30th, 2011]
- Day 48 - Juicing Diet Still On Track! [Last Updated On: September 1st, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 1st, 2011]
- Miracle Beer Diet [Last Updated On: September 2nd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 2nd, 2011]
- Day 54 - Juide Diet Plan Update! [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2011]
- Car-Free Diet Street Talk Episode 6 [Last Updated On: September 9th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 9th, 2011]
- "Maggie Goes on a Diet" Author Paul Kramer Defends Controversial Teen Dieting Book [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2011]
- Lolligagging + starting a diet [Last Updated On: September 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 18th, 2011]
- Perfect Skin Foods (Diet [Last Updated On: September 21st, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 21st, 2011]
- HCG Diet Weight Loss Success Stories on National TV by Dr. Oz [Last Updated On: September 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 24th, 2011]
- Shape Ups Fitness Shoes (Diet [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- MythBusters - Diet Coke [Last Updated On: September 26th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 26th, 2011]
- Pregnancy Diet - For Mom [Last Updated On: September 26th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 26th, 2011]
- Diet Coke + Mentos = ...What really Happened? [Last Updated On: September 26th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 26th, 2011]
- My Raw Food Diet Starts Today [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2011]
- Henry VIII's diet [Last Updated On: October 3rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 3rd, 2011]
- Kate Middleton's Extreme Diet [Last Updated On: October 3rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 3rd, 2011]
- DIET RECIPE - Healthy Tuna Salad Recipe [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2011]
- Diet Health FAQ: Food Cravings, Motivation, My Routines, Groceries etc [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2011]
- Your Healthy Skin Diet (Beauty [Last Updated On: October 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 5th, 2011]
- World's Heaviest Mom Going On Diet [Last Updated On: October 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 5th, 2011]
- Diabetes Food. How can alkaline diet change your life [Last Updated On: October 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 5th, 2011]
- The Diet Solution Program - My Personal Review [Last Updated On: October 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 5th, 2011]
- The #1 Diet mistake to lose weight [Last Updated On: October 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 5th, 2011]
- Car-Free Diet Street Talk Episode 10 [Last Updated On: October 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 5th, 2011]
- FRANCE 24 Health - Feel-good diets [Last Updated On: October 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 6th, 2011]
- The Food Revolution - AHS 2011 [Last Updated On: October 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 6th, 2011]
- The NEW Fat Tax | Government Diet Plan [Last Updated On: October 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 6th, 2011]
- 5 Signs of a Bad Diet (Diet [Last Updated On: October 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 6th, 2011]
- The Talk - Rocco DiSpirito's Diet Tips [Last Updated On: October 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 6th, 2011]
- The Battle of the Diets: Is Anyone Winning (At Losing?) [Last Updated On: October 8th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 8th, 2011]
- Drunk Diet Office Exercises [Last Updated On: October 8th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 8th, 2011]
- Jim and Matt Talk Diet [Last Updated On: October 9th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 9th, 2011]
- 111009 Diet Survival BigsTory KARA Cut [Last Updated On: October 11th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 11th, 2011]