Nutrition for Your Brain

The consumption of healthy food is not only good for your body, it is also important to keep your brain sharp.

The focus in the following nutrition tips to reap the rewards of a healthy diet for the brain:

1) Vegetables: The latest news from neuroscience confirm what mom always said: Eat your vegetables! Despite all the interest in vitamins and supplements, the best advice is to eat a variety of greens, colorful, cruciferous and leafy.

A recent federal study of 13,388 nurses has continued its use for 10 years found that women who ate more cruciferous vegetables and leafy vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce and spinach green, had a lower rate of decline in a battery of tests of learning and memory. The more of these vegetables they ate, the better they performed.

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables has been promoted for their potential to help the heart and the fight against cancer, so it is not surprising that such a diet is also good for your brain. Vegetables and fruits have antioxidant and other vitamins and minerals, low in fat, and are generally low in calories.

2) Antioxidants: Of all the dietary factors are being investigated for reduce mental decline with aging , antioxidants have received the most attention. The antioxidant , which include vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene (a form of vitamin A), reduce oxidative damage to cells.

The oxidation, which can be thought of as the biological equivalent of rust, appears to contribute to aging and cognitive decline.

Human studies of antioxidant use have yielded mixed results. This is partly because our diets are usually quite varied, and it is very difficult to prove that the health benefits are the result of any dietary factor. Animal studies on the one hand, have shown consistent benefits in diets rich in antioxidants.

For example, a series of studies in beagles found an antioxidant-rich diet, preventing or slowing age-related declines in various learning tasks. The animals were fed the special diet had improved their performance on cognitive tests simple and complex.

In fact, aged dogs could not make one of the most difficult in the beginning of the study could do so after three years in the diet.

A series of studies at Tufts University has shown that animals fed with blueberry diet had improved short-term memory and balance. The ingredient that gives blueberries their color red, appears to provide them with potent antioxidant properties.

3)? Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3s are a particular type of polyunsaturated fats that are found in fatty fish. The scientific literature indicates that omega-3s are important for brain function and through life, and can help protect the brain against aging.

Fatty acids seem to work in part by counteracting the free radicals that cause oxidative damage to neurons, and some research suggests they may help improve the efficiency of signal transmission in nerve synapses.

The best sources of omega-3s are mackerel, herring, sardines, tuna, anchovies, whitefish, and cod.

4) Vitamin B: The B vitamins are of interest because of its effectiveness in lowering levels of homocysteine, a blood protein that is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's and other dementias. In particular, scientists are investigating whether folate, or folic acid may have a role in preventing Alzheimer's disease. Folate and other B vitamins are currently being evaluated in a clinical trial for people with Alzheimer 's.

5) Multivitamin Supplements: Most experts recommend that more seniors take a daily multivitamin regimen as a supplement to a healthy diet.

A common misconception is that if you take some good vitamins, drinking more may be better. This is not always the case, and some vitamins can be dangerous in high doses. A recent study found that people taking moderate to high doses of vitamin E, had increased its total mortality rates. The vitamin is an antioxidant that is being studied by the health-protective effects in a number of clinical trials.

Vitamins and natural remedies can also interact with prescription medications, lowering its effectiveness or causing harmful effects. When you visit your doctor, bring a list of medications you take, and be sure to include any supplements (vitamins) and their amounts in the list.