Foods to Improve Memory
Age related memory loss, including Alzheimer’s and Dementia are frequently concerns with aging. The good news is our dietary choices can decrease your risk of cognitive decline as you age. Specifically, a diet called the Mind Diet can have beneficial effects on cognitive decline. The MIND diet includes components of both The Mediterranean Diet and The Dash Diet. The diet is based on a study done by The Rush Memory and Aging Project The study followed 900 men and women ages 58 to 98 for an average of four and a half years, assessing their diets with detailed food questionnaires and testing their cognitive function annually. When following the MIND diet very closely, including limiting less-nutritious foods like red meat, processed sweets, and fried foods, the people in the study reduced Alzheimer’s and dementia risk by 53%, and by 35% in those who followed the diet reasonably well. One 2015 study published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia found that the MIND diet can turn back the time on your cognitive age by seven and a half years The diet is flexible, and focuses more on foods that you should eat more of vs foods to limit.
Guidelines of the diet
Eat at least 1 cup green leafy vegetables at least six times a week include spinach, kale, cooked greens, and other salad green
At least ½ cup of other low-carb vegetables at least once a day. Eat ¼ cup nuts at least five times a week.
Consume ½ cup of beans at least 3 times a week
Eat at least three servings of whole grains every day.((oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, whole-wheat)
Eat poultry at least twice a week – 3 oz portion
Have 1 cup of berries at least twice a week.
Eat fish at least once a week-select a fattier fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, trout, and mackerel) – good source of Omega-3 fatty acids
Cook mainly with olive oil
Foods to Limit
Limit pastries or sweets to five times a week.
Less than four servings of red meat each week. (6 oz serving)
Limit butter and margarine to less than a tablespoon per day.
Limit fried or fast food, as well as any cheese serving, to less than once a week.
The MIND diet helps to reduce inflammation in the body. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury and infection. But if it’s not properly regulated, inflammation can also be harmful and contribute to chronic disease. The MIND Diet is high in antioxidants which help reduce inflammation. Particularly the leafy greens, olive oil, berries and nuts benefit brain function by protecting the brain. Omega3 fatty acids are well-known for their anti-inflammatory effects in the brain and have been associated with slower loss of brain function. Blueberries are one of the more potent foods in terms of protecting the brain, and strawberries have also performed well in past studies of the effect of food on cognitive function. Blueberries contain a specific type of antioxidant called anthocyanins. Research has shown that frozen blueberries retain most of their anthocyanin content, however cooking blueberries does damage their antioxidants.
Physical activity is another way to improve the performance of different cognitive tasks. Processing speed, selective attention, and short and long-term memory are positively effected. These are related to increased regional blood flow and energy supply, increased neurotransmitter activity, adaptations in brain structures, and synaptic plasticity. The recommended amount of physical exercise to see a benefit is moderate intensity for 45–60 min 3 times a week, for more than 6 months. Both aerobic exercise and resistance exercise can improve cognitive function and decrease memory loss with aging
