Top Foods for Brain Health
Posted on September 14, 2018 in Health and Wellness
At Ohio Living Breckenridge Village, we believe that successful living involves adopting a philosophy that addresses the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of all our residents. While most people consider learning an essential tool for intellectual fulfillment, providing the brain with the right nourishment is equally important. Making purposeful choices for nutrition, like these mentioned below, can help you keep your brain healthy and may even be instrumental in warding off or slowing the progress of conditions like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Add Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Cleveland Clinic reports many foods known to be high in omega-3 fatty acids offer a plethora of brain health benefits, including the following foods:
- Salmon (and other fatty fish)
- Walnuts
- Flax seeds
- Enriched eggs
- Chia seeds
- Edamame
- Coconut oil
Omega 3 acids are known as one of the healthy types of fat. Incorporating these types of fatty acids into the diet not only helps to reduce inflammation, but has been linked to preventing the onset of brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, according to Forbes.
Follow the Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean Diet is a low glycemic diet that includes broad exposure to fruits, vegetables, legumes, healthy fats, and fish. Cleveland Clinic claims that people who follow the Mediterranean Diet are 60 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who do not. Moreover, it extols the virtues of including leafy greens as regular dietary components, suggesting that eating three or more servings of these greens daily slows the mental decline associated with aging by up to 40 percent.
Eat Berries
If you have a sweet tooth, there are few things better than berries to satisfy those cravings while also feeding your brain. WebMD goes so far as to refer to blueberries as “brainberries" and recommend at least one cup of these berries daily. Huffington Post reports that a diet rich in strawberries, blueberries, and other berries results in a “slower mental decline in areas like memory and focus.” The fact that they are sweet without added sugar helps to satisfy sweet cravings without the negative side effects that added sugars, corn syrups, and other ingredients add to food.
Switch to Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Prevention extols the virtues of extra virgin olive oil as a top brain food, because it is such a prime source of polyphenols, which have been associated with slowing or even reversing the aging process. Additionally, olive oil is widely believed to help prevent disease-related memory problems, including reducing the risks of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Ohio Living Breckenridge Village practices purposeful programming designed to help all residents defy the stereotypes of aging by living their best lives at all stages. This includes presenting menu choices that promote positive brain health as well as positive physical health, in addition to educational programs, brain games, and other experiences designed to feed and exercise the brain.