From the many studies in recent years that have linked diet to cognitive function, scientists are slowly putting together a list of foods that seem to have particular influence on the health of the brain.
Studies have shown improvements in memory, IQ, concentration and mood; others have shown a reduced risk of cognitive decline, dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Remember to eat these foods and you'll be more likely to remember everything else.
Antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables:
blueberries
strawberries
blackberries
red peppers
oranges
apples
spinach
Foods dense in vitamin E:
nuts
soybean oil (found in many bottled salad dressings)
canola oil
wheat germ
Whole grains:
whole oats
barley
Foods rich in folic acid:
leafy green vegetables
citrus fruits
dried beans
Foods rich in omega-3s:
fish
flaxseed
purslane
One-Two Punch for Alzheimer's
A recent study of 4,740 elderly people linked the combination of vitamin C and E supplements with a 60 percent reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease. The benefits appeared in people who were taking daily supplements containing about 400 IU of vitamin E and 500 mg of vitamin C.
Why would these two work only in combination? Epidemiologist Peter Zandi at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health says that fat-soluble vitamin E "stays around in the body for a relatively long time," while water-soluble vitamin C is rapidly excreted. Zandi speculates that "vitamin C may serve primarily to recharge the antioxidant capacities of the vitamin E that is in the body."
Arch. of Neur., Jan. 2004
www.food.yahoo.com
1 comment:
Blueberries are actually one of the most health things to eat. To bad that they are so expensive.
Post a Comment