Most of us want to live long, healthy lives. We don’t always want to do healthy things, but we do want to BE healthy!
Of course it isn’t all about diet – you want to be sure to take other healthy actions for your health too, like getting exercise, learning new things and stimulating your brain with puzzles and other brain games, moderation in your alcohol consumption.
To age-proof your brain as you get older, it is important to be sure you include lots of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (in balance with each other) in your diet.
Omega-3 fatty acids help metabolism, but more important to the aging process is it’s anti-inflammatory effects along with enhanced cognitive and behavioral performance. Be sure to include lots of avocados, peanuts, walnuts, almonds and pecans, olive and coconut oil, oily fish like mackerel and salmon (try to get wild-caught salmon rather than farm-raised).
Healthy oils aren’t the only dietary aid for your brain, either. Fiber is an important part of your diet, soluble fiber in particular can help to slow down sugar absorption and protect you from insulin resistance. Good sources of this type of fiber includes legumes, oatmeal (steel-cut, not instant), and apples.
[box type=”success” align=”alignleft” ]Despite their bad reputation, eggs are an excellent addition to your diet, they provide protein, zinc, vitamin D and Choline. Choline is a precursor of acetylcholine, which is involved in memory and muscle control.[/box]
Get plenty of B vitamins, especially B12 which helps protect cognitive function. All the B vitamins will assist, partially by helping to get rid of homocysteine, an amino acid that is related to heart and blood vessel disease when it gets too high (which can also have a negative effect on your brain). Try broccoli, leafy greens, citrus, bananas, poultry and fish to increase your levels of B vitamins.
Make sure your diet includes these items on a regular basis, and your brain will reap the rewards!