My mom always told me to eat my fruits and vegetables. New research says once again, Mom knows best!
The phytonutrients that some fruits and vegetables contain are called flavanols. Consumed regularly and in the right quantities new research says this may preserve memory and cognition.
In a recent
Dr. Thomas Holland, MD, MS at the Rush Institute for Aging at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, said “It is never too early, or too late, to start making healthy lifestyle changes, especially when it comes to diet.”
Holland added that a diet diverse in fruits and vegetables is critical for both cognitive and physical functioning. He also said, ”What we eat matters.” Especially for brain health.
Research has indicated that the brain cells become damaged from oxidation or inflammation and may cause mental decline. Flavanols are anti-oxidants or anti-inflammatories that can help reduce the inflammation in the the body’s cells including the brain cells.
A seven year study followed participants who consumed between 5mg and 15mg per day of flavanols. The participants who consumed the highest amount of flavanols daily had a 31% slower rate of cognitive decline.
You might be wondering, what’s a flavanol rich food? Onions, kale, lettuce, tomatoes, apples, grapes, and berries as well as tea and wine are all rich in flavanols.
Another respected expert, Uma Naidoo, the director of nutritional and metabolic psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital said, “It’s exciting to see evidence that something as simple and empowering as encouraging individuals to enjoy more fruits and vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, and apples, which are rich in various flavanols, and green/black teas, can stave off cognitive decline.”
She also suggested a diet rich in flavanols adds, “powerful antioxidant compounds that reduce inflammation in the brain, as well as B vitamins which support energy and neurotransmitter production, and fiber, which nourishes the gut.”
In my talks on Hearing Loss and Dementia I suggest we be ambitious about eating healthy foods as one of the 12 modifiable risk factors for addressing cognition and memory decline. I also suggest that most Americans do not or cannot consume the many daily cups of fruits and vegetables required. So adding a high quality nutritional supplements to our diet is recommended.
Eating properly, exercising, engaging our brains in mental activities on a regular ongoing basis, all may help prevent dementia or mental decline.
For a FREE report from the Lancet Commission, click here. Additionally, click on this link for some great high quality supplements with flavanols that I recommend. If you would like to schedule a free half-hour consult with me about your health, contact me at drnorm@gmail.com or my website http://drnormsconnections.com