How To Improve Your Brain Health

These 4 factors can help you improve your brain health, and may help prevent dementia and Alzheimer's Disease.

Research is showing that making better lifestyle choices can improve your brain health. These simple lifestyle changes can also protect your brain from the onset of Alzheimer's Disease.

The 4 lifestyle choices that greatly benefit your brain are

1. Staying physically active
2. A healthy diet
3. Exercises for your brain
4. And staying socially active.

Physical Activity and a Healthy Diet

Research by Dr. Scarmeas and his colleagues at the New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center have shown that physical activity and a healthy diet can greatly reduce your chances of developing Alzheimer's Disease.

Evidence of the research is suggesting that lifestyle changes that promote heart and vascular health also promotes brain health.

Suggestions for physical activity that promotes heart and brain health are

1. Maintaining a regular physical fitness routine
2. Perform moderate-intensity aerobic exercises for 30 minutes a day for at least 5 days a week
3. Perform weight resistance training for muscle strength at least 3 days a week, every other day.

What is a Healthy Diet?

The diet that best promotes brain and heart health is the Mediterranean type of diet. The Mediterranean type of diet is low in carbohydrates and saturated fats. It is high in

1. Dark colored fruits and vegetables like blueberries, raspberries, spinach, red cabbage and broccoli.
2. Cold water fish like salmon and sardines
3. Nuts like walnuts and pecans
4. Healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil
5. Seeds like flaxseeds and chia seeds

Exercises For Your Brain

Constantly learning new things are the best exercises for your brain. This can include

1. Learning a new language
2. Learning to play a new musical instrument
3. Frequently reading a new book
4. Crossword puzzles
5. Playing chess or checkers with different people
6. Learning new games

Just keep challenging your knowledge and brain.

Staying Socially Active

One of the things that people with healthy brains do is remaining socially active with family and friends. Keep in touch with people that you know, and find ways to make new friends. Volunteering is also a good way to stay socially active.

Join a book club or some other type of club that includes activities that you enjoy.

Make these changes in your lifestyle and drastically improve your brain's health and fitness.

Charles

References:

Rush University Medical Center: "Boost Your Brain Health"
New York-Presbyterian: "Exercise, Diet Lower Alzheimer's Risk"

Healthy Brain Foods

Learn which foods are best for your brain health.

To learn which foods are best for your brain health, Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, a UCLA professor of neurosurgery and physiological science, analyzed over 160 research studies concerning brain foods.

His conclusion focused on 3 ingredients of food that have the greatest impact on improving your brain health. They are

1. Omega-3 fatty acids
2. Folic Acid
3. And curcumin

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Research makes one thing crystal clear concerning brain health. "Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for normal brain function."

Diets deficient in omega-3 fatty acids are associated with an increase risk of developing

1. Attention deficit disorder
2. dyslexia
3. dementia
4. depression
5. bipolar disorder
6. and schizophrenia

Children are especially affected with diets deficient in omega-3 fatty acids. Studies in England and Australia showed that children with sufficient omega-3 fatty acids in their diet had higher test scores on

1. Verbal intelligence
2. Learning abilities
3. and Memory ability

The type of omega-3 fatty acid that is essential for brain health and function is DHA or docosahexaenoic acid. This type of fat most come from our food, and is found mostly in cold water fish, such as salmon and sardines.

An interesting fact is that people who live on the Japanese island of Okinawa have the world's longest lifespans. They also have a very low mental disorder rate in their population. It probably is no coincidence that they also eat a lot of fish and stay physically active all their life.

Foods that are highest in omega-3 fatty acids are

1. Flaxseed
2. Wild Salmon
3. Chia Seeds
4. Sardines
5. And Walnuts

Folic Acid

It has also been found that folate supplements are effective in preventing cognitive decline and dementia.

Foods highest in folate are

1. Calf liver
2. Lentils
3. Pinto Beans
4. Garbanzo beans
5. Spinach
6. Black Beans
7. Navy beans
8. Kidney beans
9. Collard greens
10. And Turnip greens

Curcumin - Turmeric Spice

Curcumin, which is found in the spice turmeric, is associated with reducing memory deficits in animal models of Alzheimer's Disease. Turmeric, by the way, is the spice that makes yellow mustard yellow.

In India, where there is a high curcumin consumption in their diet, there is a very low incidence of Alzheimer's Disease.

One way to increase your consumption of curcumin is Turmeric Tea.

The evidence is clear. For improved brain health and fitness, make sure that your diet has adequate amounts of omega-3 fatty acids (especially DHA), folic acid and curcumin. To give your brain an added boost in healthy habits,

1. Stay away from foods high in saturated fats
2. Get adequate amounts of sleep
3. And stay physically and socially active

Charles

References:

UCLA Newsroom: "Scientists learn how what you eat affects your brain - and those of your kids"
Linus Pauling Institute: Curcumin
Whole Foods: Folate
Self Nutrition Data: Foods Highest in Total Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Healthy Benefits of Chia Seeds

If you are looking for a food with the equivalent health benefits of flax seeds but doesn't require grinding, Chia Seeds are your salvation.


What Are Chia Seeds?

Chia seeds come from a desert plant that grows in Southern Mexico called Salvia hispanica.

Both the Aztecs and Mayans regularly consumed these seeds due to their ability to sustain energy and stamina over long periods of time. This is one of the reasons why these seeds were a big hit with the warriors of these tribes.

Chia Seeds Nutrition - Omega 3 Fatty Acids

These seeds have 3 times the amount of omega-3 fatty acids as omega-6 fatty acids. Compared to the same amount of flax seed, chia seeds have 77% the amount of omega-3 fatty acids.

However, you have to grind flax seeds to absorb its omega-3 fatty acids. Chia seeds do not have to be ground. You can eat them as is to absorb their full nutritional value.

Chia Seeds Nutrition - Fiber

The American Heart Association recommends that we get 25 to 30 grams per day of fiber from foods. Just one serving a day, three tablespoons, of these seeds delivers 37 to 44% of the recommended amount of fiber.

Chia Seeds Nutrition - Calcium

One servings of these seeds, or three tablespoons, gives you 177 mg of calcium, which is 14 to 18% of the daily recommended requirements, depending on your age.

Chia Seeds Nutrition - Protein

One serving or three tablespoons delivers 4.4 grams of protein, which is 9% of your daily requirements.

How To Eat Chia Seeds

1. These tasty seeds can be sprinkled on salads or cereals.
2. You can make a fruity pudding by adding 3 tablespoons of these seeds to one cup of any fruit juice of your choice. Let the mixture set for 15 to 30 minutes to form a pudding texture.
3. Add 3 tablespoons to your favorite yogurt.
4. You can grind them and add the ground seeds to your favorite muffin, cake, pancake, or any baked goods recipe.
5. Make a "Chia Fresca" by adding 3 tablespoons lemon juice to a cup of chilled water and sweeten to your preferred taste. Then add 1 teaspoon of chia seeds to the water-lemon mixture. Let the seeds soak up the water for 10 minutes, and then serve.

Eating these delicious chia seeds will add healthy omega-3 fats, calcium, protein and fiber to your diet. What a great way to enhance your health and fitness.

Charles

References:

American Heart Association - Fiber
Nutrition Data - Chia Seeds
Nutrition Data - Flax Seeds
Convert To - Chia Seeds
The Dr. Oz Show - Chia: Ancient Super-Seed Secret
Dr. Weil - What is Chia?
About.com - Chia Fresca