Surprising facts about brain health
Our brain is elastic, which means we
can continue to make brain connections
even as we age. It’s never too early to
start feeding your brain right, amp up
your brain power, and lower your risk
of dementia.
So eat all types of fruit and not just the
colourful ones.
Dr. Greenwood emphasizes that we
can’t pinpoint specific foods that deliver
brain health benefits. Rather, we need to
focus on groups of foods such as fruits
and vegetables, whole grains, and
foods that contain omega-3 fats like fish
and nuts. This type of eating pattern is
called the Mediterranean diet. But it
doesn’t mean you need to eat Italian or
Greek food.
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BRAIN BENEFITS
OF THE
MEDITERRANEAN
STYLE DIET
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Just as there isn’t one magic food for
brain health, there is no single bad
food either.
A recent Dutch study showed that “white
fruits”, such as apples and pears, were
able to lower the risk of stroke. A stroke
is like a heart attack, where blood flow
is limited, but within the brain.
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While studies suggest that eating fish
helps with brain function, fish oil
supplements don’t seem to work.
NUTRIENTS
THAT POWER
YOUR BRAIN
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There are also some studies showing
that spices are brain-friendly as they
have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
properties. The more effective spices
include black pepper, turmeric, oregano,
vanilla, parsley, basil and sage.
Bottom Line
Three powerful food strategies to boost
your brain power:
1) Go back to basics and enjoy fresh, local and
seasonal foods.
2) Focus on eating lots of fruits, vegetables,
whole grains, fish and nuts.
3) Eat socially to boost your brain function and
mental health – bring back the family dinner
as often as you can, and/or eat with friends
regularly.
Sources
Mindfull, Over 100 Delicious Recipes for Brain Health. Carol Greenwood,
Daphna Rabinovitch, Joanna Gryfe, Harper Collins, 2013.
Healthy aging for your brain. EatRight Ontario.
Stroke prevention – what you need to know. EatRight Ontario.
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