Memory loss conditions like Dementia and Alzheimer’s are found in 11.3% of adults aged 65 and older. These cognitive disabilities become more acute with age, so you can always work towards a lifestyle that will mitigate the incidence of memory loss.
So if you’re wondering how to prevent dementia naturally, you have come to the right destination. Just how you take care of your diet for a healthy heart, you can always eat your way towards a healthy brain! Here is a list of the top 8 foods to keep your brain healthy for a long time to come and keep dementia at bay.
1. Leafy Greens
Certain vegetables like leafy greens actually help improve cognition. This is often cited to the high levels of antioxidants, vitamin K and Folate found in these foods. If you want to boost brain health, add at least one serving of kale, collard, and spinach to your diet plan every day as the most effective foods to prevent dementia.
If you’re wondering what difference it makes, take this! Research shows that a person consuming two servings of leafy greens every day for over 5 years will have the cognitive abilities of a person 11 years younger. This way, you can delay, if not eradicate, the risk of memory loss.
2. Berries Are Foods to Keep Your Brain Healthy
Now, this is an easy one! After all, who doesn’t like berries? If you are looking for foods to keep your brain healthy, try out a mix of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and cherries. All these berries contain a flavonoid called anthocyanin, which halts the advancement of brain damage caused by free radicals. Therefore, this is also heralded as the best food for brain recovery.
According to a study, women who consumed berries twice a week had a healthier brain as compared to women who ate berries less than once every month.
3. Nuts
Here’s your chance to go nuts with an assortment of nuts! Research claims with complete confidence that nuts like pecans, almonds, peanuts and cashews contain many B vitamins and healthy fats that promote sound brain health and are thus among the top foods for dementia patients.
We would especially recommend Brazilian nuts and English walnuts as they contain high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals respectively to retain optimal brain health for aging adults.
4. Dark Chocolate
Lo and behold, chocolate has now been approved in the list for foods to keep your brain healthy! Dark chocolate is said to protect your brain from inflammation and stress that is linked to neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, a precursor to Dementia.
Dark chocolate has flavonoids that accumulate in the areas of the brain that are associated with learning and memory. This would help sharpen mental health and mitigate the risk of cognitive degeneration.
5. Fish
People who experience dementia often display low levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). This is a type of Omega-3 fatty acid that helps protect the brain against memory loss conditions. Fish is also abundant in Vitamin B-12, which, once again, helps improve overall brain health.
Types of fish rich in these nutrients include tuna, salmon, sardines, herring, and mackerel. Moreover, certain levels of dementia may be reversed with the intake of Vitamin B-12, so fish is also often touted as one of the best foods for dementia patients.
6. Eggs
Eggs aren’t only a great breakfast staple but also help brain health. If you are at genetic risk of dementia, you should inculcate different types of egg meals in your diet. This is because eggs are a great source of nutrients that are all tied to optimal brain health.
Eggs contain Vitamin B6 and B12, folate, and choline. Folate sharpens memory, and choline helps create acetylcholine that also regulates memory and mental functioning. To add to that, B vitamins in eggs also lower levels of homocysteine that are linked to dementia.
7. Spices Are Also Good Foods to Keep Your Brain Healthy
Spices like cumin and sage are among the top foods to keep your brain healthy. The good news is, a lot of meals already contain these spices to boost mental function. This is because these spices reduce inflammation that could lead to cognitive impairment.
Now that you know the important role of this food, add some spice to your life! Fill your racks with a variety of spices to brighten up your life and meals.
8. Apples
An apple a day keeps dementia at bay! Yes, apples not only taste great but also reduce the risk of diseases like dementia. Apples are an abundant source of quercetin, an antioxidant plant chemical that helps protect brain cells from free radicals.
Free radicals nibble away the outermost lining of delicate neurons resulting in cognitive decline. Next time you eat an apple, make sure you keep the skin on as that contains the maximum amount of quercetin.
Brain Foods for Every Mood
We have listed down the top foods to keep your brain healthy that will suit every mood and palate. These foods are rich in nutrients that maintain optimum brain health and help avoid cognitive disabilities like dementia. Include these delicious foods in your diet plan if you want to master how to prevent dementia naturally!
We Are Here To Help
At Sycamore Creek Ranch Memory Care we are here to help. We want families to make the best decision for their situation
Furthermore, the staff at Sycamore Creek Ranch is proactive. That means we are not waiting for a problem to arise. Instead, we are actively engaged with each and every resident. And with only 16 residents we can do that!
If you are looking for Memory Care in The Woodlands or Memory Care in Spring, Texas come for a tour at Sycamore Creek Ranch! See how we can help.