25 Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet to Keep Your Brain Young
The bad news is that your risk of dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) and other cognitive problems increases as you get older. The Cleveland Clinic notes that you have about a 5 percent chance of experiencing dementia when you’re sixty-five, and the risk doubles every five years after that. The good news is that research shows you can do a lot to keep your brain healthy and young—including eating an anti-inflammatory diet. Inflammation is a factor in many chronic diseases, including dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other neurodegenerative conditions. It also plays a role in age-related cognitive decline, stroke, and Parkinson’s disease.
One of the most effective ways to fight inflammation is through diet. Dining on foods rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, and whole grains, and avoiding foods that trigger inflammation, such as saturated and trans fats and refined carbs, help keep your brain in top shape. This way of eating, as exemplified in the Mediterranean diet, for example (
13), has been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. Another benefit: It can help you stay at a healthy weight. A 2009 study in the Archives of Neurology found that being obese in midlife increases the risk of developing dementia, possibly by double, according to some estimates. Another study in the journal Neurology confirmed that carrying more belly fat in middle age—a danger of declining midlife metabolism—also raises the risk of dementia down the road. If your BMI is over 30, try the tips in part II to lose weight and protect your brain.
Pile Produce on Your Plate for a Younger Brain
Fruits and vegetables are fantastic sources of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other anti-inflammatory compounds called phytonutrients that help keep your brain young. Antioxidants fight free radicals that damage cells and trigger inflammation. Vitamins such as folate, found in broccoli, lentils and beans, spinach, and asparagus, help keep brain synapses firing correctly. And the thousands of phytonutrients in plant foods exert all kinds of beneficial brain effects, including mopping up free radicals. Color is one indication of which phytonutrients a plant contains, so eating a variety of brightly colored fruits and vegetables is the best way to ensure you get broad-spectrum protection against oxidative stress. Aim for five to nine servings a day.
Feast on Healthy Fats to Keep Your Brain in Top Shape
Omega-3s create hormones that dampen inflammation throughout your body—including your brain. They also thin your blood slightly, making it easier for your brain to get the oxygen-rich blood it needs to function optimally. A 2010 review of studies in Current Alzheimer Research noted that a higher intake of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), one type of omega-3, is associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Other research shows that a DHA deficit is linked to cognitive decline. Fatty, cold-water fish like wild salmon, lake trout, albacore tuna, herring, anchovies, and sardines are the best sources. Grass-fed beef, fortified foods (like eggs), walnuts, ground flaxseed, and soy foods like tofu contain omega-3s as well. And broccoli, cabbage, and other leafy greens supply small amounts. Choose wild-caught fish to reduce contaminants like mercury and PCBs that can harm brain health. The Monterey Bay Aquarium (montereybayaquarium.org) offers “Seafood Watch” guides for different parts of the United States, available online, that help you buy the best fish while protecting your health and the health of marine life. Experts recommend eating two servings of fatty fish or multiple servings of other omega-3-rich foods per week to benefit your brain.
Eat More Whole Grains to Slow Brain Aging
Whole grains contain fiber, which can scrub damaging plaques from your brain arteries. They also boast antioxidants and nutrients, like thiamin, that calm inflammation. Refined carbohydrates and sweets, on the other hand, spike your blood sugar and trigger inflammation. High blood sugar (anything over 100 mg/dL, the cutoff point for prediabetes) increases your risk of stroke. And research shows that excess insulin—produced in response to high blood sugar—accelerates brain aging and increases risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. To keep your blood sugar steady, eat three servings of whole grains per day (half of your total grain intake). Your best bet is to eat actual whole grains, rather than whole-grain flours and products, which have been processed to remove some of the beneficial parts of the grain. Barley, oats (especially steel-cut), quinoa, millet, wheat berries, and brown rice are all good choices.
