Nutrition for Brain Health
What you eat plays a critical role in how your brain functions. Proper nutrients may improve mood and memory and even slow brain aging. Maintaining good brain health may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
These nutrients can help improve your brain health:
- Omega-3’s sharpen memory and improve mood
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- Try incorporating more fish (like salmon or tuna) and less red meat
- Walnuts
- Tofu
- Antioxidants slow brain aging
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- Fresh, frozen, or canned spinach, kale, broccoli, and other leafy greens
- Fresh or frozen blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries
- Dark chocolate
- Turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger
- Black or green teas
- B Vitamins reduce inflammation of the brain and improve memory
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- Whole grains like oats, quinoa, barley, brown rice, and corn
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Physical and Mental fitness for Brain Health
Keeping your mind and body fit can also keep your brain in shape! Physical exercise improves blood flow and memory, boosts your mood, improves your sleep, and keeps your brain healthy. Mental fitness activities can strengthen cellular connections and form new ones.
- Aerobic exercise, flexibility, and strength training can create new brain cell growth, give you energy, boost brain power, enhance concentration, and increase decision-making skills
- Learning new skills, trying new activities or hobbies, and continuing to learn are ways to work on mental fitness
Information sourced from the Cleveland Clinic: https://healthybrains.org/pillars/