RealAge Tip
http://www.realage.com/anti-aging/how-to-sharpen-your-memory-and-prevent-alzheimers-with-food-and-vitamins
Fond of your memory? Treasure your brain? Don't want to lose them to Alzheimer's?
If you didn't hear this the first 99 times, we hope the hundredth time will do it.
Here's how to nurture your mind and keep those memories:
1) Take 900 milligrams of DHA omega-3s a day.
Why so much emphasis on these good fats?
Your brain is 60% fat -- and half of that is DHA, which keeps your brain cells flexible, fluid, and communicating well.
DHA also fights memory loss.
Your body can't make DHA, so you have to get it from food and supplements.
We get our DHA from algae-based capsules -- not fish oil -- to limit concerns about toxins in fish.
Find out how DHA can keep your memory sharp and make your brain 3 years younger.
http://www.realage.com/blogs/doctor-oz-roizen/the-pill-that-keeps-your-brain-young?
The Pill That Keeps Your Brain Young
You know the feeling . . . the missing wallets, stray cell
phones, and forgotten song lyrics that can make life after 40 feel like a
never-ending episode of Lost.
Now research suggests that you may be able to
squelch these memory slips by getting more of our favorite good fat, the
omega-3 with this tongue-twister of a name: docosahexaenoic acid.
That's why we
call it DHA.
In an impressive study of people over 55 with mild memory
decline, those who got 900 milligrams (mg) of DHA (the powerful omega-3 that
wild salmon is famous for) every day for 6 months saw their brains become 3
years younger.
The volunteers who took DHA did much better on memory and
learning tests than the people who took fake pills (their brains just kept on
aging).
Based on this study, we YOU Docs now recommend 900 mg of DHA
daily.
You can get yours by eating four to five 4-ounce servings of salmon a
week or taking supplements or doing a combo. Read labels carefully on fish oil
capsules for their DHA content.
You may need as much as 9 grams of fish oil to
get 900 mg of DHA! There's more DHA in algae-based omega-3 formulas: 200-500 mg
per capsule.
Algae-based DHA costs about $1 for your daily dose, but we
think it’s worth it (we take it).
An important brain-cell component, DHA helps
neurons communicate with one another.
The more they talk, the better your
memory -- and the younger your brain.
Eat plenty of foods rich in DHA.
Opt for fresh or canned salmon, canned tuna, trout, sardines, walnuts, avocadoes, canola oil, and flaxseeds.
Along with olive oil, these memory protectors are the only fats you should even think about eating.
2)
Eat oodles of fruits and vegetables, their nutrients are vital brain food.
3)
Learn how exercise also acts as Miracle-Gro for memory.
http://www.realage.com/blogs/doctor-oz-roizen/how-to-increase-memory-and-think-better-just-do-this?
4)
Take 1,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D3 a day; 1,200 IU after age 60.
Vitamin D3 helps blood flow to your brain, among many other benefits.
Check your intake of vitamin B12, too.
Here's why.
http://www.realage.com/blogs/doctor-oz-roizen/how-to-stop-your-brain-from-shrinking?
How to Stop Your Brain from Shrinking
When it comes to your brain, size does matter a little bit.
Many people's brains tend to shrivel as they age. The trouble: Brain shrinkage
is often seen in people with Alzheimer's disease.
So it makes sense that whatever you can do to prevent the
withering might also help keep you away from the long goodbye. And,
fortunately, getting enough vitamin B12 might be one of those things.
In a 5-year study, people in their 60s and beyond who were low
-- but not deficient -- in B12 were three to six times more likely to have
brain atrophy than people on the higher end of the normal B12 range.
Even
worse: 85% of us come up short in getting the necessary B12 from our diets.
And
it's harder as you get older:
To absorb B12 from food, you need a substance
from your stomach called intrinsic factor, and its production decreases with
age.
You can try getting enough (we recommend 25 micrograms) by
eating B12-rich foods, including eggs, trout, canned salmon, and fortified
cereals.
That's not always so easy, so consider a supplement -- especially if
you're a strict vegetarian, since this vitamin is most easily found in animal
foods.
This vitamin isn't your only strategy: Similar data support
getting 1000 international units of vitamin D3 and 600 milligrams of DHA a day
to help protect your brain function. So it's smart -- and delicious -- to do
what you can to stop brain changes early.
5)
Season foods with turmeric.
Most yellow mustard has turmeric.
A daily teaspoon helps clear cellular waste from your brain.
Here's how Dr. Mike gets his daily dose of turmeric.
http://www.realage.com/blogs/doctor-oz-roizen/why-dr-mike-carries-mustard-in-his-pocket?
Why Dr. Mike Carries Mustard in His Pocket
Two BlackBerrys. A computer. And a packet of mustard. Dr.
Mike carries these with him nearly everywhere. The digital devices speak for
themselves. The mustard? It's a huge health advantage in a tiny golden packet.
The yellow mustard he carries contains turmeric (look on the
label; not all mustards have it), a spice called "queen of the
kitchen" by Indian cooks.
Turmeric not only gives its deep yellow color
and spicy flavor to sandwich mustard; it's also an essential seasoning in
Indian curries.
And it may soon become an essential ingredient in health care.
For centuries, country doctors in India
relied on the spice to treat arthritis, liver disorders, inflammation, body
aches, and more. (Even today, reportedly there's an adhesive bandage on the
Indian market that contains turmeric.)
Now, new research hints that these
historical uses may have been on the right track. Curcumin, a compound in
turmeric, shows promise against cystic fibrosis, colon cancer, arthritis,
Alzheimer's . . . even the discomfort of post workout muscle soreness.
So far,
it's been building up an impressive medical resume: antioxidant,
anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer agent,
although some of these need to go through more testing.
But there's no need to wait to unlock certain benefits, says
Dr. Mike, who takes about 17 milligrams a day in a teaspoon of mustard.
Turmeric activates the genes that clear nerve-cell waste.
When you don't clear
that brain poop (as Dr. Mike calls it), you develop inflammation that destroys
brain cells.
So Mike believes turmeric-laced mustard decreases his risk of
memory dysfunction as he gets older. It's delicious insurance.
Why are we beating this drum again?
Impressive new research just reinforced their importance -- especially of fruits, vegetables, and DHA -- as a secret sauce against the brain shrinkage seen in Alzheimer's disease.
The study didn't just do the usual memory tests. It tracked foods, nutrients, and scanned brain sizes.
Bigger brain, better memory.
While you're eating more of those memory-boosting foods, be sure to avoid unhealthy ones that take a toll on your brain.
Items with saturated and trans fats, or added sugars or syrups are criminals.
They steal your memories, among other bad things.
Boost your memory with these recipes from EatingWell:
Grilled Salmon with Mustard and Herbs http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/grilled_salmon_with_mustard_herbs.html
Stuffed Avocados
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/stuffed_avocados.html
Tandoori Tofu
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/tandoori_tofu.html
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