Apples may have a myriad of health benefits that impact the brain, including alleviating inflammation, which may contribute to cognitive decline related to aging.
Vitamin C works in conjunction with vitamin E and plays an important role in the production of brain chemicals including norepinephrine and dopamine. The brain has higher concentrations of vitamin C than any other body tissue which makes it an important vitamin for proper brain function and health.
Alzheimer’s disease begins at the synapse, the space where neurons connect. The biggest bad guy in this disease is a sticky protein called beta-amyloid. Either too much is made or not enough is cleared away, and as beta-amyloid accumulates, it creates a gooey clog in the synapse, preventing the neurons that meet there from communicating…
5. Cardiovascular Disease
Eighty percent of people with Alzheimer’s disease also have cardiovascular disease. Scientists are trying to better understand the link between heart health and Alzheimer’s disease, but we do know a few things about this relationship…
All the risk factors for heart disease (things like poor diet, lack of exercise) are also risk factors for Alzheimer’s. And this means that things like a healthy, Mediterranean diet (whole grains, red and purple fruits and vegetables, fish, nuts) and exercise may not only protect the heart, they may protect us from Alzheimer’s. In fact, in animal studies, exercise has been shown to clear beta-amyloid better than any pharmaceutical we know of.
This delicious spice not only offers potent antioxidants and antimicrobial activity, but may also provide benefits for diabetics by reducing blood glucose levels. Cinnamon also helps to stop the growth of fungi such as Candida, protects against heart disease, and provides iron, calcium, and manganese. Research suggests that the scent of cinnamon may boost brain function as well.
The give-and-take of marriage—or living with a partner—helps keep your wits sharp.
Living as a couple in midlife was linked to lower risk for cognitive impairment (unusually poor memory and mental functioning) in a Swedish study, while other research shows socializing, including getting together with friends, belonging to a club, or doing volunteer work also helps keep your brain nimble.
6. Consume Whole Foods, Not Supplements Strong evidence suggests that people who have high blood levels of certain nutrients—selenium, beta-carotene, vitamins C and E—age much better and have a slower rate of cognitive decline. Unfortunately, there’s no evidence that taking pills with these nutrients provides those anti-aging benefits.
Acuity Games iPad apps combine the
world's best-loved brain games with an innovative database of
benchmarks that track mental acuity over the course of a
lifetime. Who doesn't want to be smarter?
