Ask anyone and they’ll tell you what a healthy diet consists of. There are a zillion diets out there and most people swear by their favorite. But the science of nutrition is evolving from low-fat and high carbohydrate recommendations to its opposite, a diet that’s high in healthy fats and low in carbs (especially refined carbs and sugar). A big reason for that is to keep the brain healthy.
There are good reasons to pay attention to this nutritional trend. Science backs the evidence that certain fats are good to eat for brain health. Fats are a necessary element for cellular energy, brain health, cognitive functioning, and metabolism.
Furthermore, doctors are learning that one of the best ways to reduce inflammation in the brain and in the body lies not in the medicine cabinet, but in the refrigerator. By following an anti-inflammatory diet you can fight off inflammation which leads to chronic disease and unhealthy brains.
Healthy Fats for Healthy Brains
I am not a nutritionist but a psychologist who values quick thinking, sharp memory, and clarity of mind. I’ve been researching what to eat for brain health for a new book in the series about the Senior War on Aging. As confusing as nutritional science has become, it’s my goal to simplify the key facts on what to eat for longevity and health.
For years I ate a low-fat diet, not knowing that it can be detrimental to brain health and energy. I’ve had to reverse my ideas of what makes for a healthy diet, especially for aging seniors. For example, I used to buy lean cuts of meat at the supermarket. I never realized how harmful industrialized farm processing practices were. I now buy pasture-raised organic meats with a little bit of fat.
Our Industrialized Food Supply
Common animal husbandry practices feed antibiotics to animals because it fattens them up. Those antibiotics are passed on to us, with similar weight gain. The industry also feeds cows grains and corn and food they wouldn’t normally eat.
This has enabled the producers to increase profits at the expense of the unsuspecting consumer. It leaves low-levels of antibiotic residue in our food, which disrupts the microbial flora of human gastrointestinal tracts. Anti-biotics cause weight gain, both in cows and in people.
Furthermore, our meats now have more pro-inflammatory omega-6 fats rather than omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-6 causes the inflammatory pathways to ignite. Omega-3 is anti-inflammatory.
But thanks to health-savvy consumers, there is now enough demand for organic grass-fed, pastured or free-range animals. Supermarkets are starting to stock more of these nutritional options. You can find wild-caught animals including game and cold-water fatty fish in your neighborhood Safeway or Kroger’s.
Go For an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Fruits and vegetables without pesticides are worth the extra expense. Conventionally grown crops have pesticides known to disrupt our endocrine system (hormones such as estrogen, thyroid, and neurotransmitter systems). Other industrial contaminants find their way into the soil and enter our digestive systems. Genetically modified produce is everywhere.
In the body, such toxins are handled by the inflammatory process and the immune system. With a constant barrage of chemicals, the system becomes overwhelmed, leading to auto-immune reactions. Remember, inflammation is at the root cause of many degenerative diseases of aging, including memory and cognitive losses.
Leaky Gut and Leaky Brains
Most of us have leaky guts to some degree. The intestinal walls consist of only one layer of epithelial cells lying next to each other with “tight junctions” in between cells. The gut allows nutrients and vitamins to cross the wall into the bloodstream, while the spaces in between allow water and electrolytes to pass.
What causes inflammation and contributes to Leaky Gut Syndrome? Nutrient imbalances, food additives, infections, and toxins (including chemicals from medications) all disrupt a healthy gut microbiome (needed for digestion and manufacture of vitamins and neurotransmitters). Further assaults to the gut wall come from excessive oxidative stress, excessive alcohol consumption, tissue trauma, electromagnetic radiation, and emotional stress.
To heal a leaky gut, we seniors must stop eating factory foods and stop exposure to substances and situations that are harmful. We can replace faulty eating habits with an anti-inflammatory diet to heal the intestines with better nutrition.
The Blood-Brain Barrier
The same leaks occur inside the cellular walls that protect the brain, called the blood-brain barrier. Here is an explanation of the function of the BBB, from the National Institutes of Health:
Blood vessels are critical to deliver oxygen and nutrients to all of the tissues and organs throughout the body. The blood vessels that vascularize the central nervous system (CNS) possess unique properties, termed the “blood–brain barrier,” which allow these vessels to tightly regulate the movement of ions, molecules, and cells between the blood and the brain. This also protects the neural tissue from toxins and pathogens. Alterations of the BBB properties lead to pathology and different neurological diseases.
The Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Ideally, we should strive to consume all the vitamins and mineral needs of the body through food. Anti-inflammatory diets are rich in phytonutrients, which come from plants and consists of thousands of chemicals with remarkable health-promoting properties.
Phytonutrients include carotenoids, flavonoids, and ellagic acid. Carotenoids give vegetables and fruit colors —yellow, red, and orange. We’re familiar with pumpkin and carrots. Lycopene gives tomatoes and watermelon red or pink color. Ellagic acid is found in berries such as strawberries and raspberries.
Phytonutrients have diverse capabilities, such as fighting off cancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory benefits. An anti-inflammatory diet emphasizes the consumption of a lot of green leafy vegetables, cruciferous sulfur-producing veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, and low-sugar fruits such as berries.
It’s important to include animal-sourced food for certain nutrients that cannot be derived from plants, especially
- Omega-3 fatty acids. DHA (docosahexaenoic Acid)
- EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid)
- Vitamin B12 (critical for a healthy nervous system)
- Creatine (energy for muscles)
- Carnosine (an antioxidant)
- Taurine (which plays a role in muscle function, bile salt formation, and the body’s antioxidant defense system)
- Vitamin D3 (necessary for proper immune function)
What to Eat for Brain Health
This is a diet designed to optimally feed your brain. The goal is to prevent memory loss and protect the brain from what is often called “normal aging.”
For a summary of what seniors should eat for a healthy brain, I turned to a Harvard Health article, “Foods that Fight Inflammation.”
Foods That Cause inflammation
Try to avoid or limit these foods as much as possible:
- Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and pastries
- French fries and other fried foods
- Soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages
- Processed meat (hot dogs, sausage)
- Margarine, shortening, lard, and all hydrogenated trans fats.
Anti-inflammatory Foods
An anti-inflammatory diet should include these foods:
- Tomatoes
- Olive oil
- Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards
- Nuts like almonds and walnuts
- Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines
- Fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges
Recent Comments