From Bicycling

While there is no cure for Alzheimers disease, more evidence is surfacing that shows your lifestyle and diet may be able to help ward it off. A recent study published in Neurology found that what you eat is not only good for your body, but also beneficial for your brain. Eating leafy greens, veggies, and berries daily plus drinking tea can help reduce your risk of dementia by 48 percent.

The study looked at the eating habits of 921 people in the Rush Memory and Aging Project who complete annual neurologic evaluations and dietary assessments that include reporting the frequency they ate 144 foods over the previous year.

The results showed that those who had a high intake of flavanols, an antioxidant that helps reduce inflammation, were 48 percent less likely to later develop dementia than the people in the lowest intake group. Thats likely because the anti-inflammatory properties of flavanols can prevent over-activation of inflammatory cells, helping to reduce cellular damage.

When this cellular damage occurs in the brain, is thought to be one of the potential causes of Alzheimers and vascular-type dementia, Thomas Holland, M.D., a physician scientist at Rush University Medical Center in the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging, told Runners World. In total, researchers found that over 30 fruits, vegetables, and beverages contribute to the beneficial flavanols that can ward off dementia. Though not an exhaustive list, certain foods contributed to high intake of flavanols in the self-reported diets of the participants.

[Find 52 weeks of tips and motivation, with space to fill in your mileage and favorite routes, with the Bicycling Training Journal.]

These results show the types foods we are consuming do matter, Holland said. And, though important, it is not just the nutrients in the foods we eat that contribute to our health. Its also the bioactives (chemicals, such as antioxidants, in foods that affect our bodies) contained in them.

Eat your fruits and vegetables, particularly dark leafy greens, and drink some tea every now and again, Holland said. A healthy diet that contains various fruits and vegetables is critical for continued health, especially brain health and is a strong component of a healthy lifestyle.

The bottom line: Adding one serving of dark leafy greens a day, one cup of raw veggies, one serving of other veggies a day, a handful of berries at least five times a week, and a cup of tea (preferably without sugar) can help lower your risk of dementia. A healthy diet combined with exercisewhich has also been shown to help delay cognitive declineenough sleep, and other brain-stimulating activities, such as reading, will help boost your brain health.

You Might Also Like

View original post here:
More Evidence That Antioxidant-Rich Foods Can Boost Your Brain Health - Yahoo Lifestyle

Comments are closed.