Using Food to Boost Brain Health: Is It Possible?

At some point in our lives, we have all heard the phrase “brain food” thrown around in conversation. But have you ever stopped to wonder if there was any truth behind it? Is there actually food you can eat to boost brain health? With the ever-growing rise in the number of people developing and facing memory loss and dementia, the answer to this question becomes increasingly important.

Foods Boosting Brain Health

There is definitely some merit to the phrase “You are what you eat,” coined in theory by Anthelme Brillat-Savarin and Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach. Food definitely has a bearing on the state of our health and well-being. It certainly isn’t a hopeless old wives’ tale to start and keep a well-balanced diet.

If we want to improve brain health, what food items need to become a staple in our refrigerator and pantry? Here are five foods that can help increase brain health.

Fish. Our bodies cannot make the essential fatty acids (EFAs) that are needed to keep our organs functioning, bones strong and much more. This means we need to find a food source to make sure that we receive this vital source of fat. One of the best and most effective sources is oily fish, such as salmon, sardines, trout and herring. If you are not a fish fan, have allergies or practice a vegetarian lifestyle, don’t worry. Essential fatty acids, like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), can be found in plant sources: Pumpkin seeds, walnuts and flaxseed.  A study at the University of Iowa College of Public Health discovered a link between low levels of DHA and an increased risk of dementia. Therefore, we can assume that consuming fish and plant sources with high levels of EFAs can improve our brain health.

Eggs. This food group is known to have high levels of certain B vitamins, like B6, B12 and folic acid. These B vitamins they help to lower homocysteine (an amino acid) levels in our blood. When homocysteine is high, there’s an increased risk of not only having a stroke but also developing dementia. A research group at the University of Oxford put this concept to the test in a study. The results showed that after two years of having high levels of B6, B12 and folic acid, study participants experienced a lower rate of brain shrinkage versus those who were given a placebo.

Broccoli. This vegetable has high levels of vitamin K, which is known to improve brain health. Broccoli also is chock full of glucosinolate, which helps our nervous system work properly. Glucsosinolate assists in keeping a neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, in our system so our memory doesn’t deteriorate. Studies have shown that Alzheimer’s patients have low levels of acetylcholine.

Sage.  A familiar song from the past for many, Simon and Garfunkel made a quartet of herbs popular, “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme.” Little did they know that sage (and actually rosemary, too) is believed to improve memory and concentration. For the most part, studies on the effect of sage looked at its usage in the form of an essential oil—from an aroma perspective. Even though it hasn’t been put to the test, there’s nothing wrong with adding sage to a recipe to tap into its benefit of increasing brain health.

Nuts. This food item improves brain health as it increases a person’s intake of vitamin E. What’s so special about vitamin E? With results published in Nutrients, research uncovered that a steady dose of vitamin E could prevent a decline in memory. Therefore, brain health could be sustained with a diet of nuts, as well as other sources of vitamin E, like olives, leafy green vegetables and brown rice.

At Chapters Health System and its affiliates—Good Shepherd Hospice, HPH Hospice and LifePath Hospice, every day is devoted to educating our patients and keeping them in the place they call home. We are dedicated to ensuring that patients, young and old alike, and their families are able to make educated decisions about important healthcare matters. For more information, please call our helpful Chapters Health team at 1.866.204.8611 or send an email to info@chaptershealth.org.

About Phoebe Ochman

Phoebe Ochman, Director of Corporate Communications for Chapters Health System, manages all content and communications for the not-for-profit organization.

Latest in Brain Health Statistics

From social to financial to health, there are many challenges that we face today as life expectancy continues its march toward 100. One of the biggest that can be found is the exponential growth of patients and families battling with memory loss and dementia.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the following are some startling statistics when it comes to memory loss diseases:

• More than 5 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease.
• One in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
• Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
• Every 66 seconds, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s disease.
• By 2050, the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States could be as high as 16 million.
• Since 2000, the number of deaths from heart disease decreased by 14 percent, while deaths from Alzheimer’s disease increased by 89 percent.

5 Early Warning Signs and Symptoms

As the current statistics show, it is more important than ever to be alert and knowledgeable about the early warning signs and symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. If you were asked what to be on the lookout for, would you know? In case the answer is no, don’t worry as the following signs and symptoms are what you need to know:

1. Loss of memory that hampers daily life. Typically as we age, we tend to forget names or the fact that we scheduled a dentist appointment. However, when you start to forget recent information, which then needs to be repeated over and over again, this can be an early wanting sign.
2. Trouble solving problems or issues planning. For some, following a recipe that used to be a breeze becomes an impossible task. Concentrating on familiar tasks can prove difficult, which results in them taking much longer to complete than in the past. Additionally, working with numbers can become quite the challenge.
3. Forgetting dates, time and place. If someone is starting to show the early signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s, he or she can lose track of dates and time passing by. Individuals with memory loss issue can also forget where they are and even how they arrived there.
4. New trouble finding words when speaking or writing. If you know someone who has problems either joining or following a conversation, it isn’t something that should be dismissed. As we get older, it is normal to have trouble finding the right word; but with someone with memory loss or Alzheimer’s, they might use the wrong word entirely, for example, calling a dog  a turtle.
5. Losing items with the inability to retrace your steps. Have you ever misplaced your wallet? But then you were able to think back, walk step-by-step, and find it in the center console of your car. This scenario can occur as we get older. Yet, if you lost your pocketbook and are unable to retrace your steps to find your favorite purse, this can be an early sign of dementia or memory loss.

If these signs and symptoms sound familiar for you or a loved one, please talk with your healthcare provider and get checked out.