Eating foods that are good for your heart are also good for your brain. That makes perfect sense to me and seems like a logical sequence. If what you eat keeps your cardiovascular system in shape, the muscle that is a major factor in supplying your brain with oxygen, then, of course, you should have a decent chance of keeping your brain healthy.

Recently there has been research on the subject. What was logical to your mother and grandmother, eat your breakfast so you can do well in school, is now a scientific fact. The good news is that it also holds true as you get older because it helps ensure that your brain receives the blood full of nutrients. Everything about your heart affects your circulation and good circulation is required for good brain function. You increase your odds for good brain function by eating foods that reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, inflammation and other health risks.

One recent study showed that concentration on nutrition of your heart can also preserve your memory as you age. The conclusion for this was based on the DASH diet, or Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension. It has been out for a while but it remains on top of most lists for good nutrition no matter what the trend. Tests on brain function with the DASH diet have been ongoing for 12 years that I know. It is also a diet recommended by the American Heart Association.

Researchers found that participants in the study who followed the DASH diet closest scored significantly higher o tests of cognitive functioning then those who hardly followed the diet. Interestingly, the studies also show that four subgroups of foods in your diet – vegetables, nuts or legumes, whole grains and low fat dairy products – were also associated with higher scores on cognitive tests.

I am including the information below so that you can start improving your heart diet before you procrastinate by studying the DASH diet. Include in your daily diet:

Vegetables, 1 cup raw or ½ cup cooked, 4 to 5 servings a day (tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, carrots, green beans);

Fruits: ¼ dried or ½ cup prepared or 1 medium fruit, 4 to 5 servings a day (apricots, bananas, oranges, peaches, strawberries)

Make sure your daily eating habits include these fruits and vegetables while you learn more about the DASH diet. You will be half way there with no ease.

To your success at healthy aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

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Filed under: Mind and Body • Nutrition and Weight

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