3. Eat a Healthy Diet

My six recommendations for diet that can help you rejuvenate your brain are the following:

1. Put a bowl of fresh fruits on your kitchen table, eat them as snacks.
   
   
2. Eat junk food only occasionally, not every day; take smaller portions.
   
   
3. Choose to drink water more often, limit sweet sodas. 
   
   
4. Enjoy one or two glasses of wine to your dinner every night.
   
   
5. Eat fish 2-3 times a week, add curcumin spice to some of your dishes; take supplements if necessary.
   
   
6. Do your best to achieve your ideal body weight; beware of developing diabetes.
   

New scientific discoveries have identified three processes, which contribute to aging in the brain.  These include atherosclerosis, inflammation, and formation of toxic protein clumps called plaques and tangles.  The food you eat can modify and affect all of these three processes.  For example, a diet that increases your cholesterol can increase your risk for atherosclerosis. Blood vessels become narrower and less fresh blood reaches brain cells   Foods which lower cholesterol combat atherosclerosis and help to improve blood flow in the brain.

Some degree of natural wear and tear in the brain leads to inflammation.  People who eat fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 70%.  Epidemiological studies by Dr. Martha-Claire Morris in Chicago reveal that those who eat fruits and vegetables regularly can perform at a level almost five years younger than people who generally avoid fruits and vegetables.  In a separate study of volunteers in Milan University, those eating a Mediterranean diet rich in fiber, fish, olive oil, and low in fatty food – along with a glass of wine - performed three times faster in memory tests as compared to the elderly who did not follow a Mediterranean diet.

Certain fruit and herbs have the unique potential of both reducing inflammation and fighting the clumping of the proteins that happen in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.  Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish such as salmon are particularly important.  DHA is a form of Omega-3 fatty acids that is quite important for brain development and as such is routinely added to infant formula.  DHA accounts for 15% of brain’s composition.  Low levels of DHA have been found in patients who have depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, or Alzheimer’s disease. Even some teenagers with behavioral problems were found to have lower DHA levels and giving them DHA corrected some of their behavioral issues.  DHA is now in clinical trials for treatment of early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

DHA has the unique ability to reduce triglyceride levels, which are linked to development of heart attacks.  In a study of 11,000 heart attack patients in Europe, the group taking DHA had 20% fewer death.  American Heart Association recommends omega-3 fatty acids, both in the form of fish and in the form of supplements.  DHA also has anti-inflammatory properties and can help your aches and pains of arthritis. So it appears that DHA is a truly wonderful ingredient not only for your brain, but also for your heart and your joints.

Another dietary component important for brain health is curcumin.  This natural herb has both anti-inflammatory properties and can fights the clumping of the Alzheimer’s proteins.  Two years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Dr. Masahito Yamada in Kanazawa University in Japan, where he and his team work on the effects of curcumin.  They showed me how adding curcumin to clumps of Alzheimer’s plaques made them untangle and resolve.  There are now clinical trials for use of curcumin for prevention of Alzheimer’s disease at the UCLA.  Curcumin is a natural herbal medicine which has been used for more than 5000 years and is quite safe.