How to Build a Bigger, BETTER Brain
They say you are what you eat—and I’ve found that to be true.
It’s simple. If you eat healthy foods, you’ll be healthy. But we can also get more specific:
If you eat foods with carotenoids, your eyesight will benefit.
Eat foods rich in fiber, and your gut will be healthier.
And if you eat brain-boosting foods, you’ll have better cognitive function.
One food, in particular, has been shown to preserve brain health and enhance cognition—at ANY age.
In a recent study, researchers looked at blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
In healthy adults in their 40s and 50s, having higher levels of omega-3s were connected to better brain structure and cognitive function.
This connection has already been made in older adults. But this is one of the first studies to see if this protective effect also extended to middle-aged folks.
Not surprisingly, it did.
Having a higher omega-3 index was associated with:
- Larger hippocampus volume. This is the area of the brain that’s involved in learning and memory.
- Better abstract reasoning.
- And in folks with an APOE4 gene which increases the risk of cardiovascular and vascular disease, there was less small-vessel disease. This protects against vascular dementia and heart disease.
The new research highlights that you’re never too young—or too old—to reap the brain-protective effects of omega-3 fatty acids.
The best way to get them is to include more omega-3-rich foods in your diet. Fatty fish like salmon, cod, and sardines are excellent sources of the brain-friendly oil. In a pinch, supplements are available too.
P.S. Omega-3s are one of the best nutrients for boosting your brain health. But that’s not the only trick potent fish oil has up its sleeve. Research shows it can ALSO help reduce blood pressure levels. Click here for all the exciting details.
SOURCE:
“Association of Red Blood Cell Omega-3 Fatty Acids With MRI Markers and Cognitive Function in Midlife: The Framingham Heart Study,” 5 October 2022, Neurology, DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000201296
