I thought I would continue my post on taking care of your brain with diet and lifestyle. Dr. Dale Bredesen also recommends doing something you enjoy everyday and listening to music that you enjoy daily. There is some research that favors formation of beta-hydroxy butyrate if you do that. That favors cerebral blood flow which helps oxygenate the brain.
Do your best to reduce stress in your life. Stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system which is the rest and relaxation side of the nervous system is key. Focus on purpose driven goals. My purpose as a naturopathic doctor is to provide assistance to improve people’s health. That is why I am providing this information.
In terms of nutrition, the diet that is optimal for brain function is low in saturated fats and free of transfats and processed foods. A focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, raw nuts and seeds, legumes and lentils was followed for twenty weeks. The diet was free of dairy and animal products. People that ate more vegetables did better that people that ate low vegetables. It is more optimal to eat vegetables that are non-starchy (green leafy vegetables, asparagus. brassica family, tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, etc) then starchy vegetables like white potatoes. I recommend people eat sweet potatoes or purple potatoes if they are really wanting a starch fix.
Eat 7 different colors of plants daily. Eating more plants cuts down on a whole lot of inflammation coming in to your body from animal foods. Animal foods then to be higher in fat in the first place and often higher in toxins especially fish from polluted oceans. It is recommended to eat meat once per week versus every day. Limit wild sources of fish to one time a week.
A low glycemic diet in terms of carbohydrates is optimal. Cutting down or eliminating sweets is best for brain function. Focusing on good fats found in avocado and olives and avoiding fast foods or fried foods are ideal strategies to maximize brain function. Eating more plants as a goal for your nutrition is paramount.
Avoid toxins that you can control in your food, air, water, heavy metals, plastics, cans. I always urge patients to eat organic when it comes to the dirty dozen vegetables and eat nonorganic when it comes to the clean green list. Check out the Environmental working group website which is a great resource ewg.org
For more information, check out www.deanornish.com or The End of Alzheimer’s by Dale Bredesen, MD or any books by Dean or Ayesha Sherzai, MD- both experts on the brain. Until next time, be well. If you want to book an appointment with me go to www.robinvinge.com