My morning ritual consists of brewing a tall mug of joe (always something flavorific, like a chocolate almond latte), then perusing my favorite news feeds and ultimately getting inspired to write something.
As a long-time foodie, I'm often drawn to posts on nutrition. And, if you've listened to or attended my Healthy Brain Ageing seminar, you'll remember that I go into a lot of detail about brain food – the stuff that's good for your brain. It seemed appropriate then, this morning as I was looking at a particularly yummy recipe, that I start sharing some of my finds with you. In fact, I was so excited about this idea that I decided to make it a regular thing! Whether it's a gourmet meal, or simply ideas for slapping a few unlikely suspects together onto a slice of toast, you'll find all shapes and sizes of recipes here, along with the science-backed evidence of why they're good for your brain. All you have to do is head straight to my Superfood section for suggestions on how to get more of those tried-and-true, brain-healthy foods into your diet. And with that, dear Reader, here is my first contribution:
Can Some Foods Combat the Effects of Chronic Stress?
We're pretty much all aware that fruit is packed with fiber, and that fiber is good for you. But did you know that many fruits are also a great source of antioxidants? Anti-what?? Yeah, big word, I know, but do your brain a favor and read this. I'm starting with the bad news first, which is that stress can lead to inflammation in both the body and brain, and it can do a lot of damage.
Most of us have some level of stress in our lives, but when it becomes chronic, things start to get nasty. Chronic systemic stress (meaning stress throughout your body) is reported to contribute to the formation of something called oxidative stress in parts of the brain associated with the development of Alzheimer's Disease 1. Oxidative stress is a cellular process that occurs due to an accumulation of tiny molecules, called free radicals, within all cells, including brain cells, and is a large contributing factor to the normal aging process. Free radicals wreak havoc by damaging the fatty acids that make up the cell membrane while also attacking the DNA. In addition to chronic systemic stress, there are also environmental and dietary factors that contribute to the accumulation of free radicals such as air pollution, exposure to pesticides and other industrial chemicals, too much sugar, fat and processed food in your diet, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption.
Yikes! That was a lot of bad news, wasn't it? If you didn't stop reading long ago, however, you'll be happy to know the good news is that antioxidants hunt down and neutralize these free radicals, protecting you and your precious brain from excessive oxidative stress. Even better news is that you can find these in lots of foods! Let's look at one of my favorites....
The Brainy Benefits of Blueberries
Blueberries come out on top as a rich source of antioxidants, and a great reason to add them to your diet. In fact, a study spanning 6 years, including a whopping 16,000-plus participants over 70 years of age, reported that a greater intake of blueberries and strawberries (more than one serving of ½ cup per week) was associated with slower rates of cognitive decline compared to people who consumed less than one serving per month 2 . And if that isn't enough to convince you to get on the blueberry bandwagon, they are also a fruit that's relatively high in protein and fiber.
But the benefits don't stop there. The antioxidant properties of Vitamin C (also found in blueberries) have been shown to decrease the risk of ischemic cerebral stroke 3.
Additionally, countless other studies point to the benefits of antioxidants in lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart attacks, thereby helping to maintain good cardiovascular health as well as good brain health.
Finally, blueberries are low in calories (84 calories per cup) and packed with nutrients that are so very beneficial to your brain such as Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Manganese, providing 16%, 24% and 22% respectively of the daily recommended value 4.
Blueberry Bliss
So now you're thinking "Wow, thanks Linda, but how do I creatively get more of these amazing berries into my diet?" Sure, you can keep eating them by the handful, but are you tired of just chowing down and watching your tongue turn blue? Yep, me too. Lucky for you, and the reason you're here is, I've done some more work for you. Here are some simple ideas and more complex things for you to try:
No experience required:
· Add blueberries to Greek yogurt, cereal, cottage cheese or oatmeal.
· Freeze whole, fresh berries in the summer for flavor-packed smoothies in the winter.
· Peanut butter or almond butter toast topped with crushed blueberries or a compote.
· Add them to a leafy green salad with some nuts and protein (salmon, chicken).
Prerequisite: You've survived this long without a personal chef:
· https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/50102614584221304/ via Pinterest
· Superfood Bowl with Blueberry Ginger Dressing via Spoonful of Flavor
· Pork Tenderloin with Blueberry Bacon BBQ Sauce via The Noble Pig
· Wild Blueberry Turkey Burgers via The Lean Green Bean
The Bottom Line
Getting your blueberry fix is great for your brain. A daily handful is one way to help slow your brain's aging process by tackling oxidative stress. Have you now decided that blueberries are your new best friend? Good.
Live Life Joyfully
Give yourself a high five for learning how adding blueberries to your diet can help keep your brain healthy! Also, you hopefully learned something new today, which is another great thing you just did for your brain. Yay!
There are so many great ways to eat healthy and keep those neurons firing. Be sure to check back for more articles and blogs on other great superfoods.
Now go forth, newly inspired Foodie, and turn your world an awesome shade of blue.
Comments