10 Foods That Improve Memory and Cognition

Memory loss, loss of cognition, brain fog...these are all conditions that can be improve by eating a healthy diet. If you want to take the steps to improve your brain function then try consuming the following foods.

1.  Coffee

Coffee improves mental acuity, memory and thinking. The dark bean also is rich with antioxidants and helps maintain physical brain health.  Coffee also lowers the risk of developing diabetes and cancer. It is a diuretic and mild laxative that can prevent the kind of foggy thinking caused by toxic bowels.

Coffee is most effective taken hot, black and without sugar, cream or other additives.  The stronger and darker the bean, the more enhanced the effect will be.

2. Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate contains caffeine which is thought to play a role in maintain mental sharpness and brain function.  Chocolate is also rich in flavonoids, a class of antioxidant that improves blood flow and grain health by regulating cholesterol and lowering blood pressure.

The higher the cacao content of the chocolate, the better. Just two small squares a day should provide you with beneficial results.

3.  Walnuts

Walnuts are full of heart-healthy and anti-inflammatory components and provide an excellent source of alpha lineoleic acid.  This acid helps promote blood flow, which in turn helps promote the expedient delivery of oxygen to the brain. This sustains brain function, including cognitive function.

Walnuts can be enjoyed as a snack, in breads or even ground up and added to smoothies.  Walnut oil can be used as a salad dressing.

4. Wheat Germ

Wheat germ is a rich vegetarian source of choline that helps the brain produce acetylcholine. This is a neurotransmitter that boosts memory.  Wheat germ also has B vitamins and plenty of fibre, which is good for balancing blood sugar.

Wheat germ can be added to cereals, cookies, granola and baked goods. You can also whirl it raw into a smoothie in a blender.

5.   Goji Berries

The high antioxidant content in Goji berries supports brain function. Compounds in Goji berries fight narrowing of the arteries and supply the body with generous amounts of choline, which is an essential nutrient that combats Alzheimer’s disease.

No special preparation is needed to eat either the dried or the raw form of the berry.  The reason they are sold mostly dried is because the raw berry is very delicate and sometimes does not survive shipping.

The raw berries may be sold on branches or with stems to preserve their freshness in which case it is suggested you separate the fruit from the stem before consuming.

6. Soursop

Soursop is a large green fruit with a creamy, fleshy white interior. It is a native of Central and South America and tastes like a hybrid of banana, strawberry, orange and pineapple.

Soursop is a powerhouse of nutrition. It is full of B vitamins, vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, protein and healthy fats and carbohydrates. It has all the fuel that your brain needs to run smoothly.

Soursop promotes a general feeling of well-being by boosting your energy and improving your outlook on life. The fruit is also, anti-bacterial, antifungal, It is a known anti-depressant and also has sedative properties that can help put you to sleep.

This is an exotic superfruit that is mostly found in exotic Asian markets. It is eaten sliced in chunks.  Do not eat the seeds. It mixes well in a smoothie.

7. Blackberries

Blackberries contain proanthocyanins that once ingested, gather in the striatum part of the brain that governs spatial memory.  They also contain ellagatannis that once ingested, rest in the hippocampus, which is the brain’s memory control center.  The generous amounts of C, E and beta-carotene also help disarm cell-damaging free radicals that might circulating in the system.

Blackberries are best eaten raw. Eat a cup a day to receive the most benefits.

8.   Cherries

Cherries contain C0x2 inhibitors, which is exactly what you also find in many powerful pain-killing medications such as Vioxx and Celebrex. They also contain polyphenols that also clarify the blood so that it is not choked with cholesterol or toxins.

Cherries are best eaten raw. Eat a cup of cherries a day for best results.

9.  Oatmeal

Every organ in the body is dependent on good blood flow or you are at risk for narrowing of the blood vessels and the challenges that can bring the brain. Eating whole grains, such as oatmeal promotes the vascular and cardiovascular health needed to keep you thinking clear.  Oatmeal also contains vitamin E and Omega 3’s that can keep your thinking clear.

Eat at least one serving of oatmeal a day for best results.

10.  Water

It may be challenging for some to see water as being a superfood but when it comes to maintaining your brain function it is a very important ingredient to be ingesting on a daily basis. When a person becomes dehydrated, brain tissue you shrinks and that can impair cognitive memory over both the short and the long term.

Most adults need to drink at least eight glasses of water a day in order to preserve their brain function.

For more information or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services.

Top Ten Superfoods for Anti-Aging

It is true that you are what you eat and the foods on this Top Ten List are considered to be superfoods that are rich in nutrients, low in fat and have factors that contribute to cell repair and renewal.  Of course, when considering consuming any of these recommended foods it is a good idea to only chose those that fit in with your individualized Healthy & Active Metabolism Program.

1. Blueberries

Blueberries on the branch.

Blueberries contain a significant amount of vitamin K, manganese, vitamin C, and fiber. They also have omega-3 fatty acids. They can help your eyes and can heal ulcers. The antioxidants found in blueberries not only combat aging and stress factors in the body, but also reduce the risk of degenerative diseases and cancers.

One cup of blueberries has only 85 calories, and less than one gram of good fat. The fiber they contain improves bowel function and helps eliminate bowel residue. The phytochemicals they contain aid in weight loss and reduce inflammation.

Blueberries can be eaten raw, blended into smoothies, sprinkled on oatmeal or baked into muffins.

2.   Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts contain selenium that aids in the production glutathione.  This anti-aging substance repairs all cell damage and slows down all aging processes in the body.  They are also high in protein which helps repair the connectivity of skin tissue cells and grow hair.

Just eating two nuts a day can help halt the process of aging. Add brazil nuts to any baking that you do.  Soaking the brazil nuts in water overnight helps make their nutrition more readily bioavailabe to the body.

3.  Green Tea

Green tea is one of the most powerful anti-aging foods known to man. Green tea contains the phytonutrients myricetin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and quercetin . They are the phytonutrients that work together in order to help your body burn fat by increasing its metabolism. These nutrients can also fight against the development of tumors and cancers.

The only thing to be careful about when drinking green tea is that it can prevent iron from being absorbed into your bloodstream. The best way to prevent this odd side-effect and ensure you are getting all the nutrients you need from you food is to drink green tea between meals as a pick-me-up or add a little lemon to it.

4.  Pomegranate

Pomegranates are a rich source of a strong antioxidant class known as punicalagins. Punicalagins breakdown into ellagic acid, the potent anti-oxidant found in raspberries, cranberries, and strawberries that also has strong antioxidant activity. The juice and seeds of this exotic tropical fruit are powerful enough to have a strong anti-inflammatory effect.

Pomegranate fruit is also high in vitamin C. One pomegranate provides about 40% of the daily requirement of this vitamin.. Minerals included in pomegranates include calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper manganese, selenium and fluoride.

Pomegranate juice, without sugar, is a good substitute for eating the juicy seeds, which can be a time consuming process.

5.  Red Lentils

Red lentils are loaded with fiber and protein. Dietary fiber is found in foods that come from plant sources. It is important to get enough soluble and insoluble fiber each day, so you can have a healthy digestive system. Soluble fibers act as sponges and dissolve in water. They are broken down in the colon and help sweep intestinal debris away.

Diets that are high in fiber have been shown to help people lower their cholesterol and regulate their blood sugar levels.

Lentils are best cooked as a curry, sauce or a stew with other healthy vegetables and plenty of turmeric, which is also another anti-aging substance.

6.  Tomatoes

Lycopene, the pigment that makes tomatoes red, reduces their risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer and blindness. Lycopene is best absorbed through tomatoes that are cooked so it is a good idea to eat them stewed or as a sauce. 

Salsa is also a profoundly anti-aging food because the red peppers also add substantial amounts of disease-fighting Vitamin C to the mix of tomatoes. Onions and garlics add selenium, zinc and other important minerals to the food as well.

6. Squash

Bright orange squash is loaded with beta-carotene, which in turn converts to vitamin A in the body. This reduces the risks of cancers, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.  The lutein and lycopene found in produce also help protect the skin from sun damage and reduce wrinkling.

Squash is easily baked in the oven. It can be mashed like a potato and served cold and cubed in a salad.

7.  Broccoli

Broccoli and broccoli sprouts contain sulorphane which increases the production enzymes that help clar toxins from the body. The younger the broccoli is, the more of this anti-aging substance it contains. Broccoli also contains a substantial amount of calcium that is good for teeth, bones, skin and hair.

Broccoli is most nutritious if it is served raw and the broccoli sprouts are delicious served in a sandwich. If sprouts are eaten when they are about three days old they offer up about fifty times the protection of the mature stalks.

8.  Kale

Kale, and other leafy greens like Swiss chard are chock full of antioxidants including the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. This antioxicant combination decreases the risk of macular-related vision degeneration and protects them from sun-induced damage.  Kale also promotes youthfulness by improving your cardiovascular health, boosting your immune system, fight cancer through hormone moderation, regulating blood sugar levels, and aiding in digestion.

Slightly steaming kale or braising makes it easier for the body to assimilate the healing carotenoids.

9.  Red Kidney Beans

Red kidney beans are one of the most nutritious of anti-aging foods.  They contain high levels of LDL cholesterol, which lowers the “bad cholesterol” that can cause heart disease.  Beans also contain anthocyanins and quercetins that fight free radical damage in the body.

Beans are of the most benefit if they are served in a salad or as part of a bean salad with red onions and apple cider vinegar.  Beans are also delicious and healthy served as part of a tomato stew.

10.  Acai Berry

The healing constituents of Acai are vitamins A, C, E, omega fatty acids, protein, iron, and fiber. Every 100 grams of Acai contains 1000 IU of Vitamin A as well as the minerals potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc.

Acai has ten times the antioxidant power of red grapes and twice that of blueberries. The free radical cancer fighter that is especially prominent in these berries is anthocyanin.

Another surprising nutritional fact about Acai is that it contains more protein than an egg as well as Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids. It is a whole food.

You can find Acai juice quite easily in most grocery stores but be sure to check labels to make sure it is not “cut” too heavily with other juices such as grape or apple.

The most common Acai product available is the frozen pulp but once again be sure to read labels to make sure that there is no sugar added.  Acai should be the first ingredient on the label and not sugar or some other kind of fruit or additive.

For more information about the Healthy & Active Program please visit our website at www.healthy-active.com. You may also call us in Toronto at (41) 440-2217 and ask for Adrienne Wright Bulow or Dr. Michael Rahman or email us at adrienne@healthy-active.com.