Mood Food: Foods to Lift Our Spirits

Our lifestyle has a major impact on our brain health. What we eat and drink, how much we exercise our body and mind, how well we sleep, how we manage stress and the way we socialize are all critically important for our brain health. NUTRITION AND HYDRATION A Mediterranean style diet which is rich in green leafy vegetables, fish, whole grains, olive oil and nuts has been proven to help maintain brain health and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. This diet includes following the lifestyle as well, which means cooking and eating fresh food, savoring and being mindful of the taste and enjoying the dining experience with friends and family. Decreasing intake of food high in saturated fats like processed red meats—hot dogs and sausage—pork, butter and dairy products can help decrease the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Eating a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids including fish twice per week such as salmon, cod, sardines and haddock, or walnuts, flaxseeds and chia seeds will help support brain health. Eating a rainbow of colorful foods such as blueberries, raspberries, broccoli, spinach and kale slows aging in the brain due to the high antioxidant content. Using herbs and spices can also help decrease inflammation including turmeric, cinnamon and ginger. In terms of hydration, avoid sugary drinks as sugar causes brain inflammation. Aim for filtered water and adding lemon or ginger to water. Green tea is high in brain boosting antioxidants and one cup of organic coffee can improve memory and decrease dementia. EXERCISE Our bodies need to move. Exercise fosters new brain cell growth and preserves existing brain cells. Exercise improves all-over circulation, especially to the brain. It also stimulates chemical changes in the brain that improve mood, thinking and learning. Find a daily activity that can fit into your life. Various ways of exercising include aerobic: focus on 30 minutes, three to five times per week of moderate intensity; strength: focus on 10 minutes, five times per week of squats, lunges, planks, bicep curls, etc.; flexibility: focus on 10 minutes. five times per week of stretching muscles through full range of motion; and balance: focus on 10 minutes, seven times per week of standing on one leg, standing heel to toe, walking on heels and toes, walking backwards and sideways or yoga/tai chi. MENTAL FITNESS Along with physical fitness, we should all focus on mental fitness. We all have something called a “brain reserve” which helps our brain adapt and respond to changes. This develops in childhood and strengthens through adulthood. Continuing to learn, starting new activities and learning new skills help build and improve the brain reserve. Learning a new skill helps our brain form new connections and strengthen existing ones. We can learn a new language, instrument or start a new hobby like photography. Playing brain games are helpful as well, such as crossword puzzles, chess or card games which improves reaction time and problem solving. SLEEP When we rest well, our brain thanks us. Adequate sleep allows the brain to repair its neurons or brain cells which helps us concentrate and focus the next day. Sleep is the only time the brain can clear out toxic wastes accumulated during the day. Without sleep, we don’t remove the waste which can lead to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Follow a regular sleep schedule by going to sleep at the same time and waking up at the same time which helps reset our circadian rhythm. Develop a bedtime routine such as reading a book, listening to soothing musing or taking a warm bath. Limit screen time 30 minutes before bed including computers, cell phones, TVs and tablets. Bright blue light impacts our melatonin production and makes it more difficult to fall asleep. Sleep in complete darkness by using an eye mask or black out curtains to stimulate optimal melatonin production. Aim for a total of seven to nine hours of sleep. SOCIAL INTERACTION A support system helps reduce stress, decreases depression and improves intellectual stimulation. Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found that people with the most social interaction experience the slowest rate of memory decline. Happy relationships and marriages, as well as having a purpose in life, show protective effects to age-related cognitive impairment. Staying physically connected can be more complicated now that we are socially distancing, but technology has made communicating effortless. Set up a FaceTime, Zoom or Skype with a loved one or friend you haven’t connected with in a while. MANAGE STRESS Stress is inevitable but it can be managed. Sara Lazar, a neuroscientist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, proved that regular meditation keeps our brains healthier. Here are some simple ways to help de-stress. 1) Focus on the present; 2) Give the brain a 10-minute break by sitting in a quiet place and focusing on breathing; 3) Think positively. Motivate yourself. Say, “I can do this; I can figure this out; I’m going to be okay”; 4) Use imagery. Keep a picture of your favorite spot, and when stressed look at the photo, imagining how it feels, looks sounds and smells there; 5) Journaling about what bothers you helps to relieve internal stress; 6) Practice saying “No” if you don’t feel comfortable doing something.

The inevitable aging process plagues us all, however it can be slowed down by eating the right foods.  Anthocyanins are anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-cancer. They improve eye health, protect brain health, increase levels of vitamin C and support collagen production. Some foods rich in anthocyanins are all types of berries, beets, purple cauliflower and blood oranges. Omega 3, 6 and 9 are fatty acids from healthy fats such as avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, chia seeds, flaxseeds, salmon and walnuts. They are known to prevent a number of medical problems such as depression, cardiovascular disease, brain dysfunction, asthma and arthritis. Similar to anthocyanins, carotenoids are antioxidants that protect against oxidative stress especially from sunlight. Carotenoids are the orange, yellow and red pigments found in fruits and vegetables. Some examples include carrots, sweet potatoes, squash and peppers. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body needed for the growth and health of skin, hair, tendon, cartilage, bones and joints. Our body’s collagen production naturally begins to slow down as we age leading to wrinkles, sagging skins and joint pains. There are multiple sources of collagen from bone broth to beef, chicken and fish collagen peptides. Water is the vehicle for delivering essential nutrients to the skin cells. In fact, many people do not realize that they are dehydrated. People should aim to drink half of their body weight in ounces of water. For example, someone that weighs 100 pounds should drink 50 ounces of water. Any caffeinated beverage or beverage with sugar does not count towards hydration and is actually dehydrating. Foods that age people Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) AGEs are found mostly in animal-derived foods that are high in fat and protein, for example pork, bacon and sausages, and can develop into new AGE formation during cooking. AGEs are known to increase oxidative stress and inflammation. AGEs are formed through a reaction between sugars and proteins or fats to cause the Maillard reaction, or that wonderful browning that we see after cooking food at a high heat. Some methods of cooking such as grilling, broiling, roasting, searing or frying can develop into new AGE formation. Studies confirm that consuming AGEs can lead to atherosclerosis, diabetes and other chronic disease. If using these methods of cooking, marinating food with lemon juice or vinegar before cooking showed decreased levels of AGE formation. Sugar Sugar is one of the most inflammatory foods linked to numerous diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and obesity. Sugar also causes the breakdown of collagen and elastin resulting in sagging skin and wrinkles. Avoid liquid sugar especially including soda, diet soda, lemonade and alcohol. Also stay away from hidden sugars such in ketchup, salad dressings, sauces and packaged cereals. Inflammatory foods Anything that is processed, packaged or fast food is loaded with harmful ingredients that leads to reactive oxygen species inside of the body. Foods that create inflammation are pro-aging. A good rule to follow: Eat the rainbow. The more colorful a plate is from fruits and vegetables, the more antioxidants are ingested. Drink water; avoid sugar, inflammatory foods and cooking at a high heat.