Eat Well, for Brain and Body
Source: AARP.org | April 10, 2006
It's no secret that eating right is important to your health. In fact, the food choices we make throughout life can increase or decrease our risk for many diseases that cause premature death or disability in later years, including heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.
Obesity (or even just being overweight) is a leading cause of many of the diseases that can rob us of quality years in later life. While exercise plays an important role in weight management, what we put in our mouths may be the biggest problem. Americans have a notoriously high-fat diet, and most Americans don't eat enough whole grains, vegetables and fruits, or low-fat dairy products.
Watch Your Numbers: Cholesterol Levels, Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar, and Weight
There is now overwhelming evidence that the same lifestyle and dietary factors that contribute to heart disease also increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and age-related cognitive decline. Therefore, "managing your numbers"—cholesterol levels, blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight—has become a rallying cry for brain-health advocates.
"Many factors that are good for your heart turn out to be good for your brain as well," says Sam Gandy, a chief scientific advisor to the Alzheimer's Association. "There are multiple reasons why you should pay attention to these central medical problems you might have and getting control of them."
Excess weight is associated with vascular diseases (such as heart disease and stroke) and diabetes. Together, these diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in this country.
Obesity and the Brain
Obesity may be the biggest threat to longevity in Americans. A recent report in The New England Journal of Medicine found that being obese reduces life expectancy by approximately four to nine months, and predicted that overall U.S. life expectancy would decrease by two to five years in the next 50 years due to the life-shortening effect of obesity.
A known risk factor for heart disease, obesity is increasingly implicated in cognitive problems and dementia as well. A study of 1,449 people in Finland found that a body-mass index of 30 or more, indicating obesity, was associated with double the risk of dementia. In people who also had high cholesterol or high blood pressure, the risk was six times higher.
Scientists who have also studied overweight animals in the laboratory have reported learning and memory impairments and a higher vulnerability to stress-induced cognitive dysfunction.
The bottom line: Weight matters to the brain. Shedding any extra pounds through a sensible program of diet and exercise may be one of the best things you can do for your brain.
Eating Well As You Age
Our need for energy to fuel body and brain processes does not change much as we age. We may require fewer calories, but we need just as many essential nutrients, or in some cases, more. For example, our body's ability to produce vitamin D decreases with age, so we may need to consciously choose foods that are good sources of vitamin D, such as egg yolks, fortified dairy products, and liver.
Physical problems can also interfere with our ability to eat well as we age. For example, missing teeth or gum disease can make chewing difficult. Gastrointestinal problems—such as constipation, diarrhea, or heartburn—may limit what we can eat.
Our senses of taste and smell may be diminished as we grow older, and some prescription or over-the-counter medications can alter food tastes. And, if we are depressed or lonely, we may not feel like eating or preparing meals.
If you or someone you know experiences significant changes in eating habits or appetite, it's important to realize this might be a sign of a medical condition or a side effect of medication. You should always discuss any changes in your eating patterns with your doctor.
Healthy Eating Habits
Eating right doesn't have to be complicated. Following the Food Guide Pyramid from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which emphasizes whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables as the foundation for a well-balanced diet, is a good starting point.
Other healthy-eating suggestions include:
- Drink 8-10 cups of fluid every day, and make at least 5 of them water. Limit caffeinated and alcoholic beverages; they act as diuretics, and may flush nutrients from your body.
- Reduce your intake of saturated fat (such as that in animal products), and replace it with monounsaturated fat (like that in olive, canola, sunflower, safflower, and soybean oils).
- Eliminate or reduce trans fatty acids, found in many processed foods and appear on ingredient lists as hydrogenated vegetable oils.
- Stick to healthy choices when snacking, like fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy, or whole-grain products.
- Ask for and follow special diets recommended by your doctor or a nutritionist.
- Join a cooking class to learn low-fat, healthy meal-preparation techniques.
- Make eating fun: join family, friends, or community functions when possible.
- Ask for help if you have difficulty preparing meals, or arrange for home-delivered meals from community programs. Many senior centers or houses of worship also provide meals.
Source: National Institute on Aging
You'll also want to learn about the five elements of a brain-healthy diet to make sure you're getting the most out of your meals. Bon appetit!
This content is brought by Staying Sharp, a partnership between NRTA: AARP's Educator Community and the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives.
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