For a long time, it’s been said ‘you are what you eat’. While this is certainly not true, as I have yet to turn into a large salmon, the food that we consume will have an impact on our health over the course of our lives.
Believe it or not, what you eat, and what your aging loved ones eat, can actually have an impact on their minds. When your loved ones are young and their brains are developing, for example, eating fish like tuna and salmon can help to make the brain grow properly. There are a variety of things, therefore, that your aging loved ones will be able to consume and that will make sure that they are going to be mentally sharp. Here are just a few such foods.
Blueberries
One of the most flavorful berries, they are rich in antioxidants and known to reduce oxidative stress on the brain.
The reduction of this stress means that they can improve learning capacity and motor skills, two things that the older relatives in our lives could find benefit from.
Citrus fruits (lemons, limes, orange, tangerines, and similar)
Citrus fruits can go into anything, from juices to desserts to salad dressings. A twist of lemon or lime can spruce up even the dullest of chicken, steak, or seafood dishes.
Studies have shown that people who eat citrus fruits every day are able to stave off cognitive decline by two years or more, something that becomes much more important as your loved ones get on in years.
Nuts, particularly almonds and walnuts
Almonds are high in vitamin E and monosaturated fats, as well as other vitamins and minerals, all of which are linked to preventing cognitive decline and preserving memory.
Walnuts are also good at keeping you sharp, thanks to polyunsaturated fatty acids that they are abundant in.
Fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, lake trout, and anchovies
These are all high in Omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, which is good for the general health of your aging family members, but these fatty acids are also known to preserve brain function and cognition, making them a good choice for preserving the mind of your elderly family members.
Avocados
Mostly known for being the basis of guacamole and a good way to thicken a sandwich without adding too many calories, avocados are high in fats as well as lutein, a carotenoid that has been linked to better cognition. They’re also a good source of monosaturated fats, which can help prevent high blood pressure.
Coffee
Coffee has been repeatedly linked to lower incidence of dementia when consumed with regularity.
Eggs (the yolks in particular)
It’s become somewhat trendy of late to avoid the yolks of the eggs because of cholesterol worries. But there’s evidence that the vitamins in those yolks can support memory and increase communication between brain cells. Just make sure that when preparing a dish with eggs for your aging relatives, avoid fatty and unhealthy meats, and utilize spinach, tomatoes, even garlic instead.
These are just a few of the foods that are currently believed to have an impact on the mind, and that will help to keep yourself (and your elderly relatives) mentally sharp. Begin to work some of these foods into meals, and you will be able to see the good that it does in their lives, and even in your own.