Suffering from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is not a guaranteed condition of getting older.
To keep your brain sharp you have to change the lifestyle factors that raise your risk for mental decline. Inactivity, obesity, a high carbohydrate diet, and poor sleep habits are just a few things that damage your brain functions.
The best place to start? Your diet. Making brain-healthy food choices helps you avoid memory lapses and increases thinking skills. Some of these choices slow down AD. Some even reverse symptoms.
Here are five ways you can improve your diet to keep your brain healthy and your memory sharp:
1. Limit Carbohydrates: Eating a high carbohydrate diet is never a good idea. Carb overload can lead to obesity and high blood sugar levels. If that’s not bad enough… According to a study by the Mayo Clinic, a high carbohydrate diet nearly quadruples your risk for AD.1
Here’s why… Your brain uses glucose as fuel. But flooding it with too much sugar will cause it become insulin-resistant. That causes it to starve. That’s why researchers are now calling Alzheimer’s disease “type 3 diabetes.” You should get most of your carbohydrates from vegetables and some whole fruit.
2. Increase Vitamin D3: Vitamin D3 gets praise for its role in maintaining strong bones and hormone levels. But it is just as powerful when it comes to maintaining a sharp brain. One study shows people over 65 with a moderate vitamin D3 deficiency have a 42 percent higher risk of mental decline.
Even scarier… People with severe vitamin D3 deficiencies have a whopping 394 percent higher risk.2 You’ll get this vital nutrient in eggs, oily fish, and mushrooms. And of course from sunshine. But because most people are deficient in vitamin D3, this is one that’s good to supplement. Just make sure it’s vitamin D3. Other versions of vitamin D don’t easily absorb.
3. Drink Apple Juice: One study shows that it only takes two glasses of water mixed with apple juice concentrate a day to stop the production of beta-amyloid. Beta-amyloid is a protein responsible for the formation of the plaque found in the brains of patients suffering from AD.3 The more you do to lower beta-amyloid production, the less plaque develops in the brain. But don’t rely on store bought apple juice… It’s full of sugar and preservatives. Instead, juice your own organic, green apples. Make sure to buy organic when possible and you’ll stay ahead of the curve.
4. Eat More Choline: Choline is an essential nutrient responsible for producing acetylcholine. Acetylcholine in a neurotransmitter that aids in memory, muscle control, and brain function. Why is this important? Loss of acetylcholine may actually lead to AD.4 While you can choose to supplement choline for improved cognitive function, you can also get it from fresh egg yolks, beef, and pork.
5. Embrace Healthy Fats: When it comes to fighting off AD, eating more fat may be your best bet. One study shows that it only takes one additional gram of omega-3 fatty acids per week to decrease beta-amyloid production by up to 30 percent.5 Another study demonstrates a significant improvement in cognitive function in men over 65 after supplementing with fish oil for six months.6
But there’s even more good news. The medium chain triglycerides (MCT) found in coconut oil can fuel your brain with ketones instead of carbohydrates. Ketones help your brain stay sharp without having to depend on glucose for energy. Best of all, coconut oil is shown to slow and even reverse signs of AD.7 You can also find flavorless MCT oil online.
You’ll live a healthier, happier life by naturally giving your brain the fuel it needs to be healthy and stay sharper.
Think mental decline is a normal part of aging? Don’t believe it! Nothing could be farther from the truth. You can prevent symptoms. You can even reverse them. We know… We’ve seen it happen. The results are so extraordinary, we HAVE to share this with you. CLICK HERE to learn the secret to reversing AD.
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References:
1 http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/10/17/carb-diet-alzheimers/1637481/
2 http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2010/07/11/exercise-vitamin-d-seem-to-cut-alzheimers-risk-researchers
3 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090122100826.htm
4 http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/othernuts/choline/
5 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/06/omega-3-fatty-acids-alzheimers-memory-brain_n_1475806.html
6 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17030655
7 http://health.universityofcalifornia.edu/2012/06/03/can-coconut-oil-treat-alzheimers/