Who, what, where, and when are words that you used to use less often. But if you’ve recently started to notice some memory loss, we’ve got some nutritious ways to prevent it from getting worse.
Not being able to recall people by name, especially when you don’t interact with them frequently is normal. So is forgetting dates, even important ones like birthdays. But very few people would wish to be more forgetful, in fact most of us would rather have a perfect, photographic memory.
Some memory loss is unavoidable as we age and it is a natural part of the aging process. No need to worry that you have dementia or early-onset Alzheimer’s disease unless symptoms are becoming severe or something that are a concern to yourself or family members.
Many times, our distracted lives are to blame for our faulty memory. We rarely give things our full, undivided attention these days. When we do, we are able to commit details to memory better and we are more likely to remember names, date and places.
7 Foods That Help Prevent Memory Loss
The solutions to prevent memory loss include playing puzzle games, staying active, having positive social interactions, being mindful, and eating nutritious foods that help our brains to process and retrieve memories.
Let’s look at 7 healthy foods that help prevent further memory loss and might help improve your memory function.
1. Citrus
Antioxidants fight against free radicals in our bodies, which cause the death of cells. More antioxidants is good for preventing memory loss and you can find high doses of antioxidants in nuts, fruit and vegetables, which are all part of a healthy vegan diet.
Vitamin C is a particularly important antioxidant to help prevent memory loss and of course you can get lots of vitamin C from citrus fruit including oranges, lemon, grapefruit, and tangelos. Other antioxidant vitamins include Vitamin E and selenium.
2. Oatmeal
The whole grain, high fiber and protein in oatmeal means that when you eat this warm, gooey breakfast, your bloodstream has a steady supply of glucose or energy, without any spikes up or down. The steady supply of energy helps prevent memory loss because your brain isn’t starving when it has to work to make new memories.
Related article: 5 Ways To Balance The Neurotransmitters In Your Brain
Researchers studying whether or not consumers would be motivated to eat foods that helped prevent memory loss say ‘There is preliminary evidence to suggest that some nutrients could influence cognitive performance.’ Boosting brain power by eating foods that prevent memory loss is something we can all benefit from.
3. Apples
An apple a day kept he memory loss doctor away, right? The skin of apples contains quercetin. This is a strong antioxidant, which we helps to prevent memory loss. Apples also have a good ratio of soluble fiber to glucose, which means that their sweet but filling energy will release slowly all day long.
Related article: This Is What Happens When You Drink Wheatgrass Every Day
4. Flax and chia seeds
Flax seeds and chia seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids and have a good ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3s help to reduce inflammation, which keeps brain and body function at optimum health. Omega-3 fatty acids also connect to improved memory and brain function.
The omega-3 fatty acids in leafy greens, lentils, flax and chia seeds also have other brain benefits, according to bestheathmag.ca, ‘Folate (also known as folic acid) and vitamins B6 and B12 help lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood that has been linked to an increased risk of dementia.’ Getting plenty of B Vitamins and folic acid will help prevent memory loss.
5. Turmeric
Researchers studying the Asian diet and foods that contain high levels of anti-oxidants found that turmeric had the highest antioxidant levels, as high as 92% in one extract. The scientists say ‘Other vegetables found to have high antioxidant activity (>70%) were kachnar, aonla, ginger, fenugreek, mint, beetroot, black carrots, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, lotus stem, yam, coriander and tomato. ‘
Turmeric is a staple you’ll find in Eastern cuisine. Researchers looking at Bangladesh medicinal herbs and plants used to enhance memory and intelligence found that Terminalia chebula, Clitoria ternatea, Gmelina Arborea, and Asparagus racemosus also were used by villagers to prevent memory loss.
6. Blueberries
According to recent research, blueberries have been shown to help people to complete spatial working memory tasks (big puzzles that involve memory). Blueberries have phytochemicals called anthocyanins, which are basically super antioxidants and they are a tasty food that can help prevent memory loss.
7. Quinoa and whole grains
Betaine is a precursor that makes choline and you can get plenty of it from quinoa. Choline and Vitamin A are responsible for the healthy benefits that help prevent memory loss in every bowl of quinoa you eat.
Quinoa also gives you protein and healthy fats to give your brain the power it needs to keep functioning well all day. Betaine also helps with gene expression in the body, can help prevent disease and make sure that the genes that express disease are turned off.
