Brain Health Diet

Did you know your brain is made up of mostly fat? In fact, 60% of your brain is saturated fat. And your brain cannot function without sufficient fat in your diet.

Maybe you are afraid of age-related brain decline, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease. If so, you will be happy to hear that changing your diet can have a big impact on the health of not just your body, but also your brain.

Alzheimer's is also known as Diabetes Type 3. The reason is because a diet high in refined carbs and sugars has been shown to increase the plaques in the brain prevalent with Alzheimer's. One important step in keeping your brain healthy is cutting back on refined carbs and sugary junk food.

What does a Healthy Brain Diet look like?

One option is a ketogenic diet. The brain is able to function well on ketones instead of glucose. On keto, you will keep your carbs very low--under about 20 grams of net carbs daily, or under 50 grams of total carbs. Keto includes a moderate amount of protein and plenty of good fats.

One of the most important fats for optimal brain health is omega-3 fatty acids. Our typical American diet is notoriously low in omega-3s and usually too high in omega-6s. To up your intake of healthy omega-3s, eat wild-caught salmon, sardines, and other fatty fish. Grassfed beef, butter, and cheeses also contain omega-3s. Pastured eggs are another source. Flax and pumpkin seeds as well as walnuts contain some omega-3s, too.

Consuming the complete rainbow of plant foods, including blueberries, tomatoes, leafy greens, and oranges, will supply a range of antioxidants to prevent oxidative damage to brain cells. Eat a wide variety of veggies, both raw and cooked, to be sure to get as many of these nutrients as possible.

Add some spices, especially turmeric, to your meals. Curcurmin, the active ingredient in turmeric, has been shown to increase memory, fight depression, and even prevent certain types of cancer.

One more factor to consider when discussing brain health is exercise. Aerobic exercise has been shown to support better brain function. When you add in learning steps and choreography, you give your brain an additional challenge. So try some aerobic dance classes! You'll have fun, lose weight, and also keep your brain healthy.