You can significantly decrease your chances for Alzheimer’s and dementia by limiting foods high in saturated fat and refined sugar, but you can offset even more potential damage by eating foods shown to protect your mind.
A Mediterranean diet rich in healthy oils, non-starchy vegetables and low-glycemic fruits has been associated with reduced risk of cognitive decline, dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Keeping an active lifestyle also plays a huge role in protecting your brain. Regular exercise reduces your insulin resistance, increases your vascular supply so you get a better supply of glucose in the brain and boosts your metabolism. Together with a diet rich in brain food, an active lifestyle can protect that beautiful, brilliant brain of yours.
6 easy-to-get nutrients that further assist your brain power and protection:
| Nutrient | Find it in… | Benefits |
| Flavonoids | red wine, dark chocolate (raw is best lightly sweetened with coconut or agave), tea | probiotic, antioxidant, may reduce risk of dementia |
| Folic Acid | kale, quinoa, millet | supports cognitive function |
| Curcumin | turmeric | digestive aid, anti-inflammatory, memory retrieval |
| Canosic Acid | rosemary | may improve memory and protect against degeneration, aids circulation and digestion |
| Antioxidants | goji berries, berries, cacao (raw chocolate), leafy greens | protect against free radicals, which can cause brain degeneration |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | chia seeds, avocado, coconuts, nuts, olive oil | crucial role in brain function, anti-inflammatory |
All Food Choices Are Not Equal
Pick fresh sources of food as close to the natural state as possible.
Instead of buying a bottled, sugary, pasteurized smoothie made with berries that has been on the shelf for months, go directly to the source and enjoy a bowl of fresh berries.
Organic, first press extra-virgin olive oil used raw in salad dressings is superior to frying in olive oil.
Put olive oil and lemon on a kale-based salad with chia seeds and avocado for a brain-boosting healthy meal.