If you want to prevent dementia or rescue your memory, choosing the right foods is one of the most important strategies. Your brain uses 20-30% of the calories you consume. If you eat a junk-food diet, you will have a junk-food mind that is less capable of quick thinking and sharp decision-making. A number of studies have found that a healthy diet is associated with significantly lower risks of severe memory problems, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Here are 7 Foods that Help Protect Your Memory
1. Colorful vegetables and fruits
Go for the greens (and reds, yellows, blues, and other hues) in your meals. Produce is packed with nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that provide a powerful brain boost. Foods from plants of every color, even white, help reduce the inflammation that contributes to Alzheimer’s disease.
2. Water
Your brain is about 80% water. Not staying adequately hydrated can lead to brain fog. Research has shown that performance in tasks requiring memory, as well as attention, are diminished when you are just 2% dehydrated. And your brain can actually shrink in volume when it’s dehydrated.
3. Cruciferous vegetables
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and other cruciferous vegetables contain sulforaphane, which powerfully assists in DNA repair. They’re also high in folate and carotenoids, which lower homocysteine. High levels of this amino acid are linked to cognitive decline and dementia.
4. Berries
Acai, raspberries, and blueberries are high in antioxidants, which decrease the destruction caused by free radicals in the body and provide numerous benefits for the brain. In one study, people who consumed more berries experienced a slower rate of cognitive decline—up to 2.5 years—as they age.
5. Herbs and spices
Research shows that herbs and spices can be powerful memory enhancers. For example, rosemary and sage have been found to improve memory and offer protection from the cognitive decline associated with dementia. And cinnamon has been found to improve working memory in older adults.
6. Fatty fish
Fatty fish like wild salmon, sardines, and mackerel are healthy fats. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids, and in particular in two types of these fatty acids, EPA and DHA, that are crucial for optimal brain health. A growing body of evidence shows that higher levels of EPA and DHA are associated with a reduced incidence of dementia and slower cognitive decline.
7. Nuts
Eating nuts has been found to boost brain power as we age. In one study with nearly 5,000 people over the age of 55, eating at least two teaspoons of nuts per day was associated with improved memory and increased cognitive function by as much as 60%, compared with people who didn’t eat nuts. In a separate study appearing in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, mice that were bred to have Alzheimer’s disease were fed either a standard diet or one supplemented with walnuts. Over the course of the study, the mice eating the standard diet suffered memory deficits and impaired learning ability, while the mice eating walnuts showed a significant improvement in memory and learning ability.
If you or a loved one is suffering from memory issues, understand that there are many things you can do to prevent or reverse memory loss. At Amen Clinics, we use brain SPECT imaging as part of a comprehensive evaluation to help us develop a personalized treatment plan to prevent or reverse memory issues. Our Memory Rescue program has already helped many patients improve their memory.
Reach out today to speak with a specialist at 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.
I think you are providing a great service for people,
Dr. Amen. Thank you for all you do. Your brain
SPECT device seems to be working miracles for
people. Many people just can’t afford the cost
of the test. You tie the nutritional information
with your SPECT test which leads many to believe
that improvement or prevention of Alzheimer’s
or dementia MUST work in tandem. Is it possible
to improve or reverse these dreaded conditions without
SPECT? Thank you.
Comment by Karen — August 19, 2019 @ 6:09 AM
I wish I had known you people years back. I am here to stay, and become super healthy
Comment by Delece Ford — August 19, 2019 @ 2:53 PM
Dr Amen,
Thank you so much for sharing all this information all this has really changed my life and my families, there is one thing that i must disagree but this is by personal choice as I am not a scientist or have access to a lab for extensive research.
FISH!
Well since I’ve been following a vegan diet for a while now I am in disagreeing of eating an animal the same nutrients are present in vegetable sources without the need to kill a living being, also we are in a plastic society and the sea is getting more and more coated in plastic this is then eaten by fish and eaten by us… ALSO mercury its a toxin and this is found in fish. but hey I’m not the scientist.
So in a nutshell, eat what you want, the choice is yours, but be mindful of eating dead corpses as these are not as healthy as people may say.
Thank you for reading
#govegan
Comment by Rico — August 20, 2019 @ 8:18 AM
I too tend to steer away from eating seafood due to all the pollutants in our oceans. It’s in every ocean so one cannot say that it won’t show up in the seafood. I do what I can in eating a vegan diet & taking supplements. I use to raise my own meat but even that began to get expensive & with age harder to manage so I switched to a vegan diet which I’ve been on for years since my renal failure. I hope this has helped somewhat, it’s just my opinion & like stated about I’m not a scientist or have access to a lab.
I thank you for your time…
Comment by Deborah Swanson — August 24, 2019 @ 10:41 AM
Can taking strong painkillers long term affect brain function & cause early Dementia?
Comment by Naomi Peters — May 8, 2020 @ 3:54 PM
I agree with you as a fellow vegan Rico. Flax seeds have omegas and not the toxins ( or cruelty ) that eating fish has.
Comment by Joyce — July 5, 2020 @ 6:17 AM
Any medication or vaccination can help me to treat early dementia and Alzheimer please??
Comment by Mwangi — January 16, 2023 @ 2:31 AM
Hello Mwangi, thank you for reaching out. For more information about SPECT scans and our services, please contact our Care Coordinators: https://www.amenclinics.com/schedule-visit/. Here are some additional resources:
https://www.amenclinics.com/services/memory-rescue-program/
https://www.amenuniversity.com/au-memory-rescue
Comment by Amen Clinics — January 19, 2023 @ 8:10 PM
Where are you located? I live in Maui, Hawaii…..do you have a facility here?
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