Nutrition and Cognitive Function

Nutrition profoundly impacts cognitive function. Food can either support or hinder our ability to think, focus, remember, and make decisions. Our heart us ticking, but our topmost organ, the brain - and how we feed it- is a major driver of, think, focus, remember, and make decisions. That is why the researchers at the Rush University in Chicago created an eating plan designed to keep us sharp: the MIND DIET. "It's one of the best researched diets for brain-health and is ideal for people looking for a simple but incredibly powerful way to preserve brain function," says Maggie Moon, R.D, the author of the "MIND DIET". Studies show that people who follow the MIND DIET, may see their risk of Alzheimer's cut in half and could turn the brain's biological clock by about seven years. If we follow a Mediterranean style of eating, the MIND Diet, we may feel familiar, as a way to minimize brainpower saboteurs, such as saturated fats, sodium salts, fried foods, and added sugars and as a call for loading up on foods with key brain friendly nutrients like omega-3's, antioxidants, vitamins B The plan homes and E, iron, zinc, and magnesium. The MIND Diet puts special emphasis on brain supporting foods and tells us exactly how much of each type to consume weekly. "The plan homes in on foods that help fight oxidative stress suppress inflammation, and protect and repair brain cells and create new ones." Moon explains. Below, are the key elements of the MIND Diet.

The MIND DIET FORMULA : Plan out your meals using the following categories, thinking of these as weekly minimum portions. Feel free to incorporate more of them into your diet along with other nutritious foods, such as fruits and eggs, while eating small amounts of nuts, cheese, meat and butter.

Whole Grains (21+Servings a Week): About one-half cup of cooked taro, quinoa, or barley as one serving, is rich in B-vitamins, which research suggests can help protect memory and hence slow cognitive decline. As a bonus, B-Vitamins help our body absorb and use allthe other nutrients, we supp it with.

Leafy Grains (6+servings a week): Spinac kale, and other dark leafy greens deliver an arra of essential nutrients, including folate, a B vitamm that has neuro-protective benefits and also aids the production of serotonin and dopamine whic play a role in boosting and stabilizing mood. Aim for atleast 2 cups per serving.

Vegetables (7+ servings a week): Filling plate with produce is always smart, especially wher our health is a high priority. To maximize the assortment of vitamins and minerals we will ge may eat our way through a rainbow of peppers carrots, tomatoes, lettuce, summer squash, and othe colorful picks - at least in one cup.

Nuts and Seeds (5+ servings a week): Hig in polyphenols, they're shown to reduce the risk developing dementia; nuts also supply 'crunch Walnuts are particularly good for our 'noggin' sprinkle once over salads.

Berries (2+servings a week): Blackberries straw-berries, raspberries, and blueberries are simila in more ways than just their names - they a rea good sources of anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that give blue, red, and purple-pigmented foods the colors. Regularly consuming a serving of blue-berries in particular, may help improve cognition in olde adults, research suggests.

Beans (4+servings a week) : About a half cup of these legumes helps keep blood sugar leves steady, due to their combo of fiber and protein, whic research suggests can aid in preventing cognitive impairment.

Poultry (2+servings a week): One can choos 3 to 4 ounces of chicken or turkey over pork or re meat. These deliver not only protein, necessary fo optimal neurotransmitter functions, but also brain friendly minerals.

Fish (1+ servings a week): Can prioritize eating about 4 ounces of fatty fish like salmon, as it packed with omega-3s and other polyunsaturate fatty acids, both key to reducing inflammation tha may negatively affect cognitive health.

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Courtesy: Dr. Tej Munshi and Koshur Samachar 2025,December