Oct 23, 2006
Brain Coach Answers: Do I really have to eat my vegetables?
By: Caroline Latham
Short answer … yes!
Now the longer answer …
“On measures of mental sharpness, older people who ate more than two servings of vegetables daily appeared about five years younger at the end of the six-year study than those who ate few or no vegetables.”
The Associated Press reported on this Chicago-based, 6-year study of healthy seniors aged 65 and older. Interestingly, the results showed green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and collards slowed age-related cognitive decline, while there was no apparent benefit from eating fruit - suggesting that the effect wasn’t due to merely a healthy diet, but instead something specific to the vegetables. Vitamin E and healthy fats that help you absorb antioxidants were given most of the credit, but exercise also correlated with better results.
The Four Pillars of Good Health:
- Physical Fitness
- Brain Fitness
- Good Nutrition
- Reduced Stress
Keep working on each pillar. They all take work and commitment, but if you stick to it, you can have a healthier life with more time to spend on the things you love rather than recuperating from illness.
[…] Related Links The Four Pillars of Health: physical fitness, mental fitness, nutritional diet, and stress reduction Managing Stress Brain Anatomy Physical Fitness and Brain Fitness Glossary of Terms […]
[…] What can you do to stay mentally sharp? The good news is whether or not you and your doctor decide to go with hormone replacement therapy, lifestyle choices like exercise, nutritional management, and brain exercise can help alleviate the symptoms of menopause and aging. If you feel mentally fuzzy, try various strategies for dealing with weak attention or try some of the software programs out there that specifically work on increasing attention and working memory. […]
[…] What can you do to stay mentally sharp? The good news is whether or not you and your doctor decide to go with hormone replacement therapy, lifestyle choices like exercise, nutritional management, and brain exercise can help alleviate the symptoms of menopause and aging. If you feel mentally fuzzy, try various strategies for dealing with weak attention or try some of the software programs out there that specifically work on increasing attention and working memory. […]
[…] Caroline from SharpBrains has a great way to relieve the stress of the holidays while reminding us of why it is so important to eat a variety of good vegetables. Karen from Miscmum in Australia wants to offer us a fresh view on Thanksgiving from an international perspective. […]
I found a very interesting web page called “Cosmetic Neurology” .Take a look.
Joao,
I agree that “cosmetic neurology” is going to be a fascinating field to watch evolve. There are a lot of different ethical and personal liberty issues to weigh.