Tuesday, February 9, 2016

improve memory links




16 Foods for a Long, Healthy Life

A nutritionist pinpoints superfoods that can improve memory, lower blood pressure, boost the immune system and more.

 AARP The Magazine, April/May 2013
http://www.aarp.org/food/recipes/info-04-2013/16-foods-for-a-long-healthy-life.html?cmp=SL-DSO-OUTBRAIN-DESKTAB-FOOD-FOODSLIDEALTHEAD-SLIDE-PV_Improve+Memory%2C+Lower+Blood+Pressure%2C+and+Boos_495800232_5346384#slide1 


bouncing coffee beans shot on white

Coffee     1 of 17

En español | There's more than caffeine in your morning cup of joe. It's loaded with antioxidants, which can protect against cell damage and lower your risk of chronic disease, including diabetes, heart disease and stroke. A 2012 study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that coffee drinkers had significantly lower odds of dying during the 13-year study period than did nondrinkers. — Kang Kim
Thyme shot on white
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Thyme

Long known for its ability to fight bacteria, thyme, in tincture form, was recently found to be as effective as prescription creams in treating acne. Plus, new research suggests that thyme — as well as clove, rose, eucalyptus, fennel and bergamot — may suppress inflammation in the same way as resveratrol, the beneficial ingredient in red wine. — Kang Kim
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Salmon shot on white

Wild Salmon

Chock-full of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, wild salmon can be a powerful ally in the fight against premature aging. According to exciting research from Ohio State University, a diet abundant in omega-3s can help preserve small bits of DNA on the ends of cells, called telomeres. Shorter telomeres have been linked to early aging and even premature death. — Kang Kim
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Kale shot on white

Kale

Rich in vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting, this dark, leafy green additionally contains lutein, a nutrient that reduces the risk of cataracts and other eye disorders. One serving of cooked kale contains nearly triple the amount of lutein as a serving of raw spinach. — Kang Kim
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Avocado shot on white


Avocado
Once reviled for their high fat content (a medium avocado has 22 grams of fat — about a third of the recommended daily allotment), avocados have regained favor as a great source of glutathione, an antioxidant that decreases inflammation and improves overall hormone function. — Kang Kim
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basil with roots shot on white

Basil and Mint

Used for thousands of years in Chinese medicine to aid digestion and diminish inflammation, basil and mint are also strong sources of luteolin, which may play a role in boosting the immune system. In 2010 the Journal of Nutrition reported that luteolin may even improve memory. — Kang Kim
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Olive Oil being poured out of bowl

Olives and Olive Oil

Key ingredients in the Mediterranean diet, olives and olive oil are known to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. A new study from the American Academy of Neurology found that olive oil may reduce the risk of stroke, too: People 50 or older who regularly used it both for cooking and on foods had a 41 percent lower risk of stroke compared with those who never used olive oil. — Kang Kim
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Walnuts shot on white

Walnuts

Ounce for ounce, walnuts have almost twice as many antioxidants as any other nut, according to researchers from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. Walnuts also contain high levels of vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to enhance heart health. — Kang Kim
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green tea and tea leaves

Green Tea


Abundant in catechins, a type of antioxidant known to protect cells, green tea may additionally reduce the risk of certain cancers. Researchers from Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville found that women who drank green tea at least three times a week lowered their risk of developing cancers of the stomach and esophagus by 17 percent. — Kang Ki
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Sweet potatoes shot on white

Sweet Potatoes


With their generous helpings of vitamin B6 and potassium, sweet potatoes can help protect the immune system and regulate blood pressure. When eaten with the skins, they have more fiber than a cup of oatmeal and four times the U.S. recommended daily allowance for beta-carotene. — Kang Kim
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Stack of chunks of dark chocolate

Dark Chocolate


Rich in flavonoids, dark chocolate can aid in reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In fact, theBritish Medical Journal reports that daily consumption of chocolate with at least 60 percent cocoa may reduce heart attacks and strokes in high-risk individuals. While the study participants consumed 100 grams of dark chocolate daily (about 500 calories' worth), smaller amounts are also beneficial. — Kang Kim
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asparagus shot on white

Asparagus


A natural diuretic, asparagus is high in potassium and vitamin B12, important for cell repair and maintenance. Research by scientists at the University of Sydney in Australia showed that B12 can boost the auditory system: People with low levels of this B vitamin have a 39 percent increased risk of hearing loss. — Kang Kim
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Semillas de granada

Pomegranates

With very high levels of antioxidants, pomegranates can help keep the cardiovascular system healthy. Case in point: A 2011 British study found that drinking a 17-ounce glass of pomegranate juice every day lowered blood pressure. — Kang Kim
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garlic cloves shot on white

Garlic

Sulfur compounds in garlic give this herb both its potent smell and its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. When garlic is crushed, it releases allicin, which wards off heart attacks and strokes. Also, according to researchers at King's College in London, women who ate garlic and other vegetables in the allium family (onions, leeks) had a lower risk of hip osteoarthritis. — Kang Kim
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 Greek Yogurt in a bowl, shot on white

Yogurt


Well-known for restoring balance to the gastrointestinal tract, yogurt with live cultures may improve heart health. Research presented at the American Heart Association's 2012 Scientific Sessions showed that study participants were 31 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure if they got at least 2 percent of their daily calories from yogurt. That's just one 6-ounce serving of low-fat yogurt every three days. — Kang Kim
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blueberries shot on white

Blueberries


Loaded with antioxidants, blueberries rank among the top disease-fighting foods. Among the more recent findings: Three or more servings a week may reduce a woman's risk of heart attack by up to 33 percent, and a diet high in these berries can stave off memory loss by several years. — Kang Kim
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Apple a Day ....  will keep the Doctor Away... LOL
Apples on a plate, 15 Superfoods for the 50+

    Avocado

    Avocado

    Once reviled for their high fat content (a medium avocado has 22 grams of fat — about a third of the recommended daily allotment), avocados have regained favor as a great source of glutathione, an antioxidant that decreases inflammation and improves overall hormone function. — Kang Kim
    Once reviled for their high fat content (a medium

    Keep Your Memory Strong by Walking

    Moderate exercise can increase brain size

    by Nissa Simon, AARP Bulletin, February 15, 2011|Comments: 30
    En español | The best thing you can do to keep your brain in shape is get off the couch and head out the door for a brisk walk. Just one year of walking three times a week can increase the size of the hippocampus, a part of the brain that's key to memory.
    walking
    Regular exercise can increase the area of the brain that deals with memory. — Reiner Riedler/Anzenberger/Redux
    Scientists know that the hippocampus inevitably begins to shrink as we age, leading to impaired memory and an increased risk of dementia. Now, for the first time, researchers have shown that aerobic exercise can reverse the shrinkage and improve memory, a finding that builds on past evidence pointing to a relationship between fitness and brain function.
    "This important study goes well beyond saying that exercise is good for older people, a statement that often leads people to roll their eyes and say, 'Of course,' " says Columbia University neurologist Scott Small, M.D., who was not involved in the research. "It links exercise specifically to a way in which aging affects the brain and clearly establishes a means to ameliorate the onset of age-related memory decline."

    Related

    For the study, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Illinois, Rice University and Ohio State University recruited 120 sedentary older people without dementia.
    The men and women, 55 to 80 years old, reported that in the previous six months they had participated in less than one weekly session of physical activity lasting at least 30 minutes. "These folks were pretty much professional couch potatoes," says psychologist Arthur Kramer, director of the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the study's senior author.
    The participants were randomly assigned to one of two supervised groups, either an aerobic exercise program of walking around a track for 40 minutes a day, three days a week, or a program of yoga and toning with resistance bands. They provided blood samples, had MRI brain scans and took memory tests at the beginning of the one-year study, after six months and at the end.
    After the study ended, brain scans showed that the hippocampus had increased in size by about 2 percent among the walking group, which effectively reversed age-related loss by one to two years, while it shrank by about 1.4 percent in the stretching group. The exercise group also showed improved performance on a memory test and increased levels of BDNF, a protein involved in learning and memory.
    Notes Kramer, "This is an inexpensive and painless way to improve memory and brain health. All you need is a good pair of shoes."
    The aerobic exercise-memory study appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Jan. 31, 2010.
    Nissa Simon is a freelance writer who lives in New Haven, Conn.
    avocado has 22 grams of fat — about a third of the recommended daily allotment), avocados have regained favor as a great source of glutathione, an antioxidant that decreases inflammation and improves overall hormone function. — Kang Kim













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