Memory-Boosting Meals
Turn back the clock with fruits and veggies
“It’s not the ‘60s. Beware of free radicals,” advise Dr. Gary Small in his book, The Memory Bible. He isn’t talking about hippies, but if you have trouble remembering back to those flower-power days, listen up.
Free radicals, Small points out, are oxidants that can do serious harm to your brain cells. Fortunately, vitamins C and E can help combat this damage.
“Recent studies,” says Small, “show that people with low blood levels of these antioxidant vitamins have poorer abilities.”
Scientists at Tufts University created a scale to rate the antioxidant power of foods. They place these among the most potent.
Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Enjoy these delicious and nutritious morsels on cereals, in salads, or by themselves as a sweet treat.
- Prunes and raisins. These dried fruits are high in calories, so alternate them with fresh ones like red grapes, oranges, plums, and cherries.
- Colorful veggies. Green spinach, broccoli, and avocado; red bell peppers and beets; yellow corn; and purple eggplant can brighten your brain with antioxidants.
Antioxidant vitamins aren’t the only ones you need to protect your memory. “Almost any vitamin deficiency,” Small says, “will affect brain fitness and should be avoided.” In fact, a B-vitamin deficiency is one of the first things he tests for when a patient complains of forgetfulness.
Include fish, lean meats cereals, and leafy greens in your diet to be sure you are getting all the important B vitamins. For the brain-boosting minerals zinc, iron, and boron, add nuts, whole grains, and dried beans.
Boron is an amazing mineral that prevent “mental meltdown”. It’s not considered “essential”, but it affects everything from hand-eye coordination to long-and short-term.