Hey, as we all get older, we all suffer from some memory loss. It is a natural process of aging. Have you ever walked into a room to get something and completely forget what you are there for? Well, not me :) But I have found out that there are two memory foods that can help boost your brain power and also help reduce your memory loss.
In trying to eat healthier, I have started having a smoothie shake every day. Among the ingredients of my shake are blueberries and strawberries, some of my favorite foods. To my delight, a study conducted by researchers at Harvard shows that you can improve your memory as well as greatly slow down cognitive decline by eating strawberries and blueberries on a regular basis.
Why Strawberries and Blueberries
It is the red and purple colors that does it. The color comes from flavonoids which is the water soluble plant pigment contained in the berries. Our loss in brain function is partly caused by inflammation and stress caused by the aging process and the pressures of our daily life. Due to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of flavonoids, these harmful effects are slowed down.
Details of the Study on Memory Loss
Data used by the researchers was obtained from questionnaires completed by almost 122,000 registered nurses starting in 1976 on a long running nurses’ health study. These nurses were between the ages of 30 to 55. Among many other things, this Nurses’ health study focused on testing their memory and eating habits.
The researchers targeted 16,000 of these nurses for their study on memory loss. These 16,000 nurses eating habits were surveyed every four years between the years of 1995 to 2001. The nurses in this group of 16,000 had all reached 70 years of age or older.
Results of the Study on Memory Loss
It was found in this study that nurses who regularly ate strawberries and blueberries actually delayed their memory loss for as much as two and one half years. You can read all about these results in the ‘Annals of Neurology’ April the 26th issue.
The author of the study, Dr. Elizabeth Devore, a Channing Laboratory researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital was quoted saying “What makes our study unique is the amount of data we analyzed over such a long period of time. No other berry study has been conducted on such a large scale,” She also said “Among women who consumed 2 or more servings of strawberries and blueberries each week we saw a modest reduction in memory decline. This effect appears to be attainable with relatively simple dietary modifications.”
Professor of aging studies at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Dr. Brent Small told WebMD “I think it’s very exciting because there’s not a lot that’s been reported in the human literature that’s focused on these types of compounds.”
Memory Improvement Tips
There are some other things we all can do to slow down the risk of cognitive decline and memory loss. Among these memory improvement tips are regular resistance training exercise, eating healthy to maintain a normal weight and to keep the mind active through things like puzzles. There are drinks like Nawgan to help your short term memory loss and increase concentration and focus.
But the good news for me and hopefully for you too is that blueberries and strawberries, which I love, will help improve my brain power and also help stave off my memory loss.
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