Foods To Stay Clear Of For Your Memory

Contrary to popular belief, forgetting things, such as where you kept your keys, or blanking out all of a sudden, are not always a natural part of the aging process. There could be more than meets the eye. The foods you eat are instrumental in preserving your memory. The brain is the most energy-consuming organ in the body. Everything boils down the food you put inside your body, for example, if you are heavy on fast foods, it will reflect in the way you think, learn and remember things.

Here are some foods you should absolutely steer clear of that could lead to cognitive issues or worsen any existing memory problems:

Fried foods– Fried chicken, French fries, etc. has kind of become our staple foods. According to researchers, these foods are connected to a decline in cognitive health in memory and learning. So it is wise to stay clear of these.

Consumption of alcohol in excess– Alcohol consumption in excess can contribute to a blurry memory. It’s high time you put a cap on your alcohol consumption. This will significantly cut your risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Not to mention lowered risk for heart disease, diabetes, too, which are said to negatively impact the cognitive function.

Trans fats– There are two types of fats- healthy and unhealthy fats. Unhealthy fats include trans fats, which can wreak havoc on your heart and brain health. You should eat more foods high in the good fats- monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. If you want to decrease intake of trans fats, cut consumption of margarines, processed foods (cakes and biscuits, sausage and bacon, cheese, etc.), packaged baked goods on the lines of doughnuts, snack foods (nuts is healthy snack option). Consumption of foods in trans fats is associated with an increased risk for cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease (or other-related dementias).

Artificial sweeteners– Artificial sweeteners- found in diet sodas- can interfere with your memory. It can raise insulin levels that can drastically increase risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

If you really wish to combat memory loss, you must adopt the Mediterranean eating pattern that comprises foods that are proven to fight memory loss and lower risk for dementia.

It must be noted here that there is no sure-fire dementia cure. So do whatever it takes to prevent it in the first place, starting with eating the right foods. Remember in the initial stages of cognitive decline, what you eat can play a huge role in reversing cognitive decline.  This doesn’t hold true for advanced dementia though. However, avoiding carbohydrates like grains and sugars, and increasing intake of non-starchy vegetables (Chinese spinach, artichoke, asparagus, bean sprouts, beans) and healthy fats can slow progression of dementia.

Anthem Senior Living in Phoenix is an award-winning Anthem assisted living and memory care facility that improves quality of life of dementia residents through our specialized memory-care programs by looking at and dealing with all the factors that may lead to the memory problems. To book a suite, call Anthem Senior Living on 602.909.9550.