Best Foods for Brain Health as You Age

Ever wonder how to keep your brain sharp as you age? Your diet makes a bigger difference than you might realize. In fact, research shows that eating the right foods may help prevent and slow the progress of age-related memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.

So what should you be eating? Researchers at Rush University developed a healthy-brain eating plan, called the Mind Diet, to protect your brain as you age. It’s based on a combination of the Dash Diet and the Mediterranean Diet, and both have been recognized as effective eating plans to protect your heart and your health. In the Mind Diet, the brain foods you should be eating include:

• Leafy-green vegetables
• Other vegetables
• Nuts
• Beans
• Whole grains
• Fish
• Poultry
• Olive oil
• Wine
• Berries (especially blueberries)

Take a closer look at your diet. Are you eating plenty of these brain-healthy foods, or do you need to make some changes to your regular menu? If you aren’t getting enough of these foods to protect your brain, it’s probably not too late to start. Studies show that making dietary changes to improve brain health can actually slow the progress of Alzheimer’s and other age-related memory problems.

Adjusting your diet to keep your brain healthy might take some work, but it’s worth the effort. The more fresh fruits and vegetables you eat, along with other whole foods, the better off your brain will be as you age. Eating this way can help combat inflammation and free radicals, reduce cholesterol, improve blood pressure and provide protective benefits to keep your body and your brain healthy.

And it's easier to do than you might realize. Our Senior-Friendly menu includes 70-plus meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, all made from fresh ingredients Some of our newest selections include Salmon & Vegetable Linguini, Beef Bourguignon, Brown Rice & Broccoli, and a Cheese Omelet with Broccoli and Cinnamon Apples.