Best Doctors: Add These Brain Boosters To Your Diet
Fish oil, probiotics and prebiotics and a little bit of discipline are easy ways to optimize your diet for brain health.
Fish Oil Is The Hook Up
Chock full of omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil lives up to the hype. “Fish oil supplements keep you in good health and can be helpful to the brain and cognitive function,” says Dr. Thomas Sferra, chief of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. “They’re safe as long as they’re from a reputable vendor, but make sure to consult a physician before adding anything to your diet.”
Happy Gut, Happy Brain
While probiotics and prebiotics’ may support healthy bacteria in some patients’ intestinal tracts, they could potentially impact brain health too. “The health of your gut bacteria is connected to your cerebral functioning,” says Sferra. “The data we’ve seen shows that your intestinal microbiome contributes long term to brain health.”
Discipline Your Diet
Above all, optimal brain health requires a nutritious lifestyle. Limit salt, alcohol and simple sugars, particularly high-fructose calories like those in soda. “No substance must be avoided 100%, but simple sugars contribute to obesity and insulin resistance, which can lead to small vessel disease in the brain,” says Sferra. “Over time, that affects your brain function.”
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Click here to read the more articles from Best Doctors: Special Brain Health Report cover package.
