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Having A Healthy Eating Plan As Part Of Your Memory Improvement Program

Make sure you have a healthy eating plan that supports your efforts to improve your memory for the long term

Doctors for years have told many people repeatedly the importance of having a healthy eating plan, but did you know that healthy eating could actually help your memory and lessen your chances of developing dementia? Everyone wants to live to an old age and not have to worry about dementia and other memory problems. Being proactive with your diet today actually lessens your risk of developing dementia in your senior years.

One of the worst foods you can consume is unsaturated fat (trans fat) and unfortunately, it is a large part of the western world's diet and it is hard to find restaurants that do not serve it. So one quick tip is eat more at home so you can avoid the saturated fats or be very selective about your food choices when dining out.

Foods that are high in saturated fats and are a minimal part of a healthy eating plan include:

  • Fatty meats
  • Bacon, sausage
  • Processed meats
  • Butter
  • Lard
  • Egg yolks
  • Duck and chicken with the skin
  • Processed grains and other processed foods

In addition, you should begin reading the labels on packages very carefully. Many times packaging will say zero trans fat, which is unsaturated fat, but the ingredient list contains partially hydrogenated oils. This does contain trans fat, but if one cookie has less than 1 gram of trans fat, the FDA has ruled it okay to state on the package that is has no trans fat. No one eats just one cookie, therefore if one cookie has 0.5 grams of trans fat, and you eat 6 cookies, you have consumed 3 grams of trans fat.

healthy eating plan for long term memory

Moreover, partially hydrogenated oils are one of the worst foods ever invented. It became popular in the 70's as a cheaper way for manufacturers to make their products rather than using butter. Nearly all cookies, crackers, and chips on the grocery store shelves have particularly hydrogenated oils, and many of the cereals do as well.

The truth is, partially hydrogenated oils is what began the yo-yo obesity with Americans. Even items on the shelves that are labeled as "health food" often have partially hydrogenated oils; this is one substance to stay away from for the good of your heart, weight, and your memory.

Foods Which Keep Your Memory Sharp, Help With Memory Improvement And Prevent Dementia

Many very healthy foods all help to improve your memory and help to lower your chances to later develop dementia. These include:

  • Citrus fruits, such as oranges, pineapples, lemons, and limes
  • Vegetable oils, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, olive oil
  • Whole grains
  • Lean meats
  • Eggs
  • Soy milk
  • Fish
  • Poultry
  • Leafy vegetables

When you include the above foods in your diet along with several spices, you truly have a wide variety of foods from which to choose. Get into the habit of cooking for yourself since nearly all processed foods have transfat, which is not only bad for your heart, it is bad for your memory and brain function.

Final Thoughts

You probably heard repeatedly as a child that "we are what we eat" and nothing could be truer because scientists today are realizing that diet and the foods that are eaten on a regular basis not only affect a person's weight but it can affect memory and help protect you from dementia later in life. So do yourself a favor - create your own healthy eating plan and let your mind and memory shine throughout your life.

Discover other articles on living a healthy lifestyle that improves your chances of keeping your memory at its peak potential.

Leave the Healthy Eating Plan page and go to the Memory Improvement Tools home page