Best Brain Food for Heart Health & Brain Power
And, on the other hand, choosing the best brain food contributes to your heart health.
New research, published in the Archives of Neurology, shows that eating a healthy heart diet as you age and living a heart healthy lifestyle helps to prevent senility, Alzheimer's disease and memory loss in seniors.
And this is mainly based on the production of good HDL cholesterol.
The study shows that people with low HDL cholesterol have a 60% greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s than those with healthy high HDL levels.
Cholesterol – the Good HDL vs the Bad LDL
Cholesterol is basically a waxy substance found in your bloodstream. It’s made up of the “good” HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol and the “bad" LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol and triglycerides.
For a healthy heart and brain you need high HDL (good) cholesterol, low LDL (bad) cholesterol, low triglycerides and a low total cholesterol count.
But over half of Americans have LDL cholesterol levels way too high to support a healthy heart or brain. Here are the 3 main reasons why:
- Poor diet,
- Excess weight,
- And lack of exercise.
- Stroke,
- Diabetes,
- Heart disease,
- And Alzheimer’s
How to Improve Your Cholesterol Profile
What can you do right now to take the first steps to totally lower cholesterol naturally and, at the same time, raise your good HDL cholesterol?
Eat more brain food by following a healthy heart diet and lifestyle:
- Increase your healthy high fiber foods like raw and lightly steamed veggies, fresh raw fruit, 100% whole grains, nuts, seeds and beans.
- Reduce your saturated fat intake to 10% or less of calories. Saturated fats, mainly from fatty meats, high-fat dairy products, poultry skin, hydrogenated coconut and palm oils and highly processed foods, raise your bad LDL cholesterol levels more than anything else.
- Eliminate the trans-fats found in processed and deep fried foods.
- Choose the best brain foods high in healthy essential fatty acids found in whole grains, nuts, seeds, omega 3 fish and olive oil. Keep your fat calorie count between 25% and 35% of total calorie intake.
- Eat quality high protein foods like lean poultry, low or non-fat dairy, fish, eggs and soy, instead of meat that is high in saturated fat.
- If you're overweight, eat fewer calories. You’re far more likely to have heart disease if you’re overweight. Learn how many calories you need to lose weight and eat just enough calories to reach and maintain a healthy body weight and good blood cholesterol levels.
- Exercise 30 minutes or more a day. A brisk and pleasant half-hour walk is enough physical activity to keep most people in good health.
- Cut down on sodium to less than 2,400 milligrams a day to keep your blood pressure down. Be spicy instead of salty. Flavor your foods with herbs, spices, lemon, lime, vinegar or salt-free seasonings.
- Take quality nutritional health supplements and omega 3 fish oil for healthy brain cells and heart health. The right healthy heart vitamins will maximize the benefits you get from a heart healthy diet.
- And if you smoke, give it up ASAP.
More Commonsense Health for You:
How to Lower Blood Pressure
The Truth about Cholesterol and Fats
The 7 Steps for How to Prevent Heart Disease
How Many Calories Should I Eat a Day to Lose Weight
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Posted in: Diet & Nutrition
By Moss Greene Google+
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