We all forget names, lose our keys, and misplace our cellphones. Occasional brain fog is so common and has so many potential triggers (lack of sleep, stress, medications, or depression, etc.) that it’s very difficult to tell if your brain is aging faster than you might expect it to or if your forgetfulness is simply a temporary symptom of living a crazy modern life.
One thing you’ll definitely want to remember to help you stay mentally sharp is that your eating habits over time may accelerate memory decline and other markers of waning cognitive function that is associated with the aging brain.
We’re still learning about the various forms and causes of dementia and the mechanics of the abnormalities that characterize Alzheimer’s disease, but more and more research suggests that our diets play a critical role.
“What we eat affects more than our bodies; it also affects our brain,” says Uma Naidoo, MD, a nutritional psychiatrist, trained chef, and director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Eating an order of French fries is not going to fry your brain. It’s the regular consumption of those unhealthy foods overtime that may compromise your brainpower just as it can increase the likelihood of experiencing other disorders associated with aging, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
Let’s review the types of foods that negatively affect our health and the research behind their dangers.
