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Nutrition

Eat to overcome inflammation
High levels of inflammation may heighten your risk for dementia, so choose whole, unprocessed, high-fiber foods to decrease those levels, advises Elisa Lottor, ND, PhD, author of Female and Forgetful (Warner, 2002). "Instead of drinking orange juice, eat an orange; instead of white bread, choose whole grain," she says. A dearth of omega-3 fatty acids can also lead to chronic inflammation. Boost omega-3s by eating fish—especially salmon, sardines, and mackerel—at least twice a week, suggests Alan C. Logan, ND, author of The Brain Diet (Cumberland House, 2007).

Drink green tea
In a recent study, researchers examined green tea's effect on 1,003 adults and found that consuming one cup a day lowered risk for dementia by 38 percent (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2006, vol. 83, no. 2). "Even more intriguing is that they found drinking two cups or more a day lowered the risk by 54 percent," says Logan.

Add more antioxidants to your diet
A recent study, funded by the National Institute on Aging, corroborates the long-standing belief that foods rich in antioxidants—such as blueberries, cranberries, and cherries—boost brain function. Researchers discovered that elderly beagles fed a diet rich in antioxidants were better able to learn unfamiliar tasks (Neurobiology of Aging, 2005, vol. 26, no. 1).

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