You probably already know that exercise and proper diet keeps your body "young." But did you know you can also keep your mind young (quite literally)? In fact, I've just come across a study that suggests you can reverse your brain's age... by up to 5.5 years!
The study, published in the prestigious British medical journal The Lancet, set out to find if folic acid could affect mental performance.[1] Dutch researchers took 818 participants aged 50 - 70 and split them into two groups. One group received 800 mcg of folic acid daily for three years. The second group received a placebo. At the start of the study, all of the participants were given a battery of memory tests to measure cognitive performance.
So what happened?
The group that took folic acid showed a HUGE improvement on the standardized memory tests given at the end of the study. In fact, they did so well that they knocked 5 1/2 years off their ages when it came to their test performance. And that was the AVERAGE. Some folks erased even more years on their mental "age."Bottom line: If you want to keep your memory sharp, seriously consider supplementing with 800 mcg of folic acid daily. You can find it at most grocery and health food stores.
In the end, keeping your brain healthy should be just as important as keeping the rest of your body in tip top shape. This is especially true if you're nearing your 50s. It's estimated that anywhere from 50-75 percent of Americans over 50 complain of mild memory problems. And as the baby boomer generation continues to age, it's expected that around 7.7 million will develop life-threatening mental decline (diseases like dementia and Alzheimer's). So do everything you can to keep both your body AND mind in great shape.
As for brain health, in addition to taking folic acid, you can start walking regularly. A study in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that walking just 40 minutes, 3 times a week can expand the size of your hippocampus - an area of the brain that's heavily responsible for your memory.[2]
And, start drinking more green tea. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that the polyphenols in green tea can help prevent Alzheimer's disease by stopping the formation of beta-amyloid proteins (one of the toxic proteins believed to play a role in the development of Alzheimer's.)[3]
Follow the tips I've given you here today, and you'll be on the path to having a sharp memory and a healthy brain for years to come!
And by the way ... if you're serious about taking your overall health and fitness to the next level, why not take advantage of your FREE Fitness Consultation? (an $65 value) During this consult, you'll receive detailed information on how to get fit and trim that's tailored to YOUR body. There's no obligation and it's totally and completely free. To sign up, click here
References:
[1] Durga, Jane, et al."Effect of 3-year folic acid supplementation on cognitive function in older adults in the FACIT trial: a randomised, double blind, controlled trial"The Lancet, Vol.369, Issue 9557, Pg.208 - 216, Jan. 2007
[2] Erickson, Kirk, et al."Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory" PNAS, Jan. 31, 2011
[3] Green tea (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate inhibits beta-amyloid-induced cognitive dysfunction through modification of secretase activity via inhibition of ERK and NF-kappaB pathways in mice.Lee JW, Lee YK, Ban JO, Ha TY, Yun YP, Han SB, Oh KW, Hong JT. J Nutr. 2009 Oct;139(10):1987-93. Epub 2009 Aug 5.
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