Do you want to do something to help improve concentration and memory? Try a glass of cranberry juice and it will give your brain a boost, says a new study on the health benefits of cranberries in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
According to pioneering research, a daily drink of wild blueberry juice improved the memory of older subjects who were known to have age-related memory problems.
Experts have long believed that what we eat and drink has an impact on thinking ability, but this is the first work to show the benefit of a food like blueberries in helping the memory of older people who are already at risk of dementia.
While some lapses in memory or slowing down of thinking are a normal part of aging, significant memory loss is not.
Amazingly, the brain can produce new cells at any age, and it can train or learn new things at any age. What we often attribute to forgetting is more precisely a slowing down of the brain’s ability to absorb, store, and retrieve new information.
“The findings from this preliminary study suggest that moderate-term blueberry supplementation may confer neurocognitive benefit,” says researcher Robert Krikorian of the University of Cincinnati Academic Center for Health.
A group of 70-year-old participants who had signs of age-related memory impairment drank nearly two and a half cups of commercially available cranberry juice each day, while a control group of subjects drank a non-juice flavored beverage. berries in similar quantities. The study lasted two months
The team performed memory tests, such as word associations and recalling word lists, both at the beginning and end of the study period.
The results? Those who drank the cranberry juice had a significant improvement on tests of learning and memory compared to the demographically matched sample who drank the drink without juice.
Cranberry juice drinkers also reported fewer symptoms of depression and had lower glucose levels. More work will be done to confirm these details, but the benefits of blueberries on memory seem pretty clear.
Blueberries, beyond being tasty, have a large number of phytochemicals, known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on the body.
Previous studies in animals have found that polyphenols in blueberries (known as anthocyanins) have increased signaling in brain centers related to memory. They also help the brain get rid of glucose.
Beyond what you eat, there are other things you can do to keep your mind sharp as you age. Exercise regularly as this brings more oxygen to your brain. Eat a healthy diet with fruits (including blueberries), vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.
Stress can be a terrible drain on your mind, so you will need to do everything you can to manage the stress in your life. Make sure you get a good night’s sleep, and if you don’t, take steps to improve your sleep habits.
Lastly, do not smoke, as this increases the risk of vascular disorders that can cause a stroke or constrict the arteries that carry oxygen to the brain.
If you find that you are already forgetting more than you would like, here are things you can do …
– Use notes or checklists to stay organized.
– Put important appointments / dates in an electronic planner, calendar or organizer.
– Put the things you use all the time in the same place every time.
– Write down the steps for complex or hard-to-remember tasks.
– Use an alarm clock or timer to remind yourself when to go out or do something.
– Rely on maps, GPS systems, or family and friends to help you get from point A to point B.
– Learn new things faster by listening carefully when someone speaks, repeating information, focusing on one thing at a time and trying to have your session in quiet places without distractions.
– Get mental exercise: play strategy games, try crosswords or number puzzles, read newspapers and magazines that challenge you, learn new things like games, recipes or driving routes, take a course on a topic you don’t know, or try a project that it requires design and planning.
– Social interaction helps the brain by challenging the mind and helping to relieve stress or depression symptoms caused by isolation.
Remember, to a large extent, keeping your brain healthy and sharp for years to come is within your control. All you have to do is get started to see results that improve concentration and memory.