A professor at the University of California, Los Angeles says that a balanced diet and regular exercise not only protects from heart disease and cancer, but also from brain damage and mental disorders.
Food is like a pharmaceutical compound that affects the brain."Diet, exercise and sleep have the potential to alter our brain health and mental function. This raises the exciting possibility that changes in diet are a viable strategy for enhancing cognitive abilities, protecting the brain from damage and counteracting the effects of aging," he added.
Analysing over 160 studies about food''s affect on the brain, he found that omega-3 fatty acids found in foods like salmon, walnuts and kiwi fruit might help improve learning and memory.
He said that omega-3 fatty acids might also help fight against mental disorders like depression, mood disorders, schizophrenia, and dementia.
Omega-3 fatty acids might improve school children’s performance in reading and in spelling, and reduce behavioural problems among them.
Blueberries are known to have a strong antioxidant capacity, he said, which can prevent the brain from oxidative damage.The researcher warned that diets high in trans fats and saturated fats adversely affect cognition, and that junk food and fast food negatively affect the brain’s synapses.
Folic acid is found in foods like spinach, orange juice and yeast is essential for brain function, and folate deficiency can lead to neurological disorders such as depression and cognitive impairment.
Folate supplementation prevents cognitive decline and dementia during aging, and enhances the effects of antidepressants.
The researcher also said that the high consumption of curcumin, found in the India curry spice turmeric, might help prevent Alzheimer''s disease and brain trauma.
Gomez-Pinilla says that all persons do not have extremely good genes, and that many require a balanced diet, regular exercise and a good night''s sleep
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