THE BRAIN - USE IT OR LOSE IT!

Did you know our brain is our #1 "use-it-or-lose-it" organ?  So, keep your brain busy; read, work puzzles, do quizzes, etc.  And put the kinds of foods and beverages into your mouth that will help to stimulate the brain.  Following are a few suggestions:

• Brew some coffee.  Would you believe coffee is one of the most stimulating scents to the brain according to research at Kyorin University School of Medicine in Japan.  And a French study of women 65 and older who drank more than 3 cups of coffee a day were 33% less likely to experience decline in verbal fluency than those who drank less.  The experts suggest you brew coffee several times a week even if you don't drink it.
• Eat a power breakfast high in brain-healthy foods.  Example: Add blueberries to a good whole-grain cereal or some low-sugar, fat-free yogurt.  You are probably aware that the antioxidant properties in blueberries are great, but blueberries also increase blood flow to the brain, which in turn improves your neuronal function.
• For lunch eat something high in luteolin as it may contribute to reducing the risk of dementia.    Carrots, celery, green bell peppers, olive oil, along with peppermint and chamomile teas are all good sources.
• For dinner eat a meal rich in Omega-3s.  Fish such as cod, salmon, sardines, mackerel, and tuna are good sources.  Omega-3 are also found in flaxseed, walnuts, great northern beans, kidney beans, navy beans, and soybeans.

Keep that brain nourished and active.  It is one organ you really do need to protect.  Without an active healthy brain, the rest of the body isn't worth a whole lot.