Memory Bouquet Club

“Redefining Dementia Care one person at a time”

^{Healthy Mind, Healthy Life}

^{Nutrition for Better Brain Health}

^{Healthy Diet: “A healthy diet is a diet that maintains or improves overall health. A healthy diet provides the body with essential nutrition: fluid, macronutrients such as protein, micronutrients such as vitamins, and adequate fiber.”}

Considerations When Establishing A Healthy Diet

Following a healthy diet helps protect us against malnutrition, as well as non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and dementia.

Guidelines from the World Health Organization 2024 includes the following:

• Limit intake of free sugars to between 5 - 10% of your total caloric intake.

• Limit the intake of processed and refined foods. (these are low in nutritional value and may contain high sugar and salt levels).

• Limit salt intake to less than 5 gram per day.

• Limit intake of saturated fats and trans-fats to less than 1% of your caloric intake.

• Choose whole grains such as barley, maize, wheat, millet, oats, brown rice, and rye.

• Add legumes to your diet (lentils and beans).

• Eat at least 400 grams or 5 portions of fruits and vegetables (excluding potatoes and sweet potatoes).

• Make sure you use unsaturated fats for cooking or meal preparation (extra-virgin olive, coconut, and avocado oil).

• Add lean protein to every meal (aim for 20 -30 grams for each meal for example, meat, eggs, tofu, avocado, dairy products, nuts, and beans).

Impacting Your Brainpower Through Food:

• Green, leafy vegetables. Leafy greens such as kale, spinach, collards, and broccoli are rich in brain-healthy nutrients like vitamin K, lutein, folate, and beta carotene. Research suggests these plant-based foods may help slow cognitive decline.

• Fatty fish. Fatty fish and healthy unsaturated fats may be linked to lower beta-amyloid—the protein associated with Alzheimer's disease. Try to eat fish at least twice a week, but choose varieties that are low in mercury, such as salmon, cod, canned light tuna, and pollack. If you're not a fan of fish, an omega-3 supplement is a good option.

• Berries. Natural plant pigments that give berries their brilliant hues called flavonoids, were shown by research to improve memory. A study done at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that women who consumed two or more servings of strawberries and blueberries each week delayed memory decline by up to two-and-a-half years.

• Tea and coffee. A study published by John Hopkins University showed that participants with higher caffeine consumption scored better on tests of cognitive function. Caffeine also helps solidify new memories.

• Walnuts. Nuts are excellent sources of protein and healthy fats. A UCLA study found that a higher intake of walnuts in particular improved cognitive test scores. They are high in Omega 3 fatty acids which are linked with lower blood pressure and cleaner arteries.

  Foods that are good for your brain are also good for your heart.

(Credit: Dr. Howard LeWine, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing)

Try this quick and easy recipe rich in brain supporting ingredients!

Winter Greens Smoothie

A Harvard Medical School study of more than 13,000 women found that those who ate the most cruciferous veggies (like the spinach, kale, and broccoli in this smoothie) lowered their brain age by 1 to 2 years.

SERVINGS: 2

1/4 cup carrot juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup spinach
1 cup roughly chopped kale, ribs removed
4 small broccoli florets, sliced and frozen
1 banana, peeled, sliced and frozen
1 apple, cored and roughly chopped

Combine all ingredients in blender, and blend until smooth. 

NUTRITION (per serving) 258 cal, 5 g pro, 63 g carb, 8 g fiber, 1.3 g fat, 0.3 g sat fat, 76.3 mg sodium

_{(Credit: Prevention.com)}

Listen to our exclusive partner in Home Health, Linda Murphy, COO and co-founder of Concierge Home Care as she highlights the impact of Dementia Care in the home.

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Would You Like to Learn How You May Access Botes Memory Method Services That are 100% Covered By Medicare?

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Join us for this Dementia Roundtable event. Register on our website at Botesmemorymethod.com. We are looking forward to meeting you.

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