By now we should all know that diet plays an essential role in our health. The old saying that we are what we eat couldn’t be truer. Science is correlating the way we eat or don’t eat more and more with various illnesses and ailments. But how many times have you had one of those familiar memory slips and thought to yourself that your diet might be to blame? Chances are that the food you eat was not the first thing you blamed for your diminished memory. But maybe it should be.

One’s diet is unlikely the only cause for memory problems, but it can play a role and is a problem that can be easily fixed. By adding a few simple foods to your regular diet, you can make sure you are supplying your body with the nutrients it needs to function at its best, mind and body. One of the best is fish oil.
Fish oil has gained a lot of attention in the last few years for its role in preventing heart disease and cardiovascular problems. Societies that eat a diet rich in fish have a much lower rate of heart related problems and a longer life expectancy. They also have a much lower rate of age related mental diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.

The secret ingredient that does the protecting is omega-3 fatty acids. Not only do they keep the circulatory system functioning at its best, they are also considered a powerful anti oxidant that reduces damage to all body cells, including brain cells. Omega 3 acids also play a measure role in the health of nerve cells. Since the brain is made up of billions of nerve cells, it only makes sense that these fats would be essential to its health.

If you just don’t like fish, as many people don’t, the benefits can be found in pill form. The oil is cheap and effective and there’s no reason not to ensure you’re getting your share.

You may be familiar with the constant reaffirmations of how important Omega 3 fatty acids can be for you. Omega 3 fatty acids are often found in various kinds of fish, primarily fish like anchovies, black cod, halibut, herring, mackerel, and salmon. In addition, you can obtain Omega 3 fatty acids from cabbage, cauliflower, cloves, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and tofu.
What are the benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids for memory? Well, most of us have heard that Omega 3 fatty acids are beneficial for heart health and cholesterol levels, but not many people are aware that Omega 3 fatty acids can help your memory. Omega 3 fatty acids also include DHA. DHA is known for its powerful brain-building abilities. DHA is often referred to when it comes to babies and toddlers, since most milk formulas are starting to include added DHA for brain health. It is shown that DHA improves memory loss in older adults, and improves brain functions in the earlier stages in life.
DHA has been shown to raise children’s IQ levels, increase data retention in school-aged children, and help decrease—and in some cases, reverse—the effects of memory loss in the elderly. This can all be linked back to the DHA that keeps neural pathways free from platelets, allowing neural transmissions to travel faster.
Not only can you obtain the benefits of DHA through Omega 3-rich foods, you can also take supplements of Omega 3 in pill-form if desired. No matter how you gain the wonderful effects of DHA, you will find that your memory will improve and the effects of aging will slow in terms of memory loss.

The Chinese wolfberry, commercially know as the “Goji” berry, has long been hailed as the premier “brain tonic” in Asia. Goji berries have been cultivated and used for memory improvement for over 600 years.  Claims have also been made that wild goji berries increase exercise endurance and stamina, eliminate fatigue, and even restore and heighten the libido.
The berries are usually picked and dried for consumption, although they can be rehydrated as a delectable addition to any smoothie.  These berries grow wild in Asia as well as southeastern Europe.
Claims aside, gooji berries contain betaine, which is then converted to choline – an “essential nutrient”.  Choline is labeled an essential nutrient because it is required for normal body functioning and either cannot be synthesized by the body at all, or cannot be synthesized in amounts adequate for good health – and thus bust be obtained from a dietary source, such as Goji berries.  Choline is usually grouped with the Vitamin B complex and is essential for cell membranes and neurotransmission.
The goji berry is also a tremendous anti-oxidant, boasting a very high number of ORAC units.  ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity Scale) is a measure of the anti-oxidants ability to absorb oxygen “free radicals” – which have been implicated for biological mutations such as DNA breakdown and mutation, cancer, premature aging, dementia, Alzheimer’s, etc.
Although there are truckloads of reputable sources supporting the health benefits of anti-oxidants, goji berries in particular, I would warn against buying into every boastful medicinal herb or berry purported as having anti-oxidant powers.  The recent anti-oxidant craze in the health/nutrition community has paved the way for some unsubstantiated and exaggerated claims regarding anti-oxidants.  The fact is that the scientific community has not yet addressed all the claims made in the recent years, but evidence up to this point has sided with the more moderate claims as to the healing properties of anti-oxidants.

While you can go for weeks without any food, just a couple of days without water would spell death even for Gandhi.   Our bodies consist of roughly 60 percent water; and as for our brains – they’re made up of about 75 percent water.
The brain needs enough water to function properly, otherwise the brain will dry out– also know as dehydration.  The more subtle, and initial stages of dehydration are a scratchy throat, light headedness and thirst.  This results in short-term memory problems and difficulty in paying attention.
The average adult needs about 1 ½ liters of water per day, with this minimum demand obviously increasing on hot days or during strenuous exercise.  If we neglect our brain and bodies this minimum quota, our brain begins to function below optimum levels – making simple tasks, such as recalling something from our short-term memory, an unbelievable feat.
Also keep in mind that many of the beverages found in the average adults’ diet are diuretics, meaning they make you urinate, causing further dehydration.  Coffee, teas, beer, wine, and spirits actually do more harm than good.  While one would assume that they are liquefying their body with one of the aforementioned beverages, they are actually dehydrating themselves.
Some people are reluctant to drink ample amounts of water throughout the day because of the blandness in taste.  If you are one of these people, coconut juice has been found in recent studies to actually be a better hydrator than water.  Coconut juice is made up of 95 percent water, and is a considerable source of calcium oxide, nitrogen and iron.

Recently, a researcher named Veronica Witt and her staff at the University of Munster located in Germany, discovered that by reducing caloric intake, people may be able to improve their memory in as little as three months (link).

Knowing that for years animal studies have shown that reducing caloric intake in a healthy and balanced way improves the memories of mice and other mammals, researchers at the University of Munster decided to test the potential benefit on humans.

According to the New York Times, the researchers chose men and women between the ages of 50 and 72 with average and above average weight
(link). One group was requested to lower caloric intake with the help of a registered dietician, another group was requested to increase caloric intake with healthy unsaturated fat, and a third group was asked to maintain their current dietary habits. Each of these groups were tested before and after the three-month study.

Those who reduced their caloric intake by thirty percent were found to have 20% improvement in memory skills. The researchers have hypothesized that this may have been as a result of lower insulin level.

Use the calorie counter in order to ensure that you are maintaining a balanced diet. Not only will you improve your memory, but you will also be able to gain other health benefits as well.

Including these foods in your diet will not only help improve your memory, it will help you combat
certain other types of diseases involved in the aging process.

Fish

Fish are rich in Omega-3 fats, which have been proven to help in the fight against dementia and other such diseases. Fatty fish such as salmon and sardines will give your
memory a much needed boost. Even eating a tuna sandwich once a week can be beneficial.

Dark Greens

Including a cup a day of dark leafy greens in your diet is like giving your memory a vitamin. Vegetable such as collard greens and kale are a great source of vitamins and minerals. Just be sure not to overcook
the greens or you will loose the much needed nutrients.

Onions

Onions have a natural flavonoid called fisetin, which helps improve long-term memory. Red onions are better for you than white and yellow onions. Onions also contain quercetin and anthocynanin, which have been shown to improve concentration. Researchers at Hokkaido Tokai University in Japan confirmed that onions, which are rich in sulphur, could help prevent memory loss and actually stimulate your hippocampus. The hippocampus is an
important component of the brain which belongs to the limbic system and is a major
role player in spatial navigation and long term memory.

Spinach

By eating a half a cup of spinach a day you will not only help prevent memory loss you will also help reverse it. Spinach contains folic acid, which helps with memory loss and Alzeimer’s disease. Spinach is also rich in antioxidants.

Berries

Blueberries and strawberries contain anthocyanins, which not only help your brain function better, but even help against diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease. The next time you go to
the grocery store be sure and stop by the produce section and pick yourself up a basket or two of berries. If you can’t eat them all before they go bad, you can always turn them into
slushies or juice.

Honey

At the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand, research was done on rats which showed that diets which included honey were beneficial in improving memory affected during the aging process. Honey contains antioxidants, which help free radicals from damaging our cells.

Eggplants, Broccoli, Grapes, Cherries, Rosemary, Apples, Milk, Black-Eyed Peas, Kidney Beans, Orange Juice, Baked Potato, Bananas, Vegetable Juice, Wheat Germ, Papaya, Tofu, Water, Asparagus, Citrus Fruits, Red Tomato’s, Seeds, Nuts, Liver, Carrots, Green Tea and Bock Choy are also foods that will help in your fight against memory loss.

http://seniors-health-medicare.suite101.com/article.cfm/foods_that_improve_memory

http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/nutrition/brain-power.html