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Foods That Improve Your Brain Function

Jan 10, 2009

Foods That Improve Your Brain Function

by dr. Shelley Narula/Healthy Living

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The right brain nutrients

The brain uses carbohydrates for energy and omega-3 fatty acids for the formation of its cell structure. B vitamins play an essential role in brain function. Clinical observation strongly links folic acid to brain development. In combination with folic acid, vitamins B6 and vitamin B12 help manufacture and release chemicals in the brain known as neurotransmitters. The nervous system relies on these neurotransmitters to communicate messages within the brain, such as those that regulate mood, hunger, and sleep.

In addition, foods rich in antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamin A, C and vitamin E and beta-carotene, help protect brain cells from free-radical damage caused by environmental pollution. They are known as free radical scavengers and defense from free radicals is important to protecting the brain well into the golden years. Studies suggest that taking supplements of vitamins C and E can prevent the risk of Alzheimer's disease and slow the progression of memory loss.

How brain foods help you think sound?

The brain utilizes 20 percent of the body's carbohydrate supply. When the brain receives a steady supply of sugar for fuel, it chugs along smoothly at a steady pace. But when levels of sugar in the blood fluctuate, the brain doesn't get its steady fuel supply. As a result, you may experience mental confusion, dizziness and if severe, convulsions and loss of consciousness. Foods with a low glycemic index provide brain friendly carbohydrates because they do not push the pancreas to secrete excess insulin, so the blood sugar tends to be steadier. Vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fruits and dairy products are foods with best brain sugars.

Sugars with high glycemic index can adversely affect the thinking and actions of some children. The sugars at fault include glucose, dextrose, and sucrose, and the highly refined, highly processed junk sugars found in candy, icings, syrups, packaged baked goods, and table sugar. The roller-coaster affects produced by these sugars affect moods and concentration in some children and adults, leading to sugar highs and sugar blues.

Proteins in the diet affect brain performance because they provide the amino acids from which neurotransmitters are made. The two important amino acids, tryptophan and tyrosine, are precursors of neurotransmitter. Fats are major components of the brain cell membrane and the myelin sheath around each nerve. So, our diet must include adequate amount of fat and the right kinds of fat can greatly affect brain development and performance.

Minerals are also critical to mental functioning and performance. Magnesium and manganese are needed for brain energy. Zinc is essential in protecting your mind and brain from the aging symptoms of forgetfulness. Sodium, potassium and calcium are important in the thinking process and facilitate the transmission of messages. Iron is also required to carry oxygen to the brain cells and aids in the formation of brain neurotransmitters, which affect attention and learning capacities.

List of foods that improve your brain function

Nuts

Nuts contain protein, high amounts of fiber, and they are rich in beneficial fats. They also contain plenty of vitamin B, E, and magnesium which are essential to cognitive function. They can clear up that brain fog and enable you to think clearer and are positive mood enhancers. Filberts, hazelnuts, cashews, and walnuts are great choices, with almonds being the king of nuts.

For those avoiding carbohydrates, macadamia nuts are much higher in fat than most nuts. Peanuts are not a good choice as many people are allergic to peanuts and have less healthy fat than many other types of nuts.

Seeds

Try seeds like sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, and tahini (a tangy, nutty sesame butter that tastes great in replacement of mayo and salad dressing). Seeds contain a lot of protein, beneficial fat, and vitamin E, as well as stress-fighting antioxidants and important brain-boosting minerals like magnesium.

They boost your mood and brainpower. Sunflower seeds contain tryptophan, an important amino acid that the brain converts to serotonin, which is a natural way to relieve mild depression and insomnia. Additionally, sunflower seeds are high in thiamine, an important B vitamin, which increases memory and cognitive function.

Eggs

Eggs are a precious source of high-quality proteins and rich in vitamins and minerals. The selenium in organic eggs is proven to help your mood. Nutrient called choline, found in eggs, can help boost the memory center in the brain. Choline increases the size of neurons, which helps them fire electrical signals more strongly and rebound faster between firings.

Two antioxidants found in egg yolk called lutein and zeaxanthin help prevent the risk of age-related cataracts and macular degeneration, two of the most prevalent age-related eye conditions.

Avocado

For brain health, avocados are nearly as good as blueberries. Avocados contain mono-unsaturated fats, which contribute to healthy blood flow, the main requirement for a healthy brain. To include avocados to your diet, add 1/4 to 1/2 of an avocado to one meal daily as a side dish. Start each day with a mix of high-quality protein and beneficial fats to build the foundation for an energized day. Avocado with scrambled eggs are a great combination that serve the above purpose.

Berries

Berries contain antioxidants that help boost cognition, coordination, and memory. Blueberries are high in fiber and low on the glycemic index, thus they are safe for diabetics and they do not spike blood sugar. Blueberries are possibly the best brain food on earth as they boost the potency of neuron signals. They are also known as the "brain berry", and are considered a super food when eaten in their natural form. They are also known to protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Antioxidant-rich strawberries can prevent age-related neurological declines by improving brain cell abilities to send and receive the ’signaling’ molecules. The brain uses these signaling molecules to communicate. Blackberries are rich in nutrients called anthocyanins that help protect our brain from oxidation stress, which in turn fights degenerative brain diseases.

Pomegranate

Pomegranates contain blueberry-like levels of antioxidants, offering brain and memory protection. It carries a lot of vitamin C, A and E as well as fiber, iron and potassium and anti-inflammatory attributes help in strengthening the immune system.

Coffee

Coffee is good for your brain. You can safely enjoy 2 cups daily. Coffee is rich in antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Recent findings show it to be one of the best brain foods, reducing the risks of mental decline including diseases like dementia and Alzheimer's.

Green tea

Green tea enhances memory and focus and fights mental fatigue. It contains catechines, which help you relax mentally and maintain your focus as well.

Green tea also helps maintain positive mood states and fights against many brain disorders. Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants found in green tea that can boost the availability of the important signaling brain substance dopamine in brain circuits.

Brown rice

Whole grains like brown rice are essential for maintaining concentration throughout the day and improving memory. That's because they contain the perfect mix of carbohydrates and fiber to fuel your brain while keeping you full. The low-glycemic complex carbohydrate present in brown rice is excellent for people sensitive to gluten who still want to maintain cardiovascular health. Wholegrain breads and cereals are also rich in folate and Vitamin B6, an important brain vitamin.

Chocolate

Dark chocolate has brain boosting compounds; it’s rich in antioxidants and contains several natural stimulants which increase the production of endorphins while enhancing focus and concentration. It also releases dopamine, to enhance cognition and mood. It is also rich in fiber. It has high content of flavanol epicatechin that facilitate blood supply to the brain and enhance cognitive skills.

Milk chocolate jump starts impulse control and reaction time. It has also been known to improve visual and verbal memory.

Garlic

Garlic is one of the most potent nutritious foods. It is fabulous for reducing bad cholesterol and strengthening your cardiovascular system, and it exerts a protective antioxidant effect on the brain. It can potentially help against stroke, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Green leafy vegetables

Spinach, kale, chard, romaine, arugula, lolla rossa and other green vegetables should be consumed on a daily basis. These vegetables are high in iron (slightly less "green" iron sources include beef, pork and lamb). Folate and vitamin B6, found in broccoli and kale, help convert tryptophan into serotonin, a brain chemical that boots mood alertness.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are fantastic brain foods as there high content of lycopene make them an ideal source of unique of antioxidants. Lycopene is particularly good for brain - helps protect against free-radical damage to cells, which prevents brain from ageing and is believed to be a primary factor in cases of dementia, and particularly, Alzheimer’s disease.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a super food with high overall nutrient content. High levels of chemicals called homocysteines are linked with cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. In order to break themselves down, homocysteines require folate and B12 or B6, vitamins found in vegetables like broccoli. It is a great source ofvitamin K, which enhances cognitive function and improves brainpower.

Wholegrain foods

Vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid are essential in protecting your memory. Wholegrain foods, such as whole grain breads and wheat germ are part of the best brain foods. Whole grain breads, cereals, barley, popcorn boost blood flow to the brain.

Wild salmon

Higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood go hand in hand with higher levels of serotonin, a mood-enhancing brain chemical. Thus, these fatty acids are responsible for improved cognition and alertness, reduced risk of degenerative mental disease (such as dementia), improved memory, improved mood, and reduced depression, anxiety and hyperactivity. Wild salmon is a premium source of these beneficial fats. Salmon is also rich in protein, calcium and vitamins A, D and B group.

Tuna

In addition to being another rich source of DHA (docosahexanoic acid), a type of omega-3s; tuna, particularly yellow fin, has the highest level of vitamin B6 of any food. Generally, the B vitamins are among the most important for balancing your mood. B6 in particular influences dopamine receptors, the "feel good" hormones along with serotonin.

Olive oil

A diet rich in healthy fats is essential to clear thinking, good memory, and a balanced mood. Olive oil is rich in antioxidants for healthy brain function. The extra virgin organic variety is best because the oil is produced naturally without chemical treatment. Raw unprocessed organic olive oil also contains fibers, and proteins.

Avoid processed fats as eating the wrong fat can literally alter your brain’s communication pathways.

Things that drain your brain

There are some foods that will cause a brain drain and work against your efforts.
It is advised to stay away from foods with high-fructose corn syrup; sugary drinks, colas, and juices; refined white sugars; items with trans fats and partially-hydrogenated oils, and other processed foods. Alcohol and nicotine are also known to cause reduced brain function.

A high carbohydrate meal

A high carbohydrate lunch makes you feel sleepy and sluggish. It is advised to opt for a light meal with some quality protein, such as a salad with grilled chicken breast or vegetables and hummus or wild American shrimp and avocado.

Corn syrup and sugar

They lead to health problems like diabetes and obesity, and are terrible for your brain. Don’t eat sugar except on special occasions or as an infrequent treat. Sugary fruit drinks, colas, and juices are among the worst offenders.

Nicotine

It constricts blood flow to the brain, so while it may soothe jittery nerves, smoking can actually reduce your brain function severely and the effects are cumulative.

Alcohol

Alcohol interferes with dopamine production. Moderate amounts of alcohol, particularly resveratrol-rich red wine, can help improve your health, but any alcoholic drink beyond a glass or two of wine daily is a recipe for reduced brain function and energy loss.

Important notification about information and brand names used in this article!

Author's biography

Shelley Narula is an MBBS doctor (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) with more than 3 years of experience in the field of medical writing and editing. With an educational background of medical science and an experience in the field of medical writing, she is committed to develop a career in healthcare communications.

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Comments

The following content represents the opinions of SteadyHealth.com users. It is not editorially reviewed for medical or factual accuracy. It does not constitute medical advice. See your doctor for medical advice.

Posted 29/01/10 - 04:55 by Guest

I've read several articles, they didn't mention sugar as brain-drainer but as memory enhancer/sharpener.

what should i believe?

--

Posted 2/01/10 - 03:27 by Guest

Really quality article. I learned a great deal. This is the food my wife has been eating for years and the kinds of things I want to eat more of. Thank you for posting!

... see all comments ...

Posted 14/01/09 - 08:53 by Guest

I am sure to take this post serious, but eating junk food high in sugars and bad brain stuff has me feeling a bit lazy. Is there an easy way to take up all of the listed items and throw them into a spreadsheet format of some sort? Can we possibly come up with a monthly shopping list and cooking list complete with ingredients and cooking times for a fool proof plan to healthy eating? =0)
Maybe I am just looking for a reason to mope around this whole eating healthy life style. I am sure of one thing, I am very thankful for the time and energy invested in making this list.
I will bookmark it in good faith and maybe one day Stumble Upon it again one day.....which reminds me, I gave you a thumbs up!

Posted 11/01/09 - 13:57 by VzaV

Good post. It's hard to find them, not to mention discipline one's self to eat right. Knowing a succinct list on good choices really helps. Asking what motivates one's self to make good choices can be enlightening. Preventing or correcting illness? Feeling better? Improving cognition? Remaining youthful?
It's never too early or too late to improve.

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Readers posted 9 comments for this article

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Carbohydrates Fuel Your Brain

Nourish - Carbohydrates Fuel Your Brain

Glucose is the form of sugar that travels in your bloodstream to fuel the mitochondrial furnaces responsible for your brain power. Glucose is the only fuel normally used by brain cells. Because neurons cannot store glucose, they depend on the bloodstream to deliver a constant supply of this precious fuel.

This blood sugar is obtained from carbohydrates: the starches and sugars you eat in the form of grains and legumes, fruits and vegetables. (The only animal foods containing a significant amount of carbohydrates are dairy products.)

Too much sugar or refined carbohydrates at one time, however, can actually deprive your brain of glucose – depleting its energy supply and compromising your brain's power to concentrate, remember, and learn. Mental activity requires a lot of energy.

Carbohydrate Topics:
Brain Energy Demand
Complex vs. Simple Carbohydrates
Brain Power – The Energy of Thought and Memory
Too Much Blood Sugar – Too Little Brain Sugar
Soft Drinks are Hard on Your Brain
Sugar, Diabetes and The Brain
How to Control Blood Sugar Swings
Check the Glycemic Index

Brain Energy Demand


Your brain cells need two times more energy than the other cells in your body. Neurons, the cells that communicate with each other, have a high demand for energy because they're always in a state of metabolic activity. Even during sleep, neurons are still at work repairing and rebuilding their worn out structural components. They are manufacturing enzymes and neurotransmitters that must be transported out to the very ends of their– nerve branches, some that can be several inches, or feet, away. Most demanding of a neuron's energy, however, are the bioelectric signals responsible for communication throughout the nervous system. This nerve transmission consumes one-half of all the brain's energy (nearly 10% of the whole body's energy).		Neurons from entorhinal cortex (Limbic System) ©1998 Dr. Norberto Cysne Coimbra M.Sc., Ph.D., Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Neuropsychobiology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto of the University of são Paulo; Neuroscience Art Galleries topics

Complex vs. Simple Carbohydrates


Complex carbohydrates are like time-release capsules of sugar. Simple carbohydrates are more like an injection of sugar. Complex carbohydrates tend to be in natural foods – and have long chains of sugar molecules that the liver gradually breaks down into the shorter glucose molecules the brain uses for fuel. In natural foods, the cell walls are made of cellulose fiber that resists digestion, slowing the breakdown and the subsequent release of sugars into the bloodstream, kind of like the way a time-release capsule works. Simple carbohydrates are found in most processed or refined foods and some natural foods. These carbohydrates have short-chained sugar molecules and, because they break apart quickly, enter the bloodstream quickly. Sugary foods--including corn syrup, fruit juices, and honey--contain glucose that is absorbed directly through the stomach wall and rapidly released into the bloodstream, almost as quickly as if delivered by syringe. topics

Brain Power – The Energy of Thought and Memory


Most of us have discovered that thinking can be tiring, even exhausting. As the primary source of energy in the human brain, glucose can be rapidly used up during mental activity. Some interesting research has shown that mental concentration actually drains glucose from a key part of the brain associated with memory and learning – underscoring just how crucial this blood sugar is for proper brain function. topics

Glucose, Learning and Memory - Study

Psychology professor Paul E. Gold has researched the stability of glucose levels in the brain. Working with Ewan C. McNay , they found that as rats went through a maze, concentrations of glucose declined in the animals' hippocampus , a key brain area involved in learning and memory – even more dramatically so in older brains.

Except under conditions of starvation, it was thought that the brain always had an ample supply of glucose. "While this is the case in terms of consciousness, the new findings suggest that glucose is not always present in ample amounts to optimally support learning and memory functions," said Gold, who is director of the Medical Scholars Program in the University of Illinois College of Medicine.

"The brain runs on glucose. Young rats can do a pretty good job of supplying all the glucose that a particular area of the brain needs until the task becomes difficult," explained McNay, a postdoctoral researcher in psychology at Yale University. "For an old rat given the same task, the brain glucose supply vanishes out the window. This correlates with a big deficit in performance. A lack of fuel affects the ability to think and remember."

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Glucose, Age, Memory and Learning - Study

In the May 2001 issue of Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, Gold, and McNay reported that glucose drainage during a task is specific to the hippocampus, where extracellular levels fell by 30%. (Other brain areas remained stable.) "Only the part of the brain involved with what the animal is asked to do is affected by changes in glucose usage," Gold said.-Not sure how study relates to other study about age, memory and learning.

In the May 2001 issue of the Journal of Gerontology, Gold and McNay described a study which showed how 24-month-old rats experienced a 48% decline in hippocampal extracellular glucose levels, and needed 30 minutes to recover from a maze-related task. Younger, three-month-old rats had only a 12% decline and recovered quickly. When older rats were injected with glucose supplements prior to testing, they did not show the drainage of glucose – and performed at the same levels as the younger rats.

"Glucose enhances learning and memory not only in rats but also in many populations of humans," says Gold. "For schoolchildren, this research implies that the contents and timing of meals may need to be coordinated to have the most beneficial cognitive effects that enhance learning."

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How Carbohydrate Foods Can Improve Memory in Older Adults - Studies

When Dr. Carol Greenwood tested the memory of older adults after they ate a breakfast of mashed potatoes or barley, she found that "eating carbohydrate foods can improve memory within an hour after ingestion in healthy elderly people with relatively poor memories."

In another study, Greenwood and her colleagues at the University of Toronto gave a group of healthy senior citizens a bowl of cereal and milk, along with white grape juice for breakfast. Another group only drank water. When tested twenty minutes later, the cereal-eaters had a better memory – able to remember 25% more facts.

Not only does a diet lacking in carbohydrates cut off the brain's main energy supply, Greenwood said a scarcity of glucose can impede the synthesis of acetylcholine, one of the brain's key neurotransmitters.¹

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Breakfast and Memory - Studies

Regardless of the source, caloric intake after an overnight fast can cause a short burst in memory capacity, scientists discovered. Carbohydrates, however, generally brought longer-term memory benefits than either fats or proteins in the people tested.

Lead scientist, Dr. Carol Greenwood, emphasized the advantage of nutritious carbohydrates – fruits, vegetables, and whole grains – instead of simple sugars such as pastries. Her studies point to the importance of children's breakfasts to school performance. ²

Another University of Toronto study compared the memory-improving effects of different breakfasts eaten after an overnight fast. Participants who consumed a carbohydrate breakfast of potatoes or barley performed better on short- and long-term memory tests, compared to those who consumed only a glucose-laden lemon drink. Both groups did better than the participants who consumed only an inactive placebo.

"Our study showed that eating carbohydrate foods can improve memory within an hour after ingestion in healthy elderly people with relatively poor memories," said lead author Randall J. Kaplan. "Individuals with seemingly minor deficits in glucose regulation appear to perform worse on cognitive (memory) tests and are most sensitive to the beneficial effects of carbohydrates."³

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Too Much Blood Sugar – Too Little Brain Sugar


A sugary snack or soft drink that quickly raises your blood sugar level gives you a boost (and any caffeine adds to the lift), but it's short-lived. When you eat something with a high sugar content your pancreas starts to secrete insulin. Insulin triggers cells throughout your body to pull the excess glucose out of your bloodstream and store it for later use. Soon, the glucose available to your brain has dropped. Neurons, unable to store glucose, experience an energy crisis. Hours later, you feel spaced-out, weak, confused, and/or nervous. Your ability to focus and think suffers. The name for this glucose deficiency is hypoglycemia , and it can even lead to unconsciousness. topics

High Sugar Intake Over Time


Repeatedly overloading the bloodstream with sugar can diminish the body's ability to respond to insulin, and type 2 diabetes may develop.		This is not good for the brain, because diabetes causes a narrowing of the arteries and makes the brain more susceptible to gradual damage. People with diabetes are more vulnerable to depression and are more likely to suffer a decline in mental ability as they age. topics

Low Blood Sugar Slows Brain - Study

Low blood glucose levels can lead to a significant deterioration in attention abilities, University of Edinburgh researchers concluded after testing healthy individuals in whom hypoglycemia had been induced.

Auditory and visual information was processed more slowly when the subjects' brains were temporarily deprived of its main source of energy. ⁴

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Soft Drinks are Hard on Your Brain


When levels of circulating glucose drop, the initial sugar-high turns into an energy crisis for your brain. (Neurons cannot store glucose, like body cells can.) An hour or two after drinking a sugary soft drink, you feel the need for another boost. topics

What Happens in Your Body When You Have a Soft Drink


If you've ever had a blood test that measured your fasting blood glucose level, it should be somewhere around 100 milligrams per deciliter. That's one gram of blood sugar per liter of blood, which translates into only about five grams (a teaspoon) of sugar in circulation throughout your entire bloodstream. Let's say you suck down the typical non-diet soft drink that contains ten times that amount of sugar, which is then quickly absorbed and enters into your bloodstream. Sensors in your brain's hypothalamus will instruct your pancreas to secrete insulin, which causes the cells in your body to pull this overload of glucose out of your bloodstream and store it for later use. Even when blood sugar levels are again normalized, insulin levels can remain high, because your liver may be unable to remove the circulating insulin fast enough.		In addition, drinking carbonated soft drinks decreases the amount of pure water a person consumes, which can lead to dehydration that depletes the brain and other organs of fluids. (The brain contains a high percentage of water.) "Currently, soft drinks constitute the leading source of added sugars in the diet, amounting to 36.2 grams daily for adolescent girls and 57.7 grams for boys," according to researchers at the Children's Hospital in Boston. ⁵ topics

Soda and Vitamin Deficiencies - Study

What's more, drinking large quantities of soda can lead to deficiencies in several important vitamins and minerals. A survey of more than 4,000 children, aged 2 to 17 years, found that soda consumption rose 41% between 1989-1995. Soda drinkers were less likely to get the recommended levels of vitamin A or calcium, and were at increased risk of magnesium deficiency. ⁶

Sugar depletes magnesium, and the high levels of phosphoric acid in soft drinks can combine with calcium and magnesium in the gut to cause a loss of these vital minerals.

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Liquid Candy-Soda Statistics


In 1998, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) published a report titled " Liquid Candy : How Soft Drinks are Harming Americans' Health." A Washington-based nonprofit education and advocacy organization, CSPI focuses on improving the safety and nutritional quality of our food supply. Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D., writes: "Teenage girls consume only 60% of the recommended amount of calcium, with soda-pop drinkers consuming almost one-fifth less calcium than non-drinkers. It is crucial for females in their teens and twenties to build up bone mass to reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life.... "Obesity rates have risen in tandem with soda consumption. Soft drinks provide 10.3% of the calories consumed by overweight teenage boys, but only 7.6% of the calories consumed by other boys. The National Institutes of Health recommends that people trying to lose or control their weight should drink water instead of soft drinks with sugar."		The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that consumption of soft drinks has increased 500% in the last 50 years. During this time, childhood obesity in the U.S. jumped 54% for 6-11 year-olds, and 40% for adolescents. This boom in childhood obesity could lead in adulthood to a sharp rise in strokes, heart disease, and other vascular-related illnesses. In an ultrasound study of 48 severely obese children, French researchers at the Necker Enfants-Malades Teaching Hospital observed a general decline in function of the lining of the children's arteries, including a loss of vascular elasticity. ⁷ topics

Sugar, Diabetes and The Brain


Diabetics are more likely to suffer a decline in mental ability as they age, due to a narrowing of the arteries that can lead to tiny strokes and gradual brain damage. Diabetics experience a decline in speed of processing information. People with type 2 diabetes have a 9% increased risk of developing dementia – and Alzheimer's disease. People with diabetes are also more susceptible to depression than the general population. topics

How Diabetes Can Develop


When for years you repeatedly overload your bloodstream with simple sugars, refined carbohydrates, soft drinks, etc., the swings in blood sugar can take their toll on your body's ability to respond to insulin. Receptors for this hormone may eventually malfunction, becoming "insulin-resistant," so that blood sugar levels remain high – even as your pancreas continues to secrete insulin. Type 2 diabetes can develop.		Nearly 6% of the American population has diabetes. For African Americans, it is 10%. For Native Americans, diabetes increased by 29% between 1990 and 1997 – more than twice the rate for the general U.S. population. An estimated five million more people have diabetes but don't know it, and nearly 800,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. topics

Children and Diabetes - Studies

Type 2 diabetes used to be called "adult-onset" diabetes, because it mostly occurred in people over 50. But no longer.

The rising rate of diabetes in children is epidemic. "If you go back 20 years, about 2% of all cases of new onset diabetes (type 2) were in people between 9 and 19 years old. Now, it's about 30% to 50%," says Dr. Gerald Bernstein, an endocrinologist with New York's Beth Israel Medical Center.

Among Americans in their thirties, the 1990s saw a 70% rise in type 2 diabetes, reports the CDC. Other age groups also showed significant increases. For those in their forties the disease rose by 40%, and by 31% for those in their fifties.

A Mayo Clinic study of 11,000 people found that diabetics had a greater decline in cognitive processing speed. "People with either diabetes or strokes are at higher risk not only for cognitive decline but dementia," said Mary Haan, a researcher at University of Michigan School of Public Health. ⁸

In a study of 6,370 patients, ages 55 and older, Dutch researchers at the Erasmus University Medical School found that those with type 2 diabetes faced nearly a 9% increased risk of developing dementia – and Alzheimer's disease in some cases. ⁹

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How Diabetes May Be Linked to Mental Decline - Studies

Over a four-year period, Harvard Medical School researchers tested the memory and mental function of 2,300 women, 70 to 78 years old. Women without diabetes were more than twice as likely to score better than those with diabetes. Also, the longer a woman had diabetes, the more likely she would score poorly on the tests. "Based on calculations within the women in our study, we found that having diabetes was equivalent to aging 4 years in terms of scores," Dr. Francine Grodstein and her colleagues concluded. ¹⁰

In a multiethnic, multicenter study of vascular disease in more than 10,000 people, cognitive test scores were compared six years apart. Diabetes was associated with greater cognitive decline in participants aged 40 to 70 years old, (while high blood pressure was associated with greater cognitive decline only in those older than 58).

"While the participants in the study may not have noticed any decline in their mental ability, the decline was statistically significant," says David Knopman, M.D., a Mayo Clinic neurologist and the senior author of the study. "The results point to the fact that there are things some people may be able to do during middle age to help preserve our mental abilities later in life." ¹¹

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How Hypertension and Diabetes May Double the Risk of Mental Decline - Study

Studies indicate that the presence of both uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension doubles the risk of decreased mental functioning later in life. (Each condition is independently associated with accelerated age-related declines in cognitive functioning.)

"We are talking about hypertension and diabetes as insidious predictors of gradual and subtle decline in cognitive ability," said Merrill Elias, a founding investigator of the Maine-Syracuse Study of Hypertension and Cognitive Function. "Effective treatment or prevention practices can delay or prevent accelerated cognitive decline associated with cardiovascular risk factors." ¹²

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High Glucose and Stroke - Study

Research presented in June 2001 at the American Diabetes Association's annual meeting showed that high blood glucose levels play a role in the development of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), putting people with diabetes at increased risk for heart disease and stroke.

"Heart attacks and stroke are the major killers of people with diabetes. After following patients with type 1 diabetes for more than 12 years, we can conclude that patients who control their blood glucose significantly lower their risk for worsening atherosclerosis," said David M. Nathan, M.D., co-chairman of the NIH-sponsored study and an investigator at Harvard Medical School.

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Exercise and Diet are Effective Against Diabetes - Study

When people at high risk for type 2 diabetes exercised at least 30 minutes a day, they reduced their risk by 58%, even without medication. In fact, exercise and diet proved to be nearly twice as effective as a popular diabetes drug.

These were among the findings from the Diabetes Prevention Program announced by the National Institutes of Health in August 2001. This major clinical trial compared diet and exercise to drug treatment in 3,234 people with impaired glucose tolerance, a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal (but not yet diabetic).

Participants maintained their physical activity at 30 minutes per day, usually with walking or other moderate intensity exercise. They also ate a low-fat diet.

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How to Control Blood Sugar Swings


Frequent blood sugar swings stress the mind and emotions, and chronic stress raises insulin levels – creating a vicious cycle. A helpful way to learn how to minimize blood sugar swings is to know which carbohydrates are the slowest time-releasers of sugar. The glycemic index measures how quickly blood sugar increases after eating a particular food. topics

Check the Glycemic Index


Foods with a low glycemic index number gradually release glucose into your bloodstream. This gradual release helps minimize blood sugar swings and optimizes brainpower and mental focus

Fruits apple 38 apricot, canned 64 apricot, dried 30 banana 62 banana, unripe 30 cantaloupe 65 cherries 22 dates, dried 103 fruit cocktail 55 grapefruit 25 grapes 43 kiwi 52 mango 55 orange 43 papaya 58 peach 42 pear 36 pineapple 66 plum 24 raisins 64 strawberries 32 watermelon 72 Vegetables beets 64 carrots, cooked 39 carrot juice 45 French fries 75 parsnips 97 peas, dried 22 peas, green 48 potato, boiled 56 potato mashed 73 potato, microwaved 82 potato, instant 83 potato, baked 85 pumpkin 75 rutabaga 72 sweet corn 55 sweet potato 54 yam 51 Juices apple 41 grapefruit 48 orange 55 pineapple 46 Pasta brown rice pasta 92 gnocchi 68 linguine, durum 50 macaroni 46 macaroni & cheese 64 spaghetti 40 spag. prot. enrich. 28 vermicelli 35 vermicelli, rice 58 Sweets honey 58 jelly beans 80 Life Savers 70 M&Ms Choc. Peanut 33 Skittles 70 Snickers 41 Cookies graham crackers 74 oatmeal 55 shortbread 64 vanilla wafers 77 Beans baby lima 32 baked 43 black 30 brown 38 butter 31 chickpeas 33 kidney 27 lentil 30 navy 38 pinto 42 red lentils 27 split peas 32 soy 18		Grains barley 22 brown rice 59 buckwheat 54 bulgur 47 chickpeas 36 corn 55 corn chips 74 cornmeal 68 couscous 65 hominy 40 millet 75 popcorn 55 rice 47 rice, instant 91 rye 34 wheat, whole 41 white rice 88 Cereals All Bran 44 Bran Chex 58 Cheerios 74 Corn Bran 75 Corn Chex 83 Cornflakes 83 Cream of Wheat 66 Crispix 87 Frosted Flakes 55 Grapenuts 67 Grapenuts Flakes 80 Life 66 Muesli 60 NutriGrain 66 Oatmeal 53 Oatmeal 1 min 66 Puffed Wheat 74 Puffed Rice 90 Rice Bran 19 Rice Chex 89 Rice Krispies 82 Shredded Wheat 69 Special K 54 Swiss Muesli 60 Team 82 Total 76 Breads bagel 72 croissant 67 kaiser roll 73 pita 57 pumpernickel 49 rye 64 rye, dark 76 rye, whole 50 white 72 whole wheat 72 waffles 76 Crackers Kavli Norwegian 71 rice cakes 82 rye 63 saltine 72 stoned wheat thins 67 water crackers 78 Desserts angel food cake 67 banana bread 47 blueberry muffin 59 bran muffin 60 Danish 59 fruit bread 47 pound cake 54 sponge cake 46 tofu frozen 115 Dairy chocolate milk 34 ice cream 61 ice cream, low fat 50 milk 34 pudding 43 soy "milk" 31 yogurt 36

Note: The numbers represented are in reference to glucose, which is valued at 100, and are meaningful only in relation to this base number. They do not correspond to calories or portion size. Cooked vegetables tend to release their sugar faster than when raw, and a food's degree of ripeness can affect its glycemic number.		These numbers are compiled from different sources and will not be identical to other glycemic indexes. (Some lists use white bread for the reference point of 100.) For a much more comprehensive list and detailed explanation of the glycemic index, see Glycemic Index Lists topics