Lifespan With Dr. David Sinclair - The Science Of Keeping The Brain Healthy
keep your brain happy
TLDR
Things beneficial for brain health
Eating a Mediterranean diet
Omega 3s. 1g of EPA daily = bueno
Exercise affects cognition even more than you think
What you do early in life impacts you down the road cognition-wise
Practical
Nutrition tips for a healthy brain
(1) follow a Mediterranean diet or variation of a diet with less meat
(2) if following a plant-based diet consider supplementing B6, B3, omega 3s, DHA, EPA
(3) keep blood sugar in check
It’s a good idea to supplement with 1g of omega-3 fatty acids daily, particularly if on a plant-based diet
Maintaining the right ratio of EPA:DHA can help improve memory and counteract depression (men target 1.6, women about 1.3)
Food sources of omega-3
fish: salmon, mackerel, krill, sardines
plants: flax seeds, chia seeds, seaweed
Get light early in the morning to wake your system and help regulate your natural sleep cycle
The eyes are a window to the brain: keep up with eye health and ophthalmology visits
Theory
The average onset of dementia is 80 years old but on average, the volume of the brain decreases about 5% every decade after the age of 40
Exercise doesn’t just make you feel better, you’ll think better
what you do in your 20s and 30s impacts cognition and aging later in life
Mediterranean diet: extensive research has shown that the Mediterranean diet can protect against aging in the brain and even reverse some signs of aging in the brain
Importance of fatty acids: omega-3s are the building blocks to the brain – if you aren’t eating enough fish, consider supplementing to achieve proper ratios of omega-3:EPA:DHA
The brain needs fat to protect the brain from inflammation and damage
Aerobic exercise and walking improve cognition, particularly as we age
High blood sugar is bad for brain activity and leads to dysfunction in all tissues