HEALTHY MIND = HEALTHY BODY

There is great evidence to support that consuming a healthy diet rich in color, i.e. antioxidant rich foods, may have benefits for maintaining healthy cognitive and metabolic function. Certain vitamins and minerals, as well as foods with a high ORAC value, not only support cognitive health, but healthy metabolic aging as well. Often these foods and the supplements that are derivative can be found in health food stores and health related businesses with easy access for everyone. The question then becomes not only “Should I use supplements for cognitive function”, but also, “which supplements and lifestyle habits will give me the best outcomes?”.  Much like when you start a fitness regimen, you have to ask, what are you trying to achieve and what activities will help you reach your goal? 

Moreover, since we brought up fitness, physical activity may be another important action for healthy brain development as a child and something just as important to commit to as an aging adult. The combination of diet, supplementation and fitness give the body and the brain the structural and metabolic support necessary to support day-to-day demands for all decades of life.

When it comes to supporting cognitive health, research shows a combination of vitamins and minerals not only help support cognitive function but also help maintain healthy brain tissue. Nutrients such as beta-carotene, magnesium, vitamin C, a complex of b vitamins, fish oil, amino acids and antioxidants like co enzyme Q 10 and green tea extract, can help combat the negative effects of stress and support energy levels.

One reason for their benefit is they share a role in supporting common mechanisms of cognitive function and healthy aging. These mechanisms include neutralizing oxidative stress, inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction which are common issues associated with mental focus, energy and comprehension.

A key take-away from research into the area and the use of nutraceuticals is the impact that a combination of nutrients can have vs. that of individual nutrients, making synergistic formulation a cornerstone to achieving desired results. 

A healthy diet, supplementation and fitness all work on fundamental mechanisms that are central to the health of the brain in all ages because their use is ubiquitous across all age ranges and essential to healthy metabolic function.