Every time you eat, the brain shrinks faster? These 5 foods are the "accelerators" of brain aging

Nowadays, living conditions are getting better and better, but some health "killers" hidden in our daily diet are unknowingly threatening our bodies, especially our extremely important brains. Today, I will talk to you about those foods that will accelerate brain aging, and how to protect the brain scientifically so that our brain can always remain flexible.

Let's start with drinking. Many people think that it is normal to have a drink at work and friends, and a drink can also relax the mood. But you know what? The damage of alcohol to the brain should not be underestimated! The World Heart Federation's fact sheet makes it clear that there are about 230 diseases that are linked to alcohol. There is a follow-up study in the United States that lasted for 19 years, like a silent "health detective", staring at the lifestyle habits and physical changes of a group of people for a long time. It was found that people who drink alcohol regularly have an increased risk of memory loss and Alzheimer's disease.

Recent studies have also found that long-term heavy drinking is simply a "destructor" of the brain, causing global brain atrophy. Imagine a normal brain that is like a full, round "treasure trove of wisdom", while the brain that has been harmed by alcohol slowly shrinks and shrinks. By comparing data on brain atrophy caused by aging, the researchers found a surprising set of data: people who drank 0 to 1 unit of alcohol a day had a half-year earlier brain aging compared to people who didn't drink at all; If you drink 3-4 units of alcohol a day, the brain will age nearly 5 years earlier! Even moderate alcohol consumption can't escape the damage to the brain. A large survey of 36,000 people at the University of Pennsylvania showed that drinking alcohol makes the brain smaller, and the more you drink, the more pronounced the change in brain volume becomes.

Scholars at the University of Oxford have not been idle, and they have carefully analyzed a number of studies and found that long-term heavy drinking will cause the gray matter and white matter in the brain to shrink across the board, and the cerebellum will also "suffer", even the hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus and other important structures are not spared. Just 8 grams of alcohol a day, which is almost 330ml of a can of beer, is enough to change our brains. Therefore, for the sake of brain health, don't drink if you can, and don't "make trouble" for your brain.

In addition to alcohol, there are also many foods that secretly harm our brains. First and foremost are trans fats, which are often found in fast food, margarine, puff pastries, and more. You go to a fast-food restaurant and buy a burger, fries, or a cream cake at the supermarket, and you might have trans fats in it. It acts like a "pretender", quietly replacing the healthy fat in the brain cell membrane, causing the cells to slowly degenerate, and the brain volume also shrinks, and memory and cognitive ability are naturally affected. And trans fats are very addictive, and they stimulate the brain's reward circuits much more than just high-fat, high-sugar foods. Eating foods containing trans fats for a long time will also destroy the normal flora in the intestines, and the brain will become more and more sluggish. Oregon Health & Science University in Portland did a trial that measured the level of trans fats in the blood and brain volume, and found that even a small amount of trans fats can cause damage to the brain.

Let's talk about sugary foods. Many people feel that eating something sweet can quickly replenish energy and get a feeling of fullness. But the opposite is true, researchers have done experiments in which two groups of people drank high-sugar shakes and low-sugar shakes, and found that those who drank high-sugar shakes were more likely to feel hungry. Fructose also reduces brain and memory function. When sugar sneaks into our body in liquid form, such as various sweet drinks, it is difficult for the body to detect it in time, and we unknowingly consume a large number of calories. When a large amount of sugar enters the body, it will cause high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, which will cause inflammation in the brain and reduce the overall function. It's like adding a bunch of impurities to the brain's "running machine", and it won't run smoothly.

Refined carbs are also "brain killers" that can be easily overlooked. Like the rice, white flour steamed buns, and noodles we usually eat, although these foods are "regulars" on the table, they have a relatively simple nutritional structure, high energy, and can be quickly converted into sugar after eating into the stomach. Studies on Alzheimer's disease have found that a high-carb diet causes amyloid in the brain to accumulate, which is the main "culprit" that damages the brain and tissues during the onset of Alzheimer's disease. There are also studies that confirm this phenomenon, when the daily consumption of refined carbohydrates exceeds 58% of the total calories, the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease directly becomes twice that of the general population.

Ultra-processed foods are also not "friendly" to the brain, ice cream, pizza, fried chicken, potato chips, biscuits, and cola are all ultra-processed foods, and their common characteristics are "high in sugar, high in fat, and high in energy density". Eating these foods regularly not only increases the risk of brain tissue damage and brain volume reduction, but may also damage the blood-brain barrier, the brain's "protective membrane". Imagine that the blood-brain barrier was originally like a strong wall guarding the brain, but ultra-processed foods slowly "corroded" this wall, the brain lost its protection, and various problems followed.

Pickled foods can't be ignored either, as they are frighteningly high in sodium. Take pickles as an example, if you eat a few bites, you may have too much salt. Salt induces the release of dopamine, which makes people addicted and addicted the more they eat. But if you eat too much salt, your body will suffer, and health problems such as osteoporosis, high blood pressure, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, obesity, and kidney disease may come to your door.

Now that you know which foods are harmful to your brain, how do you protect your brain? Japanese scientists have discovered a fun and easy way to exercise the tongue. They found that the aging of the human body is largely due to brain atrophy, and the most obvious symptoms are a stiff tongue and a dull expression. So, they asked 800 volunteers to do a comparative study, and asked one group of volunteers to deliberately stick to moving their tongues every morning and evening, while the other group lived a normal life. About half a year later, something magical happened! The group that persisted in moving their tongues had significantly more active brain cells than the other group and were more responsive to problems. How? You can stick out your tongue, stick the tip of your tongue forward as far as possible, feel the base of your tongue stretched, then retract and roll up, repeat 10 times; You can also turn your tongue so that you can slowly rotate your tongue 10 times clockwise and then 10 times counterclockwise in your mouth at its maximum range. You can also lick your teeth with your tongue and gently press the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth for 10 seconds, then the outside of your upper teeth for 10 seconds, the outside of your lower teeth for 10 seconds, and the inside of your lower teeth for 10 seconds. This set of operations is very convenient, regardless of the time, you can do it in the morning, noon, and evening, and it is recommended to come once in the morning and once in the evening.

In terms of dietary nutrition, various nutrients are the "supply station" of the brain. A new study in the United States suggests that older adults may have a reduced risk of brain-related diseases if they have higher levels of vitamins C, D, E, B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids. Foods like fresh dates, green peppers, kiwifruit, spinach, hawthorn, citrus, grapefruit, strawberries, are rich in vitamin C; Nuts such as almonds, peanuts, walnuts, and whole grains such as brown rice, wheat, and oats are rich in vitamin E; Lean meats, eggs, yeast, legumes, as well as spinach and bok choy contain a lot of B vitamins. Phytochemicals are also very important, pumpkin, corn, green peppers, tomatoes, blueberries, cranberries, black cherries, soybean flour, soy milk, tempeh, tofu, tofu and other foods are available. Omega-3 fatty acids can be obtained from deep-sea fish, fish oil, walnuts, pumpkin seeds. Eggs and animal livers are rich in choline, which promotes the synthesis of acetylcholine and makes neurons more excited.

For the elderly, active living can also make brain aging come more slowly. Usually you should consciously use your hands and brains, and cultivate some hobbies, such as calligraphy, painting, and chess. You can also do memory training games, such as remembering what you did yesterday and who you met. Don't always let the elderly be taken care of in life, let them participate in some daily activities, learn to recognize the road when they go out, know the name of the product when shopping, calculate the price, recall what they bought when they go home, write some simple accounts, and complete simple cleaning work independently. Proper exercise is also good for the brain, prompting the brain to synthesize serotonin, dopamine, and other happy substances to drive away depression and anxiety. Older people can do farm work, do housework, or try manual tasks such as paper-cutting and sewing, so that their brains can be exercised and their minds can be more active. Frequently participate in activities for the elderly, and invite old friends to go on outings and dance, which can not only relax the mood, but also reduce mental pressure.

For the sake of our brain health, we must avoid those brain-damaging foods and adopt a healthy lifestyle. Don't wait for your brain to have a problem, start taking action now and keep our brains young and vibrant!