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MEMORY AND NUTRITION
We all want to live a long life, in good mental and physical health.
It is a recognised fact that food plays a decisive role in achieving this goal. Proper nutrition maintains the organism, prevents illness, eliminates or delays certain deficiencies associated with bodily changes over time.
Dietetics is the science of good nutrition.
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Eat well to live well
This is a general rule at all stages in life
The pleasure of eating and relations with the environment are as important for “good eating” as the content of the food eaten.
Contrary to what is often thought, older people need to be as careful about the quality and quantity of their food intake as young people. Physiological changes with age should draw attention to gradual changes in dietary habits which sometimes lead to states of under-nourishment, with serious long-term consequences.
Attention on food
It should be directed to several major points:
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"Good vegetables contain so many vitamins !"
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| Energy requirements: men need about 2000 calories and women 1800 per day of normal activity. .
Proteins: mostly in the form of meat or fish. They can be included in dishes by adding milk, cheese, eggs or ham. The amount needed is the same at all ages.
Calcium and phosphorus: both have an important role in brain function. It is better to get them from food than in the form of food supplements. Requirements do not lessen despite metabolic changes with age. Milk and cheese are important sources of calcium and phosphorus.
Fibre: This plays a special role in metabolism of micro-nutrients: starches, fats and proteins. They influence intestinal movement.
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Water: essential to life, it contributes to the absorption of foods. 1 ½ litres per day is a minimum daily intake. Micro-elements: vitamins and minerals like zinc, selenium, copper, chrome, magnesium…
Wholemeal bread, bran, wheat germ and chocolate are rich in magnesium, keeping our cells young. A balanced diet containing enough calories normally provides all the vitamins and minerals needed by the body. Any vitamin or mineral supplement should only be taken on prescription.
Vitamins B and C seem to have a special role in brain function. They are found in brewers’ yeast, bran, lentils, egg yolk, liver, green vegetables and yoghurt. 100 g of salad and 2 oranges provide the body with its daily ration of vitamin C.
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Feeding the brain
Are there special memory foods ?
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Many foods have been credited with particular value for proper memory function: fish because of the phosphorus, chocolate because of magnesium, sesame seeds, probably because of the famous “Open Sesame” which reminds us of the fabulous treasure of Ali Baba. |
In the long term, poor nutrition can bring about problems involving memory as well as other functions. But this is the result of a poor general state of health. Resuming a varied and balanced diet will rapidly put an end to these difficulties. Because it is particularly dependent on blood circulation, the brain needs blood to bring it the elements necessary for oxygenation, for fuelling and for eliminating wastes
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The brain demands to be fuelled but with no food in particular. It will find everything it needs in :
A varied diet: this will provide all the elements needed : meat and fish, fruit and vegetables, raw and cooked dishes…
Balanced : fats, proteins, sugars and starches
Or brain knows what it needs better than we do. It knows how to find its fuel in the food we provide. It is up to us to supply all the elements required for its operation and vitality through a varied and balanced diet.
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A few practical hints…
- Never skip a meal
- Do not forget to drink 1 ½ litres of water daily
- Watch your weight: with a change of more than two kilos, speak to your doctor.
- Have a substantial and balanced breakfast
- Eliminate sodas and sugary drinks. Water is always better.
- It is better to take a single proper helping of a dish than to take several small helpings.
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- Cheese is generally rich in fats. One helping per day is therefore enough.
- Dairy products are essential. Choose the 0% or 20% fat content.
- Oil, butter, margarine : a minimum of 10 grams per day is essential.
- If you are peckish, choose a yoghurt, 100g of low-fat cottage cheese, some cooked chicken, a tomato, a small slice of bread…
- And above all, do not forget a daily walk: 10,000 steps every day (1 hour’s walk) are the royal road
- To living to 100 in good health !
For more details, consult documents available from your chemist or ask your doctor for guidance |
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