Food is healing, food is power, and food is comforting – something we know all too well here in the Lowcountry with amazing chefs from Sullivan’s Island, Isle of Palms, Mount Pleasant, to the Charleston Peninsula – so why wouldn’t food also be beneficial for those suffering from age-related illnesses? We all know that the food we consume now can be a preventative for future problems but can it also help heal what has already experienced damage?
Foods and their Benefits
- Apples: An apple a day keeps the doctor away is a truer phrase than we realize. Apples are an anti-inflammatory which is a leading symptom in brain-related health concerns.
- Avocados: Another anti-inflammatory food, full of omega-6 fatty acids which have been known to help memory and cognition. This food also has anti-aging properties which helps reduce skin dryness and contributes to the reduction of dark under eye circles.
- Bananas: Among the many health benefits of bananas, they are high in tryptophan which has been proven to reduce anxiety and depression. There is a link between depression and Alzheimer’s.
- Berries: Berries are a real brain food in that they have the power to reverse stains on the brain.
- Cherries: These delicious little seasonal fruits harbor amino acids that work directly with the hormone melatonin to provide stress relief and act as an antioxidant to help protect the brain from Alzheimer’s, dementia, and brain tumors.
- Figs: The unique phytochemicals in figs are bonded to minerals like potassium and sodium that support neurons and synapses in the brain.
- Mangoes: A miracle fruit that is a great post-workout snack as it provides sodium, glucose, and magnesium, it also has amino acids that combine with glucose and fructose to restore depleted neurotransmitters.
- Pomegranates: The fruit of the gods, as it has been known, are high in antioxidants. It helps stabilize blood sugar, and contains high-quality glucose which helps with focus, concentration, and memory.
- Sprouts: These little greens support the brain with amino acids and enzymes that help rejuvenate and strengthen neurons.
- Cilantro: This herb, which some people love and some people hate – there is rarely a middle ground – contains phytochemicals that remove toxins from the brain which frees up neurons to work their best.
- Seaweeds: The purpose of seaweeds in the ocean are to absorb toxins and radiation. Once the seaweeds absorb these, the toxins are rendered harmless, and released back into the ocean. Seaweeds will do the same for our bodies and brains, except they won’t release the toxins back into our bodies, but rather take them out through the digestive process.
- Coconut: Coconut has recently gotten a lot of accolade for its anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory powers, but it is the best tool for neurotransmitter support.
- Raw Honey: Honey is truly a miracle nectar. It aids in digestion, it repairs DNA and is high in minerals and phytochemicals that protect against radiation damage and phytochemicals that slow down the cancerous growth process.
Our associates at Senior Helpers of Charleston can help grocery shop for some of these amazing foods. Just give us a call!