Compounds and Substances Affecting Your Memory's Signal Transmitter
The so-called "Western Diet," colloquially known as the Standard American Diet (SAD), is a culprit for America's unhealthy eating habits, riddled with convenient yet harmful options that wreak havoc on our health.
Ultra-processed food and drinks bear scant resemblance to real food, containing a slew of troubling additives prohibited in many countries, artificial sweeteners linked to blood clots, and mountains of added sugars associated with an astonishing 45 health issues.
Moreover, junk food isn't only loaded with saturated fats and sugars; it also threatens the health of our brains. Researchers at the University of Southern California have found evidence suggesting that an avalanche of junk food can cause permanent damage to the brain, particularly during adolescence when the brain is still developing.
In their experiment, they fed one group of rats an unhealthy diet and observed a significant decline in memory function. Despite transitioning the rats to a healthy diet for 30 days, the memory issues persisted. Additionally, these rats displayed reduced levels of a protein that transports acetylcholine in the hippocampus, a region of the brain responsible for creating and recalling memories.
While it may be disheartening to discover that our SAD diet could be causing cognitive decline, it's never too late to make a change. The Mediterranean diet boasts brain-boosting nutrients that not only support cognitive function but have also been detected in the bloodwork of "super-agers" — those over 65 with cognitive abilities equivalent to much younger individuals[1].
However, it's not just food that threatens our cognitive abilities. Medications such as those for colds, bladder leaks, Parkinson's, and more can interfere with acetylcholine, negatively impacting cognitive function and potentially leading to Alzheimer's[2]. If you're currently taking such medications, it's crucial to discuss potential alternatives with your healthcare provider.
- Embracing a health-and-wellness approach that prioritizes healthy aging can help combat the detrimental effects of the Western Diet, such as adopting the Mediterranean diet, rich in brain-boosting nutrients that support cognitive function.
- Incorporating fitness-and-exercise into one's daily routine, along with proper nutrition, can significantly improve mental health and cognitive abilities, counteracting the negative impact that junk food has on the brain.
- The science behind wellness reveals that a balanced diet plays a crucial role in healthy aging, as ultra-processed food and drinks, laden with artificial sweeteners, added sugars, and questionable additives, could cause or worsen an array of health issues, including mental health concerns.
- To maintain optimal mental health and facilitate healthy aging, paying attention to both diet and medications is essential, considering that certain medications interfere with acetylcholine production, potentially leading to cognitive decline and conditions like Alzheimer's.
