7 Foods That Can Boost Memory

“Try to include these foods in your diet as much as possible.”

— Dr. Dale

From 7 Foods That Can Boost Memory

We’ve all been there—forgetting keys, a deadline, a friend’s birthday. Even with all the calendar apps and other tools available, it’s hard to remember everything.

Luckily, there are some foods that can boost your brain function and improve your memory, so you can feel more alert and on top of things.

PREBIOTIC FOODS

Preliminary research suggests a direct link between memory and prebiotic intake, though the reasoning has yet to be established, according to registered dietician nutritionist Maggie Moon, author of The MIND Diet.

“The best bet is to eat foods throughout the day that offer complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber, such as arugula, beets, black beans, nuts, raspberries, and sorghum,” as these can boost microflora in the gut, Moon says.

WALNUTS

“Walnuts are packed with vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, phenols, and even melatonin, the sleep hormone, all of which boost memory and cognitive function,” says Jennie Ann Freiman, MD.

“The list of walnut goodies includes vitamin E, folic acid, magnesium, calcium, and phenolic compounds that are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, fighting free radicals and oxidative stress that impair brain function,” Frieman says.

Compared with other nuts, walnuts have a particularly high ratio of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, like alpha linolenic acid, which converts to omega-3, says registered dietician Benjamin White. Walnuts also can improve blood flow, which is especially important for sending oxygenated blood to the brain and maintaining proper functions, he adds.

For brain boosting, aim to eat 1 1/2 oz. of walnuts daily (about a handful, or about 20 walnut halves), Freiman says. Include the skins, if possible. Walnut skins contain 90% of the nut’s phenols, so they’re worth consuming, despite their slightly bitter taste, she notes. Phenols are health-boosting in a number of ways, including keeping the gut balanced for better digestion and reduced inflammation, White says.

TURMERIC

You already know that turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties. Turns out that can help improve memory and brain function, says Asher Cowan, MD. Turmeric can boost circulation and blood flow to the brain, which may halt memory deterioration–especially important as we age, he says.

The spice, popular in India, is traditionally paired with fat, and that’s how you should eat it, too. “Turmeric contains predominately fat-soluble nutrients and is best absorbed and utilized when eaten in the traditional way with ghee or coconut oil,” he says. “Use it in stir-fires to sauté vegetables, or put in smoothies with coconut oil. The powder dissolves quickly in the food and from there has easy access to your bloodstream and brain.”

BEET JUICE

Beet root juice is bursting with natural nitrates, which the body converts to nitrites, then nitric oxide, which increases blood flow to the brain. “A recent well-designed but short-term clinical trial showed adults performed better on cognitive tasks 90 minutes after drinking and absorbing about two cups (450 ml or 15.2 oz) of beetroot juice,” says Moon. It may also strengthen your athletic performance, says a 2017 study published in the journal Nutrition.

Add some beet juice to your morning smoothie for sweetness and a different flavor profile than the usual, as well as a memory helper. And, make sure to eat a variety of plant foods, like celery, green beans, and spinach, which also provide nitrates, Moon says.

BONE BROTH

Add “brain booster” to bone broth’s list of potential benefits.

“Strange as it may seem, chicken soup is great for your memory,” says acupuncturist and Oriental medicine expert Elizabeth Trattner. “In traditional Chinese medicine, the brain is known as ‘the sea of marrow.’ For thousands of years, one of the best anti-aging and memory loss remedies is soup made from marrow. Chicken soup and stews made with real bone marrow not only improve brain function, but the function of the spleen as well,” which in traditional Chinese medicine is responsible for the thinking process.

EGGS

Here’s another reason to wake up with eggs: The neurotransmitter acetylcholine, a key nutrient in eggs, can help keep brain cells sharp, says certified clinical nutritionist Nicole Visnic.

Research suggests that eggs also may help improve cognitive performance factors, such as verbal fluency, problem solving, and memory, says Moon.

Visnic recommends raw, soft-boiled or over-easy eggs to protect the nutrients from the oxidative effects of heat. Add raw eggs to smoothies or use them to make aioli or Caesar dressing.

However, it’s worth being careful: “Food poisoning via salmonella infection from eating raw or undercooked eggs is not extremely common (1 in 20,000 cases according to the CDC); however, the very young, very old, pregnant women, and anyone with a compromised immune system should take extra precautions,” Moon says.

If you love a runny yolk (and who doesn’t?) but don’t want to risk it, look for pasteurized eggs, like these from Davidson’s, she suggests.

GREEN TEA

Is there anything green tea can’t do? This powerhouse beverage has been shown to improve memory, says registered dietician Natalie Rizzo, as it helps messages get around through different parts of the brain, leading to better memory retention.

For a refreshing summertime beverage, try Visnic’s recipe for green-tea lemonade: “Take 16 oz. of green tea, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 10 to 20 drops of liquid stevia, depending on how sweet you like your lemonade. Three 8-oz. cups per day is the sweet spot for this beverage,” she says. “A recent study found that drinking 27.5 grams of green tea extract per day can help with memory function.”

Or try adding green tea to baked goods, marinades, and your morning oatmeal.

Doctors to millennials: Stay home when you have the flu

“Be proactive and make an appointment with us for your flu shot!”

— Dr. Dale

From Doctors to millennials: Stay home when you have the flu

Flu season is upon us, and before long it's likely to seem like people are coughing and sniffling everywhere you turn. New research sheds light on a group of people who may be especially likely to spread the infection to others: millennials.

According to the new survey of 1,800 American adults released by CityMD, millennials (ages 18-34) who have had the flu or flu-like symptoms were much more likely than those 35 and older to have ventured out the last time they felt sick, potentially exposing friends, neighbors and co-workers. About three-quarters of millennials admitted to going out sick, compared to 56 percent of older adults. 

Of those who left the house, the most common place they went was a drug store, followed by a grocery store. Nearly 40 percent said they went to work sick. Smaller numbers went to a family or friend's house, a restaurant or deli, public transportation, and even the gym while they were ill.

"Most millennials are young and healthy. Many of them probably never even had the flu before so they may think some of their symptoms are just extended cold-like symptoms and so they may underestimate how long it takes to recover from it." Dr. David Shih, executive vice president of strategy, health and innovation at CityMD, told CBS News.

Shih said in general, many healthy young people tend to "think they're invincible."

However, this attitude is problematic because even if they can bounce back quickly, they may be putting others at risk.

"The flu is one of those silent and contagious diseases that we see every year and millions of Americans get the flu. Unfortunately, there are some population segments that are more at risk like the elderly, the very young, and pregnant women," Shih said. "When we have a large population who are out and about in public spaces with the flu, there is a higher exposure."

How serious is the flu?

For many, the flu causes moderate symptoms that ease after a few days, but for others it can lead to severe illness and sometimes even death. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu has caused between 140,000 and 710,000 hospitalizations and between 12,000 and 56,000 deaths annually since 2010. The numbers can vary widely depending on how severe each year's flu season turns out to be.

Health officials are concerned that the 2017-18 flu season in the U.S. may be particularly bad because the Southern Hemisphere, especially Australia, was hit hard over the past few months with a flu strain that's notorious for causing severe illness, especially in older adults.

People with other serious health conditions are at greater at risk of dying from the flu, but even young and otherwise healthy people can sometimes develop fatal complications.

Will a flu shot really work?

The CDC recommends everyone age 6 months and older should get a flu shot before the end of October, if possible, each year. This is the primary means of prevention against the flu.

Flu vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body, which takes about two weeks after vaccination.

The seasonal flu shot protects against the four strains that research indicates will be the most common during the upcoming season.

"Now, there are times where they may be off or they may be wrong, but getting a flu shot will still decrease your likelihood of getting the flu because there's always going to be some minor variations but there's definitely enough similarities for your body to pick up the defenses," Shih said.

Studies have also shown that even people who get the flu despite having gotten the flu shot tend to have milder symptoms and recover more quickly.

How do I know if I have the flu or a cold?

The common cold and the flu are both respiratory illnesses but they are caused by different viruses. Colds are usually milder than the flu and people with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose.

Symptoms of the flu include:

• Fever or feeling feverish/chills
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

If you're not sure whether your illness is a cold or the flu, there are tests your doctor can run to find out.

How does the flu spread?

The virus is spread mainly by droplets in the air when infected people cough, sneeze, or talk. People who are sick with the flu can spread it to others up to 6 feet away. 

In order to prevent spread of the flu, those who are sick should always cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing and wash their hands frequently with warm water and soap or use hand sanitizer. 

Flu germs can also last on surfaces for up to 24 hours, depending on the surface. The harder the surface, the longer germs can last. So, one person with the flu who coughs into their hand and then later grabs ahold of a doorknob or picks up the office coffeepot can quickly infect many others.

How long are people with the flu contagious?

Shih says many people believe that after one or two days, you are no longer contagious. However, that's not true.

"As long as you're coughing, sneezing, dripping, you're exposing germs whether to the air or to a surface," Shih said.

When can I go back to work? 

While it's very common for people to want to get back to work and their daily routines soon after getting sick with the flu, experts advise against rushing things.

The length of the illness will vary from person to person. Young, healthy people may bounce back very quickly, but in others flu symptoms may take up to two weeks to completely go away, Shih said.

"The general advice for a patient is to really take the 3 to 5 days to rest and only exercise and go about your daily business once you feel you have the energy," he said.

How People Under 50 Can Protect Against Colon Cancer

“Make your colonoscopy appointment with us today.”

— Dr. Dale

From How People Under 50 Can Protect Against Colon Cancer

In whites ages 30 to 49, colorectal cancer death rates have increased by nearly 2 percent annually.

The American Cancer Society recommends beginning colorectal cancer screening earlier for people with a family history of the disease. (Getty Images)

On the whole, colorectal cancer incidence and death rates have been going down for decades. “We’ve made tremendous advances in the treatment for colon cancer to the present day,” says Dr. Wafik El-Deiry, deputy director for translational research and co-leader of the molecular therapeutic program at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.

Improvements in screening have led to earlier detection and more effective treatment of colon and rectal cancers. Tests like the colonoscopy can find polyps, or abnormal tissue growths. While most of these growths on the lining of the colon (or large intestine) or the rectum are harmless, some develop into cancer over time. When they’re found in the early going, though, these polyps can usually be safely removed.

Yet despite these advances and declining rates of colorectal cancer overall, there’s a counter trend that has been troubling oncologists: While the majority of people who develop colorectal cancer are older, research finds that incidence has been increasing in people younger than 55 since at least the mid-1990s. And a recent study shows colorectal cancer death rates have been creeping up in people 20 to 54 years of age; after declining from 6.3 deaths per 100,000 people in 1970 to 3.9 deaths in 2004, deaths have increased 1 percent annually to 4.3 per 100,000 individuals in 2014.

The study, published last month as a research letter (an abbreviated report) in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found the increase was limited to white individuals. Broken out by age in this group, the colorectal cancer death rate increased 1.9 percent for those aged 40 to 49 years, 1.6 percent for those 30 to 39 and 0.9 percent for people 50 to 54 years of age from 2005 to 2014, according to the research.

“It’s a small increase,” says Rebecca Siegel, an epidemiologist and strategic director of surveillance information services at the American Cancer Society, who led the research. “But it does strongly suggest that the increase in incidence rates is real and not just an artifact of more colonoscopy use.”

But it's not clear what’s driving the increase and why it’s confined to whites. The differences can’t be explained, for example, by rising rates of obesity that can make it more likely a person might develop colorectal cancer. “Disparate racial patterns conflict with trends in major CRC risk factors like obesity, which are similar in white and black individuals,” the researchers note.

“There’s something that’s going on that’s disturbing, and it needs to be explained and understood,” El-Deiry says. Experts say there’s likely multiple reasons for the trend. “It’s probably many factors – not one factor – that may have contributed,” says Dr. David Lieberman, chief of the division of gastroenterology and professor of medicine at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland. “But it’s clearly an important trend, and one that’s going to need further investigation.”

Despite the remaining questions, the latest research findings highlight the need for vigilance when it comes to colorectal cancer, not just among older people, but for those who are under 50. It's at age 50 when the ACS recommends people of average risk for colorectal cancer begin getting screened, such as with a colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy – another test that finds polyps.

The ACS recommends beginning colorectal cancer screening earlier for people at increased risk based on their family history. For example, a person who has a first-degree relative – a parent or sibling – who was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, should start getting screened at an age 10 years younger than the earliest diagnosis of an immediate family member, or at age 40, whichever comes first. “So if your father got colon cancer at 40, you should start getting screened at 30,” explains Dr. Kurt Melstrom, colorectal surgeon at City of Hope, a clinical research hospital in Duarte, California.

Experts say early screening may also be recommended for people whose immediate family members were found to have polyps – particularly if a first-degree relative had a large polyp removed or had several polyps. “It’s something to think about, definitely,” Melstrom says.

Even in the absence of a history of colon cancer, you shouldn’t ignore potential warning signs or symptoms. “If patients are having symptoms that are related to the colon – and the predominant symptom is going to be rectal bleeding, so bleeding from the rectum with bowel movements – that should be reported to their physicians as well,” Lieberman says.

Other symptoms include abnormal abdominal cramping or abdominal pains, which can’t be otherwise explained. Another change you might prefer to keep to yourself: If your poop starts to become a lot more fragmented, hard to get out or very thin, Melstrom suggests talking with your doctor about it. “Of course, all those symptoms are also quite vague, so I would not start to lose sleep over that, as the majority of the time that actually will not be a cancer,” he says. But experts emphasize people who are younger and middle-aged shouldn’t just shrug these things off either, or assume the problem is something like hemorrhoids, since colorectal cancer is more common in older adults. “See your primary care doctor and have them evaluate it,” Melstrom says. “They will refer you to a gastroenterologist to get a colonoscopy if they think it’s appropriate.”

Along with screening and paying attention to possible signs or symptoms, experts recommend making lifestyle changes to lower risk. That includes exercising, shedding excess weight, and not eating a lot of processed red meat – like ham and hot dogs – which has been linked to a higher risk of developing colon cancer. “What I would recommend is that we stay [as] active as possible, eat a nice healthy diet – not an excessive amount of red meat and … processed meat,” Melstrom says.

Research has also shown there’s a link between diabetes and colon cancer. So clinicians recommend making similar lifestyle improvements to lower the risk of developing diabetes, and for those who have it, managing the chronic disease appropriately. The bottom line, experts say, is to be proactive to reduce the toll of colorectal cancer – whether you’re young or old.