It’s a mantra that’s worth repeating over and over: You are what you eat. And to that, add the following tag-on: What you eat can benefit your brain. While some may think that cognitive impairment or even dementia are inevitable aspects of growing older, in fact, what you do- and what you eat- can significantly lessen the likelihood that you’ll face impaired memory or diminished decision-making as you get older. As we’ve previously posted, there are specific foods and nutrients that can significantly impact (both positively and negatively) the way that your brain and body age. But it means you need to make a commitment to eating in a healthy manner and balancing your plate to regularly consume a variety of important vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. As a place to start, peruse the useful list of resources provided by the US Department of Agriculture here.

A recent New York Times article underscores that the science is now compelling that healthy eating (in particular, upping your plant intake) can definitely make a difference when it comes to lowering your dementia risk. As writer Amelia Nierenberg explains, both the Mediterranean Diet as well as the MIND diet can offer strong protection against cognitive decline. Both of these diets are considered heart-healthy, and as experts make clear, “Pretty much anything that will help keep arteries healthy will reduce risk of dementia” and “What’s good for the heart is good for the brain.” The big food takeaways will come as no surprise to those of you already on a healthy path: Up your intake of leafy greens, colorful fruits and veggies, fish (for its Omega 3 fatty acids), and nuts, legumes, whole grains, and olive oil. Another recent post from Well & Good underscores the same points but emphasizes the nutrients found in many of these same foods. Beyond the important value of Omega 3 fatty acids from fish (found in salmon, sardines, herring, and mackerel) you can also get the plant version of this nutrient in walnuts and flax seeds. Also emphasized are the B Vitamins along with electrolytes. Noting that your brain is 80% water, it becomes clear that adequate hydration is necessary to keep up your brain volume. The Well & Good post also emphasizes the need for protein, especially as you get older, to make sure those neurotransmitters in your brain keep functioning. And if you want to drill down even further on some specific foods, take a look here regarding the health benefits of eating fish, and here for the important reasons you should be sprinkling blueberries on as many items as you can (you’ll have a sharper brain to thank you).

And have you given thought to growing any of these items in your own garden? For some inspiration and gardening recommendations, you need to become acquainted with “The internet’s favorite Grandpa Gardener,” Gerald Stratford of Oxfordshire, UK. With his brand new book, Big Veg, this Twitter famous fellow has practical advice for both seasoned and amateur gardeners about growing produce in any space at any time of the year. At age 73 he’s found fame and (small) fortune doing what he’s done since he was 5 years old: finding a spot of dirt to seed and grow food throughout the year. Get ready to be inspired and get into gardening by reading here.