As we age, we tend to start forgetting things more often. It’s just a natural part of life and after a certain point, there isn’t really that much we can do about it. However, that doesn’t mean that we men can’t take steps during the earlier half of our lives to ensure that we retain our memory for a longer period of time when we’re older, or make it that much sharper during our youth. The secret? It’s not as complicated as you think – just be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables (especially the leafy greens), and drink plenty of orange juice while you can and your memory should last longer. At least, according to a recent study conducted at Harvard.
In the study, over 27,842 applicants were tested – all men averaging around 51 years old, and tested to see how their memory functioned at the beginning of the test and towards the end. When the scientists finished with their tests and questionnaires, they noticed that those who had eaten a steady helping of fresh fruit (half a cup), fresh vegetables (the same), and at least 1/2 a glass of orange juice daily had a higher rate of cognitive function at an older age.
The study found that about 34% of the people who consumed the most fruits, vegetables, and juices had higher cognitive function than those who didn’t. While the study couldn’t say that doing so will guarantee better cognitive function in old age, they did manage to draw a comparison between the two from their data.
But why exactly does this happen? Well, a lot of health food experts and scientists believe that introducing a wider variety and constant amount of antioxidants into your bloodstream on a daily basis can help to flush out oxidated toxins from your bloodstream.
If these toxins are left in your body for a longer period of time, the chances that they’ll cause long-term oxidative damage to our vital organs. They will also limit the amount of fresh oxygen our blood can carry, which ultimately starves the neurons in our brains of the energy they need to function correctly, and over time, they become less active and the death of brain cells means we cannot retain memories as well and we become forgetful. So be sure to include a lot of healthy greens, berries, and juices in your diet – you’ll be grateful for it later!
