Brain-Health on Your Plate: The Foods That Protect or Harm Your Cognition
You’ve highlighted a critical, evidence-based connection between diet and long-term brain health. The foods we eat daily don’t just affect our waistline and heart—they directly influence inflammation, vascular health, and neuronal function, all of which are foundational to preventing cognitive decline. Let’s build a clear, actionable framework based on the latest neurology and nutrition science.
The Core Mechanism: How Diet Impacts Dementia Risk
The link between food and brain health operates through three primary pathways:
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Chronic Inflammation: A pro-inflammatory diet activates the brain’s immune cells (microglia), leading to neuronal damage over decades.
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Vascular Damage: Foods that harm blood vessels (through oxidative stress, high blood pressure, or atherosclerosis) reduce blood flow to the brain.
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Insulin Resistance: The brain can become « diabetic » (Type 3 Diabetes hypothesis), where neurons struggle to use glucose, their primary fuel.
