Eating for a better memory

In her recent talk at our Living Well event, neuroscientist Professor Catherine Loveday used science to explain the affect of foods on the brain and the link between our gut and the brain.

Our gut is often called the second brain, according to Catherine, because it uses similar chemicals and neurons to carry out vital jobs - from digesting food and regulating blood flow to influencing mood and emotions.

Connected to the brain by the vagus nerve, most signals actually travel from the gut to the brain, and the gut can even function independently.

‘The brain sends important signals to our digestive system - for instance, when we’re full up, when we’re hungry and when food doesn’t taste right so we avoid it,’ says Catherine. But it’s much more of a complex two‑way relationship: hormones from the gut affect appetite and mood, while brain hormones influence gut and bowel function. That’s why we feel “gut reactions” like butterflies when nervous or stomach pain when stressed.

A key player in this communication is our gut bacteria (microbiome), which make vitamins, break down toxins, supply energy, and strengthen immunity. Good bacteria also fight inflammation linked to depression and Alzheimer’s, and improving the microbiome with probiotics has been shown to improve mood and wellbeing as well as attention and memory and reduce risk of dementia and Parkinson's.

Brain boosting tips 

* Maintain a healthy lifestyle, get good sleep and exercise

* Eat a diverse range of brightly coloured fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and fibre rich foods and well as nuts and berries which have been shown to boost memory function. There’s strong evidence that Mediteranean diet is good for our general health and gut bacteria.

* Studies show that a diet lower in sugar, rich in lean proteins, and full of healthy fats (like oily fish and olive oil), alongside plenty of colourful fruit and veg, can boost memory and thinking skills.

* Try probiotic foods, such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha, which add good bacteria straight to your gut.

* Have foods rich in prebiotic fibres, such as garlic, onions, bananas, asparagus, and whole grains which feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut.

* Limit sugary foods or if you need to have sweet stuff, have it with a meal to avoid spikes in blood sugar. , Although we need some sugar for energy, in studies, people with high blood sugar levels performed worse in tasks testing memory and thinking skills. If you’re going to eat sugar, eating it with something else like fibre or protein can help as it slows down sugar spike .

* Reduce your intake of ultra processed foods and be suspicious of so called healthy low-fat or low sugar labels - they often contain unhealthy alternatives and studies have shown that the brain can’t distinguish between sugar and sugar replacements

* Try to have healthy snacks to hand such as a small bag of nuts, yogurt and fruit, or rice cake and peanut butter

* Focus more on adding heathy things to your diet rather than getting too hung up on what you need to give up – and plan ahead.

* Limit processed foods: Reduce consumption of processed foods, sugary snacks, and beverages, as they can negatively impact gut health.

* If you have a diagnosed problem with the gut, such as IBS or other inflammatory bowel disorders, don't underestimate the benefits of talking therapies and relaxation. With the brain and gut so intertwined, standard medical treatments often now include solutions such as counselling, hypnosis or relaxation techniques. Lowering stress levels can boost levels of good bacteria.