No Pain, No Gain?
It turns out the adage “no pain, no gain” may not be true when it comes to the brain. After all, it’s no secret that enjoyable exercises like word search puzzles can help keep the mind sharp. And now, studies are suggesting that you can boost your brain simply by eating a tasty snack: blueberries.
Blueberries Keeps the Mind Young
Starting in the 1980’s, a team of researchers led by Elizabeth Devore – now an instructor at Harvard Medical School – began collecting data on the dietary habits of a group of 16,010 research subjects. What the study revealed was remarkable: participants who ate the most blueberries dramatically outperformed the rest of the test takers. In fact, the blueberry enthusiasts’ brains worked as if they were 1.5 – 2.5 years younger on average.
Blueberries Can Even Reverse Aging
Perhaps the best news is that it’s never too late to start. A separate study led by James Joseph found that blueberries can actually reverse aging in the brain. Further research by Joseph suggests blueberries could even point the way to dietary strategies to ward off age-related conditions like Alzheimer disease.
