DEAR Dr. Fritz,
I hope you are doing fine. I am Chelzea. I just wanted to know if there are foods that are bad for the brain. I am a student and I wanted to know because I want to have better memory, so I can have better grades.
Thank you and God bless.
Chelzea of Montevista
***
Dear Chelzea of Montevista,
Sadly, there are foods that are really bad for your brain. Here is the list.
1. Trans Fats
But, don’t fret. They are not created equal. They may be found in animal products, like meat and dairy, but these sources are not as bad as those of the industrial grade products, or otherwise known as hydrogenated oil. This kind of fat may be found in margarine, baked goods, chips, crackers, frozen and canned meals, and creamy beverages. Studies found that high consumption of such hydrogenated oils lead to lower brain memory, earlier problem with cognition and poor memory. So, check the label. Look for hydrogenated oils in the label and avoid them as much as possible.
2. Sweetened drinks
Drinking sugary drinks regularly, like soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks and fruit juice can lead to a lot of problems, which can range from type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Moreover, taking too much of fructose, which can be found in many sugary drinks, have been found to reduce the ability to learn, brain function, and memory. Moreover, this can also increase the inflammation of the brain, which can affect the brain function, too.
Oh, we run out of space for now. So, hold and on and let me continue this in my next column for the list of the bad foods for the brain. Until then.
Dr. Fritz
(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and a clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15 year stint with her radio program, “Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz.” She is the program host of Secrets with Dr. Fritz over Hugyaw.com. For your questions, you may e-mail them to dokfritz@yahoo.com. If you don’t wish your letter to be published, we regret that we cannot answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)