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The foods we eat every day certainly play a role in our cognitive functioning. Ever sleep in past your alarm in college and be forced to sprint to take a grueling exam on an empty stomach? Not fun. But as we get older, the connection between nutrition and brain health becomes more pronounced in several ways. For starters, because the brain declines naturally with age, our risk of cognitive decline and disorders (such as dementia and Alzheimer’s) increases as we get older. This is why it’s vital to make sure your meals are incorporating brain-boosting nutrients: They’ll help keep you sharp both today and in the long term.

“Medical professionals and physicians are more than familiar with the general—and natural—cognitive decline that is associated with aging, as the brain does not make new cells as we age,” says neuroscientist Sonja K. Billes, PhD, the founder of August Scientific and a member of the Science Advisory Team at Solaray. “Our brain cells, known as neurons, may not communicate as well later in life, too,” she adds. To caveat, this decline is completely natural for many—but it still may cause weakened neurological activity and response, which affects cognitive functioning, memory retention, concentration, and focus, Dr. Billes says.

How nutrition and brain health are linked

While there isn’t too much we can do to stop the natural decline in brain health due to age (which is due, in part, to damage from free radicals and oxidative stress, which are byproducts that come with the aging process), we can take some amount of legitimate preventative action by adjusting our daily routines—such as getting more sleep and managing stress—and eating more brain-friendly foods on a consistent basis. These lifestyle changes have been shown to result in better cognitive functioning (as well as decreased inflammation, a happier state of existence, a healthier heart, and so on) as we age.

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Depending on the genes you were dealt, your body could be destined for a long, healthy future that stretches on for decades to come. 

Of course, your fate isn’t etched in stone. The diet you eat – and the way you eat it – could determine just how many of those prescribed days will be seen in good constitution.

Gerontologist Valter Longo from the University of Southern California in the US is convinced there’s an optimal formula to fasting and dieting that could give us the best chance of maximizing our individual lifespans.

To work out what that formula might look like, Longo and his colleague Rozalyn Anderson of the University of Wisconsin explored the literature on longevity and nutrition in a variety of living things, relating it all back to our own species.

“We explored the link between nutrients, fasting, genes, and longevity in short-lived species, and connected these links to clinical and epidemiological studies in primates and humans – including centenarians,” says Longo.

Of course, a single prescribed method of eating isn’t likely to ever become a one-size-fits-all approach. Just as variations in food habits introduce a litany of pros and cons for the health of other species, from simple microbes to worms to mammals like us, our own differences in genes and stages of development will determine the risks and benefits of different food items.

People older than 65, for example, might need to add a little more protein in their diet, just to ensure their bodies have plenty of material to bulk up dropping body mass and guard against growing frailty.

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Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had an obsession with fitness: it has always been the light that has kept me on the straight and narrow. I’ve had many dark moments in my life, from being depressed and addicted to various substances, to nearly taking my own life in 2020. I was also diagnosed with IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) after I left the British Army, which resulted in medications that affected my bone health, and anti-inflammatory steroids with horrendous side effects including severe acne. At the time everything seemed pointless. This went on for many years until finally, I found a medication that keeps it under control and gave me my life back. I think experiencing these hardships has ultimately given me the greatest perspective on how short life is, and over the last two years in particular, I’ve been making some big changes in my personal fitness.

I’ve always been a “follow the science” kind of guy and looked at what is working for those who lead the industry. So for many years I had a push-pull-legs workout split and used to smash six days a week in the gym, however, I ultimately found that was too much from both a mental and physical recovery standpoint. I started doing full-body workouts instead and ended up loving it, since I hate dedicated leg days.

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Brandon Newman, 24, shares his weight loss and body transformation journey with Men’s Health.

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Foods that can cause anxiety and fatigue

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When most of us work out, we’re focused on building strength and achieving other performance goals, like running faster or increasing our flexibility. But these short-term aims should only be part of the equation. A well-rounded fitness approach also includes taking care of our foundation—our muscles and joints—by future-proofing our body.

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The concept of future-proofing the body was created by Vinh Pham, DPT, founder of Myodetox, and “simply means taking care of your body to avoid problems in the future,” he explains. Consider how you brush your teeth daily, future-proofing them, to maintain and improve your oral health—the same should be done for your muscles with a regular movement routine, says Dr. Pham.

“Want to avoid cavities and have a great smile? Brush and floss your teeth every day. Want to avoid muscle aches, neck and lower back pain, and be able to exercise efficiently? Spend 10 to 20 minutes a day doing a muscular hygiene routine,” says Dr. Pham.

One of the great and sometimes challenging things about wellness is that the options are endless (sometimes too much). But investing in your well-being and future-proofing your muscles by incorporating dynamic stretching and mobility exercises into your current routine takes no more than 10 to 20 minutes.

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Photo: Getty Images/Hiraman

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Vitamins are essential for maintaining optimal body functions, from regulating heartbeats to healing wounds.

In general, people can get most of the vitamins they need from eating a well-balanced diet, but doctors might suggest or prescribe supplements in severely deficient patients. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that Americans are particularly deficient in vitamin B6, iron, vitamin D, and vitamin C.

Though sales for supplements, including vitamins, have skyrocketed during the pandemic, taking these supplements in conjunction with some prescription medications can lead to dangerous health outcomes.

Robert Alesiani, the chief pharmacotherapy officer at Tabula Rasa Healthcare, spoke with Insider about the everyday vitamins that could turn lethal when combined with certain prescription medications.

“It’s always good to have your doctor or a pharmacist know the supplements you’re taking in conjunction with your prescription medications,” Alesiani said.

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Certain supplements can interfere with prescription medications, leading to potentially dangerous health outcomes. Bryan Chan/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

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“Get toned” is one of the most common goals personal trainers (including yours truly) hear clients and prospective clients say they’re after. Whether they realize it or not, these people are referring to body recomposition, the act of altering your physique by burning fat and gaining muscle at the same time. These people know what they want — less fat and more muscle — but they often don’t know what it takes to get there.

Body recomposition requires a different approach to health and fitness than the typical weight-loss mindset.

Many people think that true body recomposition is impossible because of this conundrum: To reduce your body fat, you have to eat fewer calories than you burn. But to build muscle, you have to eat more calories than you burn. However, your body is smarter than you may give it credit for, and by keeping a close eye on your diet (specifically when you eat what) and your training, you can absolutely lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.

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