Odd couples can reduce your dementia risk
Odd couples -- from TV's Felix (Tony Randall) and Oscar (Jack Klugman) to the 1968 movie with Jack Lemmon (as Felix) and Walter Matthau (as Oscar) -- are fan favorites. And we have another favorite odd couple to introduce you to: kombucha (a fizzy, fermented tea) and berries, especially blackberries. These two foods are loaded with flavonoids, nutrients that we have known are anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antiviral and help protect heart and nerve health. Now, a study in JAMA Network Open reveals that, especially for folks with high blood pressure and depression, they also lower the risk of dementia. Kombucha plus berries are notably beneficial for folks with a genetic predisposition to dementia, too.
Other flavonoid-loaded foods that are protective of your cognitive powers include blueberries and strawberries (1/2 a serving daily), black coffee, and green or black tea (five daily servings). And eating a serving of several of those flavonoid-rich foods and beverages in a day ups their protective ability. For example, doing just that will double the 14% reduction in dementia risk that comes from drinking four cups of tea daily!
Don't like kombucha? Another new study found that fermenting apple juice for 10 days at room temperature loads it up with more flavonoids than the same amount of kombucha!
To make sure you get the flavonoids your body needs for optimal health, explore the chart on flavonoid-rich extracts in the iHerb.com/blog, "Plant-Based Antioxidants." And for up-to-the-moment info on protecting your brain, sign up for the free newsletter at LongevityPlaybook.com.
Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).
(c)2024 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2024 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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