Diets for a Healthy Heart and a healthy Brain

3) The dietary steps that help protect your heart can also help keep your brain sharp as you age?

True. The brain consumes roughly 20 percent of the oxygen you breathe. So anything that threatens the ability of the heart or blood vessels to circulate oxygen rich blood also threatens the brain's health and function. Indeed, studies suggest that much of the decline in cognitive power results from a decreased supply of oxygen to the brain.

A diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol can help keep plaque deposits from forming in the arteries. Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, and low-fat dairy products not only tends to minimize your intake of fat and cholesterol but also supplies numerous nutrients that help keep the arteries healthy. Exercising and stopping smoking will also protect the brain, by improving cardiovascular function.

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