This Eating Pattern Can Worsen Your Memory — Even If You're Young

When’s the last time you traveled somewhere without the help of GPS?

When I moved to New York City, smartphones (as we know them today) weren’t yet commonplace, so I got around with the help of a credit-card-sized map of the subway system that fit in my wallet. I’m happy I was introduced to New York like this because it made me learn the layout that much faster.

Nowadays, however, I often default to using my phone to guide me. And because of this, I can feel my navigation ability weakening.

I bring this up because the study below talks about spatial navigation, and how diet may play a role in our ability to remember routes (an indicator of a healthy brain). Read below to learn more!

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This type of diet impairs learning

In this newsletter, we often talk about the various ways that nutrition can impact brain health.

However, most studies focus on the long-term effects of the diet-brain connection (i.e., how diet can lead to age-related cognitive decline). Fewer studies have been done on the more immediate impact of nutrition choices.

• A new study1 found that eating a high-fat, high-sugar (HFHS) diet can actually negatively impact spatial navigation.
• Spatial navigation is the ability to learn and remember the route from one place to another—you know, without GPS.
• The researchers used this as a test because it's a good approximation of the health of the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain that controls decision-making, memory, and more.
• Looking at study participants between 18 and 38, the researchers found that individuals with lower levels of fat and sugar in their diets performed better at the spatial tests than those who consumed HFHS foods regularly.

Essentially: You don’t need to wait decades to experience the cognitive consequences of your dietary choices. In fact, it could be affecting you today.

+ Smart habits:

• 6 daily steps a functional MD never skips
• 3 things that age your brain
• 5 easy brain exercises, from a neuroscientist

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If you do one thing this week…try the Sit & Rise Test

"The Sit and Rise Test is based on a 2012 study2 showing that the ability to get up and down from the ground is a significant predictor of overall health and mortality," said mobility coach Juliet Starrett during mindbodygreen’s recent Revitalize summit.

Here’s a breakdown of the study:

• Looking at musculoskeletal fitness indicators as a predictor of all-cause mortality, the researchers evaluated over 2K individuals aged 51-80.
• After rating the study participants' ability to perform the Sit and Rise Test, they followed up several years later and found that better scores in the test were strongly correlated with improved survival rates.
• In fact, each unit increase in the test was associated with a 21% lower risk of death.
• "It is the greatest and simplest way to get an insight into your own mobility," said Starrett.

So, how do you do it? According to Starrett: "Cross one foot over the other, then lower yourself to the ground with control. And then you stand back up, ideally without putting a hand or knee on the ground."

Try it out, then practice it daily. The better you get at it, the better off your overall health will be.

+ More mobility tips

• Can you do the Sit & Rise test? Watch it here
• Read more about floor sitting for longevity
• Listen to all of Starrett’s mobility tips

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Better brain health

• How heart health impacts cognition
• Diving into the skin-brain connection
• Can you really “rewire your brain”?
• Research-backed nutrients to help support memory* **

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Ask An RD: What’s an underutilized fruit that has lots of benefits?

Kiwis are a powerhouse fruit—one I often forget about until it’s on my plate. Research shows having one or two a day comes with a lot of surprising perks.

1) Contains concentrated vitamin C

• One kiwi has roughly the same amount of vitamin C as an orange!
• Since one serving of kiwi is two fruits, that’s double the vitamin C (hello, immune health) in a sitting.

2) Helps ease digestion

• Kiwis pack both soluble and insoluble fiber (and help keep you regular).
• Bonus: Eating the kiwis with the skin on boosts their fiber content by 50%.
• They also contain an enzyme called actinidin to further aid digestion.

3) Supports sleep