New research published in the medical Journal Neurology suggests that eating oily fish three times a week can cut the risk of memory loss and stroke by up to a quarter. Scientists found that eating fish three times a week led to a reduction in harmful brain lesions that can trigger Alzheimer’s disease and stroke. They also found that baking or steaming fish is more beneficial for brain health than fried fish and chips.

The omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oils may help reduce inflammation of the brain and play a vital part in brain development and nerve cell regeneration. In the study  3,660 volunteers aged 65 and older were given brain scans to determine whether their brains had small lesions, known as silent infarcts, that can cause loss of thinking skills, stroke or dementia. Five years later scans were performed again on 2,313 of the participants who were also given questionnaires about the amount of fish in their diets. Researchers discovered that it was the people who ate steamed, grilled or baked oily fish three times or more a week that had a reduced risk of brain lesions, but even eating only one serving of fish per week led to a 13 per cent lower risk. Although eating steamed, grilled and baked fish seemed to protect against memory loss and stroke the same results were not found in people who ate traditional fried fish.

It is thought the oily fish seems to have a more protective effect because of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA that they contain. The types of fish that contain high levels of DHA and EPA nutrients include tuna, salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, and anchovies.  (Also see Resources Page X for a high level EPA/DHA supplement called Omega 3 Plus)

Researchers at Aberdeen University believe they may have found a major breakthrough in the battle against Alzheimer’s. They believe the disease can be fought with omega 3 oils, which can be found in seeds, nuts and oily fish, like salmon and mackerel. The researchers found that older people whose diets were high in omega 3 oils did far better in mental tests than those without the oils in their diet.

The Aberdeen research adds weight to previous research earlier this year from the US which discovered that an increased intake of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may boost the production of a protein known to destroy the plaque associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Cells from mice, rats, and humans were used by the researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to show that the DHA-induced production of the protein LR11 may cut the build-up of plaque from beta-amyloid deposits, which have been found to result in brain cell damage and the onset of Alzheimer’s.  (I use a fish oil supplement in the clinic (Omega 3 Plus) which has a high content of DHA (over 500mg of DHA in just two capsules) and also contains over 700mg of EPA in two capsules – see the Resources Page).

Red cabbage is a member of the cruciferous family which also includes kale, broccoli and Brussel Sprouts. The cabbage that we eat today was developed from wild cabbage and was brought to Europe around 600BC and had been grown in Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations that had used cabbage for medicinal purposes.

Red cabbage is a rich source of calcium and also flavonoids. The flavonoids are responsible for the red colour and give the red cabbage its antioxidant benefits.
The antioxidant properties of red cabbage are six to eight times higher than the white variety.

A study published in Food Science and Technology looked at the possible protective effects of red cabbage on Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is associated with an increase in a protein called beta-amyloid which causes brain cell damage. It is thought that the antioxidant polyphenols (particularly the anthocyanins) that are high in red cabbage can protect brain cells against the damage caused by amyloid-beta protein.

Also as a member of the cruciferous family of vegetable, red cabbage contains phytochemicals called indole-3-carbinoles (I3C) which are thought to play a role in reducing the risk of breast cancer. I3C seems to control oestrogen as it stops the carcinogenic forms of oestrogen from being absorbed in the body, while at the same time encouraging their elimination. One study in the Journal of the American Medicine Association showed that women eating just 1.5 cups of cruciferous vegetables per day have a 25% decreased risk of breast cancer.