Coffee=Goodness=Memory

Good morning!! I woke up this morning and saw something outside that I was not used to seeing: SUN! Finally, no rain. At least until next week :( Hopefully I can make some time today to go outside and enjoy this rare occasion. Right now I'm eating my cereal and drinking my favorite morning brew. Not beer, coffee. I figured this would be a good opportunity to discuss an article I recently read in Nutrition Action Health Letter:


I'm 26 years old and already experiencing memory loss. Anyone else have this problem? It's never anything big, but I'm always pretty pathetic when it comes to remembering names and I sometimes find myself in a room trying to remember why I walked in there in the first place. I know it's normal to have slight memory loss as we age, but already?! At this point in my life I'm not too worried about it, but I surely don't want it to get much worse anytime soon.

Here are some research-based ways to prevent premature memory loss:

1) Watch your waist size. One study showed a tripled risk for dementia in those with a larger waist in middle age (out of 3,600 participants). Women, try to stay under 35 inches. Men, try to stay under 40 inches.

2) Lower your blood pressure. Hypertension in midlife has been associated with dementia. So, watch your salt intake, get plenty of calcium and potassium in your diet, and try to maintain a healthy weight (most important). Blood pressure should be at or below 120/80.

3) Drink coffee!! Several studies have shown less dementia in people who drink coffee (3-5 cups a day!). This doesn't include decaf coffee. The 3-5 cups of coffee should provide about 400-500 mg of caffeine, but don't start drinking tons of coffee just to prevent dementia. Some literature actually says more than 250 mg of coffee can be bad for your health, but in my opinion this really depends on the person. If you are healthy, with no serious health conditions, and are not taking any medications that may interact with caffeine, 3-5 cups of coffee shouldn't hurt you.

I like to add soy milk to my coffee, as a substitute for a little bit of creamer. I also drink my coffee black a lot of times. Either way, I suggest trying not to add too many "extras" to your coffee because the extra sugar, fat, and calories can add up fast! Try to be simple, and enjoy.


Bottom Line: No one wants to loose their memory. Once again it comes down to staying fit and controlling your blood pressure in order to prevent memory loss. Including some coffee is a good idea as well.

*** Information from Nutrition Action Health Letter