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The Brain Power Diet

By: Psychology Today Staff

Here's how to construct an eating plan that can help turn your brain into a lean, mean thinking machine and, not incidentally, help protect against cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, premature aging, obesity, and other ills.

As a general rule, when strolling the produce aisles, think color. Anything brightly colored is brain food, loaded with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that maintain brain health and enhance mental performance. And if all else fails, just like the ad says, you shudda had a V-8.

PROTEIN
Protein contains four calories per gram. Should supply 15 percent of your total calorie intake.

Needed to manufacture brain tissue, enzymes, neurotransmitters, and myriad other brain chemicals. Choose 5 ounces (women) to 8 ounces (men) animal protein from lean sources: skinless poultry, lean meats, organ meats; fatty fish such as salmon, herring, tuna, and sardines, plus other seafood; skim and low-fat dairy products. Increase intake of soy protein foods such as calcium-fortified tofu, soy milk, and textured vegetable protein; soy foods contain isoflavones and thousands of other beneficial compounds animal foods lack.

CARBOHYDRATES
Carbohydrates contain four calories per gram. Should supply 65 percent of calories.

Vegetables and fruit are packed with antioxidant vitamins and thousands of other powerful antioxidants, minerals, and fiber. Tank up on dark leafy greens; cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale); red/yellow/orange vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots, summer and winter squash; fruits such as berries, cherries, apples, apricots, oranges, grapefruit, red grapes, peaches.

The government recommends that you get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. That's pathetic, say many researchers--yet more than two-thirds of Americans, especially meast-and-potatoes-and-pizza men--don't even get that. (Real, smart men do eat salad.) Experts urge you to eat as much and as many fruits and veggles as you can pack in--10 servings if you want. Watery, crunchy fruits/veggies are very low in calories; eat ad lib. (A serving is one whole fruit or vegetable, a half-cup cooked or 1 cup raw greens.)

Grains, starchy vegetables, and legumes are packed with B vitamins, antioxidants, trace minerals, and fiber. Whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, grains, potatoes, and yams are loaded with energy-boosting, feel-good complex carbohydrates (and some fat-free protein). Complex carbs, digested more slowly than simple sugars, keep blood sugar levels steady and brain energy high for prolonged periods. Refined flour products won't kill you, but even "enriched" versions don't put all the good stuff back, and lack fiber. Get 5 to 11 servings daily (the latter if you're a big guy or female triathlete). A serving equals one slice of bread, one potato, or half a cup of grain or beans.

Table sugar (sucrose) or honey is okay if used sparingly, but it lacks vitamins and minerals; limit to a few teaspoons daily (one Coke has 10 teaspoons!). Avoid corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup, which raise triglycerides more than sucrose; they're in zillions of prepared foods, including ketchup.

FAT
Fat contains nine calories per gram. Current government recommendations call for fat intake to supply no more than 30 percent of calories. But that may not be low enough to keep your brain from clogging up.

"The same low-fat diet that ensures cardiovascular health will ensure brain health," contends cholesterol expert Charles Glueck, M.D. The dietary fat level that reduces or eliminates depression and boosts cognitive performance is a skimpy 10 to 15 percent.

Sounds a bit too austere? Relax. Oregon's William Connor, M.D., contends that a diet supplying no more than 20 percent of calories from fat confers adequate health benefits head to toe.

But 40 percent of that fat should be in the form of essential fatty acids (EFAs), preferably from fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, and tuna. And get this--caviar is an excellent source of EFAs. You can take one to two capsules of fish oil daily (a gram of fat each). It's not only the best source of the most beneficial n-3s for the brain, it lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels, too. Limit saturated fat intake to four to six percent of your overall calories. Avoid hydrogenated fats; they're saturated fats. Use only a microthin smear of low-fat margarine, if you must. (Sorry, butter is still worse.)

The rest of your fat should come from vegetable oils rich in n-3s. To get n-3 fatty acids in a favorable ratio to n-6s, use flaxseed, canola, soy, and walnut oils rather than corn, safflower, or sunflower oils. Throw these oils away, and avoid eating foods containing them. Olive oil has little n-3 but is mostly harmless monosaturated fat; mix with canola oil to flavor salads. Use olive oil cooking spray. Mono-rich peanut oil is okay in small doses, too.

But don't overdo the EFA-rich oils, either. You need no more than two to three teaspoons of EFAs per day.

Assume you'll get half your fat from even low-fat foods. That leaves half you can add as oil. Limit yourself to 20 grams (women) to 25 grams (men) daily.

Remember, dietary cholesterol does not raise blood cholesterol levels in two-thirds of the population, Trouble is, you don't know whether you're a dietary cholesterol "responder" without medical tests. Better to keep cholesterol Intake below 300 mg per day.

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Build a Better Brain

By: Beth Livermore

In one corner stands a stack of magazines. In another sits the Sunday paper. On the counter, the radio crackles with news, while nearby the fax machine hums. The information age is definitely upon us.

If you're like most, you're still reeling, struggling to take it all in, perhaps shutting down your input channels entirely or jettisoning subscriptions simply to survive. And it's not going to get any better. The outlook report from dataland is bleak: Every five years, the information load is doubling.

There's nothing left to do but hope for a bigger, brighter brain.

What the data doctors can't even hope to promise, science may yet deliver. In this, the Decade of the Brain, researchers are hot on the trail of how we acquire and store information. Merging psychology with biology, they have made a series of recent discoveries that appear to catch learning in its tracks.

Neuroscientists plumbing this virgin terrain now know that, along with genetic inheritance, experience shapes the very structure of our nervous systems—it alters the brain circuits that process everything from a French lesson to an auto repair guide. Learning, the process by which we acquire information about our world, may actually change our brains for the better. Animal research suggests that the more we use our brains, the more efficient our intellectual muscle gets.

Taken together, their work demonstrates that the brain is an extraordinarily plastic organ, responding actively to a novel environment by growing new connections to greet it. Although the brain is unlike any other organ in that it lacks the ability for cell-body renewal, nerve cells do generate new connections, or synapses—the points at which signals are transmitted—forging new and enhanced pathways for the flow of information.

These findings suggest you can essentially train your brain to collate more information faster, and access it quicker and better. And under the right conditions of stimulation, you can grow yourself a brain that will keep up with your information needs—perhaps even exceed them.

Nature does set certain parameters. We all start out with about the same number of neurons, or brain cells, having the same basic structure. By nine months of age, our nerve cells stop dividing, leaving us with about 100 billion to a trillion each.

By far the most sophisticated thinking machine known to man, the adult brain massively outperforms today's best supercomputer. It processes billions of operations a second—approximately 10[15], versus a mere 109 for the machine—all in three pounds of tissue crammed inside the cranium. So densely packed is the brain that a sample no larger than a grain of rice contains one million neurons, 20 miles of axon—or the extension cords of nerve cells—and 10 billion synapses, calculates California neurobiologist Charles Stevens, Ph.D.

The vast majority of them are contained in the cerebral cortex, or neocortex, the most recently evolved part of the brain—a highly corrugated sheet of gray matter less than three eighths of an inch deep that overlies most other brain structures. The cortex accounts for 80 percent of its total volume and containing the equipment responsible for many sensations, thoughts, imagery, language, and other distinctively human abilities. Here, with the assistance of other brain structures, is where the brain makes sense of received stimuli, piecing together the signals from various sensory pathways, connecting them and interconnecting them, and converting them into felt experience.

Formerly the domain of philosophers, this once-ethereal territory has been opened for scientific exploration. Using such technological advances as electrodes, gels, high-powered microscopes and imaging devices including positron emission tomography, or PET scans (think of them as maps of energy flow), along with such low-tech equipment as sea slugs and rat brains, neuroscientists are providing an unprecedented understanding of our brains.

"Stimulation in general is very important to the development of the brain," reports neurobiologist Carla Shatz, Ph.D., of the University of California at Berkeley. While evolution has programmed us to perform certain basic tasks necessary to sustain life—such as eating and sleeping—we still have to learn how to do almost everything else.

Researchers believe that, from birth to adolescence, we are laying down the basic circuitry of the brain. As we grow up, the world subsequently makes its mark physically. Exposure to novel tasks and novel stimuli generates the development of new circuits and synapses for handling all of them. From then on, continued stimulation throughout life further strengthens these pathways and enhances their interconnections.

Scientists cannot yet quantify exactly how much an enriched environment helps the brains of young children to grow. But "we do know that deprivation and isolation can result in failure of the brain to form its rich set of connections," says Shatz.

Whether it's a new sensation or a fresh idea, every outside stimulus is first converted into electrical signals as it enters the cranium. These electrical signals trundle down known pathways, splitting off into multiple directions for processing. Where the lack of prior experience has left no established route, the signal will forge a new one, linking neuron to neuron as it travels along. The resulting chain is called a brain circuit, and the next time the same stimulus enters the brain, it speeds efficiently along its old route, now grooved into an expressway. Hundreds of millions of brain circuits are created by millions of experiences.

Sometime near the high-school prom age—around 18 years old—networks stop forming. We are hard-wired by the end of adolescence. Each of us is left with a "brainprint," or network system, which like a fingerprint, is unique to each one of us. This is the hardware that processes our thoughts.

Once it's in place, certain opportunities are no longer available to us. If, for example, we learn a second language after adolescence, it comes out sounding something like the first one. "We are incapable of acquiring new languages without an accent after adolescence," reports Mark Konishi, a biologist at California Institute of Technology who studies bird-song development. During development the connections form that process sound. But once our brains are so shaped, Konishi says, "we probably use the same neural substrate to process new sounds."

However, the brain is an enormously adaptive organ: The connections between neurons proliferate and shrink depending upon use. The links between them can be strengthened or weakened. "Brain networks can always be fine-tuned," says neurobiologist Stevens, of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Salk Institute in La Jolla. The more synapses between cells, the more avenues for information transmission. The better your cells communicate with one another, the more information you can likely digest, understand and recall efficiently.

"Smarter" people—those who can consume and regurgitate facts with the efficiency of machines—may in fact have a greater number of neural networks more intricately woven together. And recall of any one part seems to summon up a whole web of information.

Pictures of the brain in action confirm this model of efficiency of information flow. Researchers scanning human brains by positron emission tomography (PET)—which highlights the regions that work hardest during various tasks—found that "smarter" brains consume less energy than other brains; to do the same tasks they require less glucose, their favored fuel. "It maybe that once the brain becomes really well grooved you don't need as much energy," explains Eric Kandel, M.D., a neurobiologist at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Columbia University in New York.

Perhaps that explains why rats raised in enriched environments later learn faster than counterparts kept in barren cages. And perhaps it will help researchers to understand a recent controversial study showing a significant correlation between low levels of education and the incidence of Alzheimer's disease. According to neuroscientist Robert Katzman, Ph.D., of the University of California at San Diego, individuals who lack formal education may develop fewer synapses, or junctures between neurons, than individuals who have routinely stretched their minds. Then, when disease occurs, there is less brain reserve to call on, he says. When Alzheimer's disease strikes them, the loss of synapses is dramatic and quick to show.

Katzman hopes to directly investigate whether the number of synapses in uneducated people is actually different from that of educated people. In the meantime, neurobiologist Richard Mayeux, Ph.D., of Columbia University, appears to have confirmed part of what Katzman is getting at. He has shown that people with high IQs can withstand more brain scarring than less gifted people before they show a noticeable loss of intellect.

So managing large amounts of information throughout your life—as well as keeping your mind active into old age—doesn't just make you smarter, it also appears to buy you some time should you be stricken with a degenerative brain disease. And it can also help you withstand the more everyday ravages of age.

What makes it possible to change our brains to work faster and smarter? Human studies show that there are two kinds of learning. Declarative—or factual-learning consists of the acquisition of details about people, places, and things; it is presumed to be highly associative, drawing on rich neural interconnections. Procedural learning, on the other hand, involves information on how to do things that utilize motor skills and perceptual strategies, such as driving a car.

Each relies on different neural systems in the brain. Procedural learning, more narrow-channel, involves the specific sensory and motor systems underlying the particular skill. Declarative learning is processed in the hippocampus—a small, seahorse-shaped structure located at the base of the temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex. Not only is the hippocampus central to the formation and retrieval of lasting memories, it is part of the limbic system, or emotional brain.

The details of the still-unfolding story of the hippocampus and its role in the flow of information started with amnesiacs and are spun increasingly from nonhuman sources. Sophisticated as the new imaging technology is, it does not go far enough to pin down the complex doings of the human brain at work. For this, scientists have turned to the simpler systems of the sea snail Aplysia, and to rats and cats, among other creatures.

The bet is that the basic cellular processes in these neurons are similar to ours; that the same kinds of changes that animate the brains of "lower" animals animate ours as well. Even as this article goes to press, the various models are producing vast amounts of information that provide an increasingly complete idea of how brains input the newspaper stories, the lectures, the exhibits, the news, and the noise we want to remember.

At the start of this chain, the sensory organs—eyes, ears, nose, mouth, fingertips—transform stimuli into rhythmic patterns of electrical impulses. Then, one by one, millions of neurons pass the charge on to their neighbors. This process is accomplished by chemical as well as electrical means.

Picture a nerve cell. Extending out from the cell body in one direction is the axon, or output arm. Shorter receiving cables, or dendrites, stem from other parts of the cell. The ultra-thin fibers of axon and dendrite terminate in tiny branches. Between the axonal branches of one cell and the dendrite ends of the next is an infinitesimal space—the synapse—which is the site of communication between two neurons.

When an electric charge is sent from one cell to the next, it is ferried across the synaptic gap with the help of specialized chemicals knows as neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitter influences the electrical conditions at the synapse, and the receiving neuron fires if it collects enough charge, carrying the starting stimulus to the next cell down the line.

A single neuron can send and receive thousands of signals a second. All this brain noise produces a biological translation of the words that you just read. How this message is eventually stored, or retained, is less clear. Most neurobiologists suggest that memory involves some kind of sustained changes in the neurons and their connections—perhaps similar to those that occur during information acquisition. The cells that respond when you recall Hamlet's Act III soliloquy, for instance, may be the same ones that were throbbing when you were taking it in originally.

It is now widely accepted that memory is not stored in a single cell but is spread out over an extensive neuronal network. Each cell provides a tiny piece of a complex mosaic. "Even the simplest memory is spread out over millions of neurons," Stevens says.

Along the same lines, memory recall appears to involve multiple parts of the brain. The most convincing evidence comes from a study by neuroscientists Marcus Raichle, Ph.D., of Washington University in St. Louis, and San Diego's Larry Squire. The two peered by PET scan into the brains of a group of subjects asked to remember specific words. As the subjects reached back into their memory, their brain images flashed all over with light, a sign many sites were participating in the process. "Memory," says Raichle, "is like a piece of music—it has lots of different parts that come together to create the whole."

Further, "we appear to have specialized processing centers that act in different combinations when we recognize something. We know that the hippocampus plays a critical role in laying down new memories and recalling the recent past." Raichle and others think that memory formed in the hippocampus gets stored in the neighboring neocortex, a setup that frees the hippocampus for new tasks. No one, however, knows for sure how a short-term memory, which lasts for a couple of days at best, turns into long-term memory that can last a lifetime.

It is a problem Columbia University's Eric Kandel has been working on for three decades. In his painstaking investigations into how experience changes the nervous system, or the cellular and molecular mechanisms of learning and memory, he has focused on the simple nervous system of the sea snail Aplysia. Its 20,000 neurons are the largest in the animal kingdom. For this Kandel is considered by some to be the most reductive scientist of our times.

Along with magnificently accessible nerve cells, Aplysia also has an easily observable behavior, the "gill withdrawal" reflex. Tap on Aplysia's spout, or siphon, and the snail withdraws its gill. Kandel found that if he shocked the snail's tail, the creature became "sensitized." It learned to overreact, to instantly withdraw its gill upon the slightest touch. (A basic form of learning, sensitization takes place in humans as well.)

Once Kandel identified the key cells that contribute to this type of learned behavior, he then looked for changes that, with training, occurred within the cells. He and his colleagues found that a single tail shock—which produces short-term memory for sensitization—activates a cascade of cellular events in which the sensory neuron releases more neurotransmitter so that the neural connections are strengthened between the sensory neuron from the siphon and the motor neuron for the gill. As a result, the communication between the sensory and motor cells becomes more efficient.

If not reinforced, this activity is transient, and the increase in strength of the connections lasts only minutes. However, when the tail shocks are repeated at least four or five times, long-term memory forms as a result of prodding the synthesis of new proteins within the nerve cells. Under these conditions, Kandel finds, the sensory neuron actually undergoes an anatomical change. The neurotransmitter acts as a growth factor; there is a doubling of the number of synaptic connections the sensory cells make onto the motor cells. Now the cell is altered for a period of weeks so that it can send messages more effectively than before, thereby enhancing information processing within the brain.

That this phenomenon applies to you and me is becoming increasingly clear. What Kandel has observed of Aplysia, others have espied in mammals, including rats. University of Illinois neuroscientist William Greenough, Ph.D., for one, has found that neocortex neurons of rats reared in complex environments, and trained in a maze every day, had more extensive dendrites than did comparison animals. Their dendrites also sprouted more synapses. So experience seems to change the brains of rats much as it does those of sea snails.

Other researchers have recently focused increasing attention on another phenomenon, called long-term potentiation (LTP), that also seems to be a component of associative memory formation. To elicit the LTP response, researchers stick a probe into one section of hippocampal tissue and stimulate it briefly but intensely with electricity.

Later they stimulate the tissue with less shock—but communication across the synapse is found to be stronger. Moreover, the effect persists for days, sometimes weeks. This, researchers believe, "looks an awful lot like learning," a case of neuronal plasticity with an increase in synaptic response—in other words, the creation of new channels that increase the efficiency of information processing.

Scientists want to know precisely what changes take place in LTP, whether the molecular changes associated with LTP occur primarily in the receiver cell, the transmitting nerve cell, or in both. A variety of mechanisms affect synaptic strength. Perhaps various combinations of these determine how different forms of learning occur—for example, how facts are acquired versus how skills are retained.

Still, enough of the evidence is in to walk away with growing certainty. Simply making the attempt to keep up appears to stretch and strengthen our minds physically. And it may give us an edge against degenerative disease. We may survive the information age after all. And exit it in better shape than it found us.

Noshing For Neurons
Your brain hungers for nourishment. It needs protein and vitamins, among other nutrients, to make the membranes and chemicals that facilitate learning and memory. Tip the mental scales in your favor. Eat a balanced diet.

In a study of 26 teenagers, sociologist Stephen Schoenthaler of California State University in Turlock examined the relationship between nutrition and brain function. For three months, 15 of the kids received vitamin-mineral supplements. The others were given placebos.

After three months, the 15 on supplements scored significant gains in non-verbal IQ. Four kids from the supplement group and one on placebo increased an extraordinary 20 points each. When blood samples were drawn from these high five at the end of the trial, all had normal nutrient concentrations. By contrast, none had met laboratory norms at the beginning. The researchers also tested the brain activity of the four supplemented kids and found a significant reduction in brain wave abnormalities.

According to Harvard neurosurgeon Vernon Mark, M.D., certain nutrients have long been known to be essential to the chemical processes of a brain at work: protein, carbohydrates, lecithin, and vitamin B1 (also known as thiamine).

Mark identifies other 'key nutrients' for brain function: the electrolytes calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and chloride; the vitamins B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folate), B12, and C; and the minerals iron, copper, and zinc.

Vital brain nutrients also include choline, a near-vitamin that helps form neuron membranes, the site of a lot of communication action. The essential amino acids tyrosine and tryptophan, which contain not only building blocks of proteins but of neurotransmitters as well, also have an effect on behavior and brain function, reports Mark in his book, Reversing Memory Loss (Houghton Mifflin; 1992).

Here are the goodies your brain craves:

• PROTEIN: salmon, tuna, chicken, turkey


• CARBOHYDRATES: potatoes, low-fat bread


• LECITHIN: tofu, egg yolks


• VITAMIN 81: organ meats, brewer's yeast, kidney beans, salmon


• CALCIUM: dates, almonds, molasses, cheese


• MAGNESIUM: shrimp, molasses, herring, codfish, almonds


• SODIUM: along with chloride, the body gets enough in salt


• POTASSIUM: spinach, raisins, peaches, parsnip, banana, dates, dried figs, most meats


• VITAMIN B3: mushroom, collards, avocado, salmon, tuna, halibut, turkey, chicken, veal


• VITAMIN B6: whole-wheat, rice, tuna, avocado, bananas


• VITAMIN B9: cantaloupe, oranges, peas, rice, wheat germ


• VITAMIN B12: swiss cheese, most meats, fish such as herring, mackerel, snapper


• VITAMIN C: citrus fruits


• IRON: Pumpkin seeds, blackstrap molasses, walnuts, wheat germ, caviar, egg yolk


• COPPER: mushrooms, oats, oysters, peanuts, salmon, honey, barley, blackstrap molasses


• ZINC: dates, dried figs, egg yolk, fish, maple syrup, milk, oysters, wheat germ, sesame seeds


• TYROSINE: peanuts, pickled herring, pumpkin seeds, lima beans


• TRYPTOPHAN: peanuts, bananas, skim milk.

Smell Your Way To Success
Want to improve your memory? Then learn under conditions that stimulate all your senses. Writing, touching, talking, listening, even smelling—the more of them you stimulate in the process of memorizing, the better your ability to recall information. The idea has been around for a while, but a team of behavioral neuroscientists recently identified how such cues improve memory.

Michael S. Fanselow, Ph.D., and Jeansok J. Kim, Ph.D., of UCLA found that the hippocampus, an area of the brain known to integrate sensory information, plays an essential role in the short-term memory of contextual information—say, the clues you draw upon to locate those missing eyeglasses or your car in a crowded parking lot.

First they trained 22 rats to associate being in a flat, square box with a particular tone, delivered with a small electrical shock to their feet. The box also smelled of ammonia. Then Fanselow and Kim surgically damaged the hippocampus of eight of the rats at four different times after training: one day, one week, two weeks, four weeks.

There was no apparent memory of the box or the contextual clues in the rats altered one day after the training session. Hippocampal damage seemed to have destroyed any recollection of the training session. But rats damaged four weeks after the pairing of stimuli responded just as well as others that had been trained but not damaged. When put back in the box and exposed to the tone, they crouched in the corner afraid.

Fanselow concludes that the hippocampus is involved in learning that requires integrating various stimuli, including the look, feel, and smell of the box, or various bits of an environment. Further, he believes that the hippocampus is necessary for short-term recall of such memories, but that with time, the memories are down-loaded to another part of the brain, perhaps the neighboring neocortex, for long-term storage.

Last fall, neuroscientists led by Larry Squire, Ph.D., of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Diego, produced the first pictures of human memory at work. Using positron emission tomography (PET), they confirmed that memory has no single location. Rather, bits of a memory are scattered all over the brain—possibly in the vast neocortex neighboring the areas in the hippocampus that first process the sensory input.

In remembering, the hippocampus acts like a telephone switchboard, activating the scattered cortical links. After awhile, the cortical areas learn to dial direct—they establish independent neural connections among themselves, and the switchboard can be bypassed. It is likely that the more stimuli the brain is given to process, the better the connections will be.

In other words, taking account of your surroundings and various other sensory clues will aid your recall. That may explain why some professors have long advocated studying in the same room where you will be tested. According to a new study, wearing the same scent during learning and recall may also up your scores. Psychologist David G. Smith, Ph.D., of Bishop's University in Lennoxville, Canada, found that ambient odor can act as a contextual cue for retrieval of verbal stimuli. He had 47 subjects learn a list of 24 words while either jasmine incense or Lauren perfume wafted through the air. Later, the subjects relearned the list with either the same or an alternative odor present. Memory for the word list was best when the odor of the relearning session was the same one present at the time of initial learning. Ammonia, chocolate, and peppermint scents have produced similarly good results.

Don't stop at smell. To improve performance, marshall all the senses, cognition experts urge. 'Create colorful, moving, three-dimensional mental images, complete with sound, rhythm, touch, and even scent to associate with the thing you want to remember,' says Ronald Gross, Ph.D., in Peak Learning (Tarcher, 1991). The more you use in the process of memorizing something, the better your recall will be.

2X3=6, 2X3=6, 2X3=6, 2X3=6, 2X3=6, 2X3=6, 2X3=6, 2X3=6, 2X3=6
Whether you want to master a physical skill such as throwing curveballs or a body of information like the names of all the vice presidents of the United States, there's no getting around it. You must first conquer the basics. Recent findings demonstrate that—because it reduces the energy demands on the brain—practicing the simple stuff makes the acquisition of later information more efficient.

UCLA neurologist John Mazziotta, M.D., photographed several living brains at work. First, using PET scans, he watched people perform a routine task—signing their name. He observed very little activity in the motor cortex, where signals are integrated, and a relatively small response in the basal ganglia, which sits just beneath the cortex and receives commands directly.

Mazziotta's subjects literally processed the task without much thought. No surprise there; after all, they'd been signing their names for decades.

Then he asked his subjects to create the same autograph with their nondominant hand. This time cortical structures—but not the subcortical basal ganglia—flashed on. The brain was hard pressed to process the request. It called on multiple circuits to make sense of the novel task. The brain eventually quieted after repeated scribbles with the nondominant hand. In fact, it transferred activity from the cortex back to the basal ganglia, where less space and energy were consumed.

This pattern, theorizes Mazziotta, represents learning. As we master a task, the total brain area required starts to shrink. More space is freed up to devote to other things. Moreover, with experience, processing shifts from brain regions that spend lots of energy integrating and supervising activity—the conscious cortex—to areas that are more automatic. In doing this, the more conscious structures are made available for new challenges.

That helps explain the much-touted advantage of Chinese children over American kids in math. University of Missouri psychologist David Geary challenged two groups of first graders with a slew of standard problems. He watched them and measured their response times.

Overall, the Chinese kids did better. They solved three times as many problems as did the Americans. Instead of counting on their fingers, they retrieved answers from memory. When they got stuck, they broke the problems into logical pieces—an achievement that requires conceptual understanding. This was clearly beyond the reach of the Americans.

This early advantage, Geary insists, arises not from genetic difference or different teaching strategies. Methods here and in China appear pretty much the same. Rather, what gives the Chinese kids an edge is repeated practice of basic skills. They practice and practice their math. That makes automatic certain processes. "They don't have to think about the little stuff," says Geary. "This frees them to manage and integrate more sophisticated material."

The advantage endures. By the third grade, the American kids are way behind, with no hope of catching up.

In another study, older folks—who presumably mastered their basic mathematical skills way back in elementary school—were compared with latter-day college students. The elderly outwitted the young, Geary reports. That's not to say that math training will make you smarter overall. But then again...

Although practice can't improve global memory, reports psychologist Douglas Herrmann, Ph.D., author of Super Memory, it sure can boost retrieval ability in targeted areas. Practice at specific memory tasks can produce damn near spectacular results. For example, people who attempt to learn a long string of digits that is read to them normally remember only about seven of the digits correctly. But, after practicing for several months, many people can recall large series. One student learned to remember 80 digits in correct order.

The same holds true for many other types of information. Most people can normally recall only about a third of what they know. However, after a month of daily practicing to recall items from the specific category—say, state capitals or types of fruit—you could likely recall nearly all the items you have ever known, and recall them faster than ever before. The task becomes automatic. "So, if you want information at your fingertips", advises Herrmann, "practice remembering it."

At Least Take A Deep Breath
If you want to maximize your ability to take in information then find a way to minimize chronic stress.

Some stress is essential to good performance—it equips you with the oomph you need to face everyday challenges. Under the influence of hormones produced by the body when put under stress, blood is pumped faster and oxygen delivery to the brain is stepped up. That sets you up for quicker responses, sharper answers. But chronic stress, unremitting pressure for two or more years, can block learning—even kill brain cells.

Neurobiologist Richard Thompson, Ph.D., of the University of Southern California, recently demonstrated that stress can create learning deficits by disrupting long-term potential (LTP), a mechanism believed to be a component of associative memory formation. LTP is a sign of efficiency of synaptic communication, the carving of a quick path along which information can travel through the brain.

Thompson measured the capacity for LTP in brain cells taken from three groups of rats. One group was put under chronic stress for seven days by exposure to inescapable shocks. Another group experienced the same amount of shock but was trained to escape. The third group was left alone.

Later, in each set of animals, the researcher stimulated cells in the brain's hippocampus that are primary to memory, and found that LTP was blocked in the shock group that was helpless to control the stress. The rats that learned to short-circuit the negative stimulus retained LTP, but it was reduced. Not only does stress appear to affect learning, Thompson concludes, but the degree of control we have over it may determine how much learning disruption occurs.

Animal studies also suggest that chemicals produced naturally in response to stress—glucocorticoids, released by the adrenal glands—can actually damage our brains. In fact, when healthy rats were subjected to high levels of the stress chemicals for three months, parts of their hippocampus were so wrecked they looked like the brains of senile old rats.

Neurobiologist Robert Sapolsky, Ph.D., of Stanford University, pinpointed how the brain system breaks down. It turns out that stress hormones do not kill neurons directly. Instead, they disrupt their function, leaving them "queasy," as Sapolsky puts it.

When stressed, the body diverts energy to power muscles for fight or flight. Glucocorticoids suppress the uptake of glucose, the main energy source. Neurons lose about 20% to 30% of their energy. This is good for body muscles, but makes it tough for neurons to regulate incoming signals and chemicals. Neuro-toxicity results. The brain cell essentially dies of excitement.

Indeed, says research psychologist Douglas J. Hermann, Ph.D., people who complain about stressed lives often report slowed learning and memory failure. He reports that nurses who work in hospital intensive care wards have more memory failure than those who work in routine units.

In contrast, many studies have shown that people who exercise, meditate, or otherwise manage pressure, are whizzes at short-term memory, are more creative and have faster reaction times. For temporary relief, take slow, deep breaths. This delivers oxygen to the brain, clears carbon dioxide from the body, and short-circuits the stress response.

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F.D.A. Embraces Soy

By: Camille Chatterjee

Heart Disease
Soy is the main source of the brain booster phosphatidyl serine, but the best reason to eat soy is for its physical rewards. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration confirmed that diets high in soy protein may reduce the risk of heart disease, ruling that any food with at least 6.25 grams of soy protein per serving may tout its heart-healthy benefits. To jump-start your heart, try tofu, tempeh, miso, soy-based meat alternatives or soy-packed energy drinks.

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Food Rx: The Natural Way to Health

By: Julie Weingarden-Dubin

Food is glorious. It feeds us in every way -- not only physically but emotionally. Just take a tour of the Food Network. Food elicits all sorts of emotions: The exciting, "bam," Emeril. Nigella bites, with passion. The winking Naked Chef. And mystery when east meets west with Ming.

But food is more than just delectable and sustaining. It can actually heal us. Nutrients fight diseases of the heart, help prevent cancer and even keep the brain sharp.

"Food has health benefits beyond basic nutrition," says Cheryl Toner, M.S., R.D., director of health communications at the International Food and Information Council Foundation (IFIC). We know fruits and vegetables have vitamins and that unprocessed foods are best, but what do whole grains, fruits and vegetables really do for us? Experts believe the foods we eat are a power source that helps our bodies resist disease as well as prolong cognitive function and improve mood.

Remember when you ate berries for vitamin C? Today, studies suggest that berries also contain antioxidants that fight cell damage. Indeed, the growing popularity of alternative health is putting a spotlight on food, pushing people to look beyond traditional medicine for answers on how to cure and prevent disease. Good food, combined with exercise, may be just the ingredient for a healthy mind and body. By taking control of your health, you will even lift your mood.

According to the IFIC, most Americans believe that they have at least moderate control over their health and that nutrition plays a role even more significant than exercise and family-health history. "Foods for treatment and prevention of disease is an exploding area," says Andrew Weil, M.D., director of integrative medicine at the University of Arizona, in Tucson. "Any medical journal shows how groups of foods or food components affect health."

If you've heard anything about food's magical powers, it was likely linked to antioxidants. They neutralize cell-damaging agents and possibly reduce your risk of disease. Antioxidants occur naturally in foods of various types such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish oil, tea and numerous others.

Still, "there is some excessive hype," says Walter Willett, M.D., Dr.P.H., Harvard School of Public Health, nutrition department chair. Antioxidants aren't a cure-all. "However, we are learning that foods have many more important functions than we had recognized earlier. For example, polyunsaturated fats do much more than lower blood cholesterol levels. They can help prevent blood clots and lower the odds of developing fatal heart rhythms."

The role of essential fatty acids is another huge area of research. Says Weil, "They improve mental function and protect against heart disease and inflammation. The average American diet is seriously deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, and that has health consequences." Good sources for omega-3s include fish, certain seeds and walnuts.

Plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruits, soy and whole grains are also recommended as part of an optimal diet. These contain phytochemicals, natural agents which help strengthen the immune system and protect against disease.

Phytochemicals are found in foods such as garlic, legumes and nuts, among many others. "Fruits and vegetables don't contain disease-promoting substances; they contain thousands of protective substances," says book author Dean Ornish, M.D., president and director of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California. "It's not just what you exclude from your diet, it's what you include that's important."

Learning about foods is only part of the goal. To live a healthier life, you may need to change your ways. Shopping for, preparing and eating foods differently may be in order. Making the switch from chips to veggies isn't easy, so how do we find the motivation?

For one thing, using the fear of death to motivate people doesn't work, says Ornish. However, "when you begin making changes in your diet and lifestyle, you start to feel better. You have more energy, you think more clearly, your brain and heart get more blood, you don't need as much sleep and you have more stamina."

New information surfaces continually, so it can get confusing. To decide what makes sense for you, read, consult your doctor or nutritionist and explore new foods. "Try making changes even if it's just for a week. You'll learn from experience how much better you feel. It's a much more organic way of changing," says Ornish. And, as Willett notes, "Decisions about eating shouldn't be made on the basis of a single study; confirmation from various reputable sources is important." That's why PT has put together some of the most recent findings. From ginko to omega-3s, here are some studies that show the benefits.

Heart

To protect your heart, you already know that you need to exercise and eat a diet low in saturated fats. But recent studies show benefits in foods you may not have considered. Soy, for one, is believed to reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol. Many experts recommend 25 grams of soy protein a day. A study published recently in Diabetes Care shows that soy may help reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in postmenopausal women because it contains the antioxidant isoflavones. You can get soy in many forms: edamame (steamed soybeans), tofu and soynuts, for example.

Nuts also have heart-healthy effects, although they were once feared because of their high-fat content. But the Harvard Nurses' Health Study found that women who ate an ounce of nuts at least five times a week for 14 years lowered their risk of heart disease by about 30 percent.

Nuts have monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and according to the IFIC, individuals with diets high in these fats enjoy lower levels of bad cholesterol. Saturated fats, on the contrary, increase "bad," low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Other foods high in healthy fats include avocados, soybean oil and olive oil.

Omega-3 fatty acids are an equally important fat component that is found in abundance in oily fish such as salmon and mackerel, and to a lesser extent in other forms of seafood. These fatty acids help maintain and repair brain cells, which are made of fat. They also reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that sudden cardiac deaths occur less frequently in those who eat ocean fish.

When listing heart-healthy ingredients, don't forget wine and beer. We all know that moderate alcohol consumption can help prevent heart disease, but the latest research indicates that how often you drink may be more important than how much or what you drink. A recent study from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston reported that people who drink alcohol at least three times a week are less likely to develop heart disease than are nondrinkers and less-frequent drinkers -- regardless of what is preferred: beer, wine or spirits.

In another report, published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Dutch researchers studied beer-drinking with dinner. In the study of middle-age adults, levels of C-reactive protein, a compound associated with inflammation and blood clots, declined.

Indeed, wine, soy, nuts and fish are well-known for their heart-healthy benefits. But here are some surprising additions: Honey and chocolate, and the darker the better. Apparently, honey has the same heart-healthy, plaque-fighting antioxidants found in foods such as spinach and apples. At the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a five-week study of men between ages 18 and 68 found that antioxidant levels in their blood increased after drinking water with honey.

Chocolate helps your heart as well. Its flavonoids, a family of antioxidants, help the body resist cell damage from free radicals. And, in turn, the sweet may decrease your risk for stroke and heart disease.

Memory

Exercising your brain with crossword puzzles may help keep your thinking cap in order, but studies show that what you eat helps as well. The antioxidants in cranberries, for example, may have anti-aging effects. According to the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, cranberries help protect the brain from neurological damage.

Certain foods can also prevent other cognitive-related problems. Linoleic acid is nutritionally essential. It can be found in seed oils such as safflower and sunflower and, according to a Loyola University Medical Center study, may help control hypertension and thus prevent stroke, the nation's third-leading killer.

Equally important is what you drink. According to a recent study published in Neurology, people who drink wine moderately have a lower risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. Red wine is especially favorable because it is high in flavonoids. On the other hand, the study also found that occasional beer drinking was associated with an increased risk of developing dementia.

And antioxidants, of course, are important in maintaining cognitive ability. These disease-fighting agents came into play once again in two studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers found that diets rich in antioxidants -- especially vitamin E -- may help protect against Alzheimer's.

Cancer

Don't forget your fruits and vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and watercress contain phytochemicals called isothiocyanates that help our bodies to break down potential carcinogens. Bok choy, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens -- there are countless cruciferous vegetables that will give you what you need.

A diet rich in vegetables from the allium food group, such as garlic, shallots and onions, reduce the risk of prostate cancer, according to a study by the National Cancer Institute. Scallions offer the most protection, but if you prefer garlic, the study suggests that one clove a day will suffice.

Similarly, fruits have these protective powers, as well. Tomatoes, for instance, contain lycopene, which protects cells against carcinogens. Or, if you prefer, a daily serving of berries protects against cancer, as well.

Several studies have found health benefits in berries. Researchers at Ohio State University discovered that berries stop tumors from growing in rats. Black raspberries are considered the most potent because they contain compounds such as anthocyanins -- believed to protect against heart disease by lowering LDL cholesterol. Berries are also high in phenols such as ellagic acid, an antioxidant that protects the body's cells.

Mood

"People self-regulate their mood continuously with foods, usually through sugar and fatty foods," says Robert Thayer, Ph.D., professor of psychology at California State University, Long Beach. "It immediately makes them feel better, but unfortunately the effect is short-term."

Thankfully there are healthful foods that can help lift your spirits. Research published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity reports that there is a link between the amino acid tryptophan and mood changes. Researchers lowered the level of tryptophan in 27 volunteers -- 16 of whom had an immediate relative with major depression. Study authors found that depression occurred in half of the subjects who had a family history of depression, but in only 9 percent of those with no such family history. Foods such as turkey, milk and bananas contain tryptophan.

Additional research shows that chocolate benefits mood. Phytochemicals in chocolate trigger the same reactions as some antidepressants, according to a study in the American Journal of Psychiatry. The study authors found that chocolate releases endorphins, proteins with analgesic properties that occur naturally in the brain. But don't overdo it on a box of chocolates; just a tiny bit will give you a boost.

"By no means are we fully up to date on what science can tell us about the benefits of certain foods, particularly regarding mood," says Thayer. "Try a food pattern, observe yourself and see if it works for you."

Osteoporosis/Menopause

Milk isn't the only thing that prevents bone deterioration. Tea contains fluoride and flavonoids that include estrogen-like plant derivatives -- both of which may enhance bone strength. A Taiwanese study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine surveyed 1,037 men and women who were longtime tea drinkers. Increased bone density was found in people who drank an average of two cups a day of black, green or oolong tea for at least six years.

There are many foods helpful in keeping a strong frame, including collards, broccoli, sesame seeds, sardines and, yes, soy. Postmenopausal women with high concentrations of soy in their diet had stronger bone health according to a study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "Regular inclusion of soy in the diet protects the bones," says Weil. "But it's important for young women to know that you can't reverse osteoporosis by suddenly trying to increase your calcium intake at menopause."

Soy is also important in reducing postmenopausal symptoms. An Australian study of 58 women found a 40 percent decrease in hot flashes among those who consumed 45 grams of soy flour a day over a 12-week period. Not a bad alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT), especially in light of HRT's risks -- such as coronary heart disease, stroke and blood clots.

Soy, and other vegetables and fruits, contain phytoestrogens -- plant compounds that may mimic estrogen hormones in animals. "The more women eat a plant-based diet, the more likely they will have less trouble at menopause," Weil says. "That does not mean a vegetarian diet but a diet that emphasizes fruits and vegetables and is low in animal fats."

Mind Over Munchies -- Changing Your Ways

You've digested all of this foodwise information -- so, now what? Do you start downing bottles of wine, eating tons of chocolate and topping everything with nuts? The challenge ahead is sensibly changing your eating habits and making them stick. Keep in mind that you have high-energy cycles and low-energy cycles throughout the day, says Thayer. Your energy is up in the morning, low in late afternoon and lowest before bed. "When you are aware that these periods occur, you need to grit your teeth and not give in," he says. He also advises taking a short, brisk daily walk. It will temporarily raise your energy, and with increased energy you can resist food urges.

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Herbal Hormones For Her

By: Richard Firshein

QUESTION: I suffer from irregular menstrual periods and I'm wondering whether there are any herbs or dietary nutrients that might help me?

ANSWER: Several herbs and foods can balance hormones and regulate menstrual cycles. These include dong quai, chasteberry, Siberian ginseng, and soy. All contain plant hormones that can gently yet powerfully stimulate your endocrine system. Dong quai is a traditional Chinese herb that is often referred to as the female ginseng. Chasteberry, also known as vitex agnuscastus, seems to stimulate the pituitary and to normalize progesterone levels, which are sometimes low in women with irregular cycles. Siberian ginseng has a very mild estrogenic effect. Finally, soy contains powerful plant estrogens that can help stimulate a woman's sluggish hormones.

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How Healthy Is Soy?

By: Maia Szalavitz

Soy is the epitome of health food: Perhaps only yogurt has a stronger reputation as a food that Americans eat primarily "because it's good for you."

Touted as being a heart protector, cancer fighter and a safer alternative to hormones during menopause, soy has long been seen as a miracle food.

Yet recently, the soybean has gotten a bit of a bad rap, thanks to studies linking soy's estrogen-like chemicals with breast cancer. As a result, many women now shun the food and some men believe tofu will make them less manly.

No need to panic. The research linking animal fat to heart disease and cancer are far stronger than those connecting soy to any health problems. So, if you are considering substituting soy for meat or milk, the soybean still shines in comparison, according to Ethan Balk, associate director of the Tufts-New England Medical Center's Evidence-Based Practice Center, who reviewed the studies last year.

But if the question is whether to eat large amounts of soy or take supplements, the answer is far more elusive. Here's what the latest findings suggest:

The most solid evidence on soy credits it with reducing levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol. Balk's review found that eating large amounts of soy foods or taking supplements was linked to a small, but measurable, positive effect. For every 1 percent reduction in LDL levels, there is a corresponding 1 percent reduction in the risk of heart attack or stroke. Additionally, the studies found that the higher a person's LDL levels, the more soy can help.

However, soy's impact on cholesterol wasn't large enough for the American Heart Association, which recently reversed its position favoring soy supplements, saying that their effects were too small to warrant recommendation.

Because of soy's estrogen-like effects, it has been promoted as an alternative to hormone-replacement for the relief of menopausal symptoms. But Balk's research has found little agreement among the findings. Some studies found large effects, some small, some found none at all.

Certain types of breast cancer are fueled by estrogen, so there has been concern that soy might be harmful to women with a genetic predisposition to this disease. Studies in cell culture and in mice found that soy increased the growth of breast cancer cells. On the other hand, Asian women, who tend to eat a soy-based diet, have a threefold lower risk of breast cancer than Western women do—and their risk increases if they immigrate and switch to a Westernized diet. Further, a recent study found that soy blocked estrogen receptors in monkeys at risk for breast cancer due to high estrogen levels. This suggests soy might be protective for women at high risk.

Soy is a great form of low-fat protein, especially for people seeking to cut down on the saturated fat from meat. However, until scientists determine whether large quantities of soy are helpful or harmful to people at risk for breast cancer, moderation is best. As an alternative to fattier animal proteins, it still deserves health-food status.

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The Joys of Soy

By: Camille Chatterjee

For centuries, Asians have thrived on diets high in soy protein—and suffered notably less cancer and cardiovascular disease than their Western counterparts. A surge of studies reveals how soy works its protective effects and how to make the food more friendly to finicky American palates.

Scientists surmise that the active ingredients in soy are compounds called isoflavones, which are phytoestrogens (or plant estrogens) that mimic the actions of hormones in the body. Many of the diseases that most plague Westerners, like heart disease and breast cancer, are hormone-dependent, and soy-raised Asians rarely exhibit these illnesses. So researchers have been examining soy to see how it might foil disease. An issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showcased a slew of new studies showing that eating soy lowers cholesterol and reduces the risk of osteoporosis, breast cancer and heart disease.

But many Americans are reluctant to try soy, notes Jim Failer, Ph.D., an assistant professor of food engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "There are lots of ways to get soy at a health food store, but not in the mass market," he says. So in three studies, he shows that soy is easily incorporated into cereals and corn chips with health benefits intact. But since manufacturers have yet to create soy snacks, health watchers should sample what is available—tofu, soy milk, soybeans and tempeh.

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Music to Menopausal Ears

By: Louise Dobson

The hallmarks of menopause—insomnia, irritability and sweaty hot flashes—are so infamous that they've inspired an off-Broadway comedy that's popular with the over-50 set: Menopause The Musical.

Despite the hormonal song and dance, medical studies point to aging, not menopause, as the root of many midlife health problems. Experts say women should think of menopause not as a menace, but as a reminder to take extra care of their bodies.

Men face the risk of heart disease an average of eight to ten years earlier than women. But once women enter their forties, heart problems become the number-one killer among them, too. The culprit: cholesterol, which more readily clogs the arteries as one ages.

According to a Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing study, postmenopausal women who add just two tablespoons of soy protein daily can reduce cholesterol by up to 20 percent. These women tended to eat less high-fat protein, such as red meat, and their cholesterol declined.

Weight gain remains one of the most dreaded aspects of menopause, driving some women to extreme eating habits to keep off the pounds.

However, nothing beats an old-fashioned low-fat, high-fiber diet when it comes to preventing weight gain, according to a study of 48,000 older women. Those who stuck to a diet packed with carbohydrate-rich fruits and vegetables were most able to keep their weight in check, and even lost an average of five pounds during the first year of the plan.

Should hormone replacement therapy (HRT) get another chance? Three years ago, many women abruptly ended HRT after a study showed increased risks of heart disease and breast cancer.

Now experts say the study may have been too focused on women who were in their 60s and beyond, who already have higher risks for disease. Sharrone Hayes, director of the Women's Heart Clinic at the Mayo Clinic, says women should consult their physician if menopausal symptoms are severe. Short-term HRT could help in some cases. Says Hayes, "The absolute risk to an individual woman taking hormone therapy is quite low and may be acceptable to you in light of your symptoms."

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The Natural High Diet

By: Psychology Today Staff

A diet that makes you feel naturally high also raises your fat-burning metabolism. Did we mention that it also contributes to high self-esteem as you begin to feel and eat better?

This is the advice from nutrition experts Hyla Cass, M.D., and Patrick Holford, coauthors of the book Natural Highs: Supplements, Nutrition and Mind/Body Techniques To Help You Feel Good All the Time (Penguin Putnam). In it they present the perfect brain-food diet based on extensive research in the areas of nutrition, psychology, and neuroscience.

Statistics show that most of us are exhausted, stressed and depressed. To combat this we turn to a variety of boosters to get us through the day (and night). We gobble a muffin with coffee in the morning to get a rush, sip a soda or have a cookie to overcome the afternoon slump and wind down at night with a cocktail. This often adds up to excess calories, weight gain and feelings of hopelessness.

What we are unknowingly doing, say Cass and Holford, is attempting to regulate our moods and energy with substances that work only in the short term -- but lead to caffeine lag, blood sugar drops, tiredness and an unhealthy cycle of bad foods.

Here is a highly effective weight-loss diet the experts recommend:

The Soy Story

By: Psychology Today Staff

Phytoestrogens are a hot topic these days. And why not? Reports suggest that plant-based estrogens—especially those found in soy protein—may ease the symptoms of menopause without increasing the risk of cancer. Mimicking the action of hormonal estrogen, these compounds are able to bind to estrogen receptor sites so that the body can continue its hormone-dependent functions. Because phytoestrogens are weaker than their hormonal counterparts, they may be a safer alternative to hormonal replacement therapy.

Moreover, surveys have noted that in countries where soy is a regular part of the diet, cancer rates are much lower than in the U.S. Soy may also help protect the heart and guard against osteoporosis. Scientists suspect that the active ingredients in soy protein are antioxidants called isoflavones.

How much soy do you need? For an overall antioxidant effect, experts recommend one serving of soy protein per day (the equivalent of a glass of soy milk). To reduce the risk of heart disease or osteoporosis, eat two to three servings daily.

A helpful tip: Isoflavones are only present in soy protein, meaning that some items, like soy sauce, don't count. Look for soy items with high protein content and the ingredients "isolated soy protein" or "textured soy protein" on the label.

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Soy Does a Body Good

By: Psychology Today Staff

In recent years, psychologists and other health professionals have made us realize that our health depends largely on our behavior. Eating soy, it now appears, is one of the simplest things we can do to boost our health.

Once revered as a sacred crop in China, soybeans are one of the richest plant sources of protein. In fact, the World Health Organization considers it on par with meat and dairy proteins. But not only is this low-fat dietary protein great news for vegetarians or dieters, a growing body of research indicates that soy may help prevent many chronic diseases. Many of its therapeutic benefits are believed to come from its vast stores of isoflavones. These bioactive plant chemicals function like weak estrogen -- a female hormone necessary for normal growth and development -- by adjusting the hormone's effects when levels are too high or low.

To get the most out of soy, health experts suggest eating whole foods like tofu, soymilk and tempeh because they contain higher levels of isoflavones than processed foods or supplements. Fortunately, there are now a variety of soy and tofu products that are both convenient and tasty. Soymilk can be found nationally in refrigerated sections of supermarkets, and it easily replaces cow's milk for both drinking and cooking.

The biggest news is that soy lowers cholesterol and protects against heart disease. An analysis of 38 studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that eating soy lowers total levels of cholesterol by 10% and LDL or "bad" cholesterol by 13%. In 1999, the FDA gave soy the green light, stating definitively that eating 25 grams of soy protein each day as part of a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet reduces the risk of heart disease. Recently, the American Heart Association revised its dietary guidelines to recommend soy as part of a heart-healthy diet.

While research on other diseases isn't yet conclusive, scientists believe that soy may also help with the following:

OSTEOPOROSIS: A 1998 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that postmenopausal women who ate 40 grams of soy protein a day significantly increased the bone density in their spines. And a University of Iowa study found that women who consumed soy with isoflavones maintained bone density, while those who didn't consume isoflavones actually lost bone density. "The isoflavones in soy are identical to a drug called Ipriflavone, a synthetic isoflavone used for bone loss, so there's reason to think that isoflavones will do something for bone health," says Mark Messina, Ph.D., an adjunct associate professor of nutrition at Loma Linda University in California and former program director for the National Cancer Institute (NCI). "In general, if you substitute soy for animal protein, you'll lose less calcium from your bones because animal protein causes calcium loss."

MENOPAUSE: Although some studies suggest that soy isoflavone pills are no more effective than a placebo in fending off menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, several other studies suggest otherwise. A 12-week-long Italian study found that postmenopausal women taking soy containing 76 mg of isoflavones experienced a 45% reduction in their symptoms, while those taking placebos reported only a 30% reduction. And a study of 177 menopausal women presented at the Third International Symposium on the Role of Soy in Preventing and Treating Chronic Disease found that those who took 50 mg of soy isoflavones had fewer and less severe hot flashes and night sweats than those who didn't take isoflavones.

"Soy won't make hot flashes and night sweats go away, but it will make them milder and slightly less frequent," says Gregory Burke, Ph.D., chairman of the Department of Public Health Sciences at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina. "And that may be enough for many women."

CANCER: According to the NCI, soy is believed to coax cancerous cells to revert to normal. It may also prevent tumors from obtaining nutrients and block free radicals -- compounds that normally attack bacteria and viruses -- from damaging healthy cells. "There are several potent anti-cancer compounds in soy," says Clare Hasler, Ph.D., executive director of the Functional Foods for Health program at the University of Illinois. "I suspect that when the ongoing trials are completed, we'll see that soy may protect against cancer." Because of its estrogenic properties, soy appears most effective against hormone-related cancers like prostate and colon. Another study presented at the same symposium on soy found that soy reduced tumors by 40% to 60% in mice with prostate or bladder cancer.

Epidemiological studies suggest that soy also protects against breast cancer, and researchers often point to Japan and China where soy consumption is high and breast cancer rates are low. Even so, scientists recently discovered that, because consuming soy promotes breast cell growth, doing so later in life may actually raise the risk of breast cancer for postmenopausal women with a personal or family history of the disease. To play it safe, consult your doctor if you're at risk for breast cancer.

For those who want to stock up on soy, now's the time. April is National Soy Foods Month, and supermarkets typically carry a wide variety of soy foods like soy nuts, snack bars and instant shakes, all ready to grab on the go. One easy -- and satisfying -- way to include 25 grams of soy protein in your daily diet is to down a shake made with instant soy protein powder. Other convenience foods like soy-based burgers, hot dogs, deli meats and bacon have a taste and texture that's very similar to real meats. So this April, think health and think soy.

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Soy: The Superfood

By: Psychology Today Staff

Asian cuisine has long relied on soy protein for its taste—and its health benefits. Now the soybean is finally on the verge of becoming an American staple, too. With a growing number of studies pointing to soy as a superfood, it's getting harder to find a reason not to add it to your diet.

Last fall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed makers of soy products to claim that eating the protein as part of a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol. The FDA recommends eating 25 grams of soy protein a day to achieve that effect (an 8-ounce glass of soy milk contains roughly 7 grams). Consuming soy may also reduce your risk of osteoporosis and menopausal symptoms, Alzheimer's, certain cancers and kidney disease, says James Anderson, M.D., professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.

Soy protein is packed with isoflavones, a type of antioxidant which combats cellular damage. Soy also contains plant hormones, or phytoestrogens, that mimic the human hormone estrogen. A study suggests that eating 20 grams of soy protein daily for six weeks reduces women's hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. These estrogenic properties may also help ward off prostate cancer in men by balancing out the hormone, testosterone, which fuels that cancer.

Good sources of soy protein include soy milk, tofu, soy burgers and protein powders, which can be stirred into shakes and juices.

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Your Lovely Bones

By: Lori Oliwenstein

Bone loss. Joint pain. They're the price of years of poor posture and poorer eating habits, of bad shoes and worse genes. To some degree, these bodily breakdowns are a biological inevitability. As we age, for instance, we are more likely to lose bone than we are to build or strengthen it. And because the joints in our legs, hips and back are jolted by a force four times our body weight with each step we take, it's no wonder that their cushioning starts to thin over time. Still, we don't have to accept the inevitable. These days, growing old gracefully means fighting off the deterioration in our bodies that, unchecked, will render us anything but graceful. There are things we can do—well-padded steps we can take—to keep our bones and joints in the best shape possible. And we can do it all naturally.

Acupuncture, the 2,000-year-old mainstay of Chinese medicine, is rapidly becoming the darling of the West. A study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that needles inserted into nine acupuncture points across the body resulted in a 40 percent decrease in pain and increased arthritic patients' ability to function.

Because joint pain is almost always a result of inflammation, treatment often focuses on stopping the chemicals and cellular messengers that bring on the heat and swelling. There are a number of natural remedies that purport to do just that. In at least one study, the roots of the romantically named Chinese Thunder God Vine (and its active ingredient, triptolide) reduced pain and inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis patients with only a few, minor side effects, despite the fact that its leaves and flowers can be toxic.

More encouraging still are reports on glucosamine and chondroitin. Both received attention in two trials, one conducted in the U.S. and the other in Europe. The U.S. trial—sponsored by the NIH—found that a glucosamine-chondroitin combo was better than either supplement on its own for knee pain in some 1,200 osteoarthritis sufferers. The European study found that glucosamine reduced knee pain better than the active ingredient in Tylenol. Study authors say the benefits come from glucosamine's ability to help create cartilage and chondroitin's ability to stop it from breaking down. Critics point out, though, that these studies have not yet been published in peer-reviewed journals.

A number of studies have connected omega-3 fatty acids—which stop inflammation in its tracks—to fewer tender joints, less morning stiffness and decreased need for anti-inflammatory drugs in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Omega-3s are beneficial in multiple inflammatory and arthritic conditions. Just two meals a week consisting of 4 to 6 ounces of omega-3-rich fish can bring joint inflammation down. Omega-3s are found in cold-water fish like herring, mackerel and salmon.

Bone loss among postmenopausal women is accelerated by the lack of estrogen. Hence the interest in phytoestrogens—naturally occurring plant compounds that are very similar in structure and action to estrogen. Women from Hong Kong, China and Japan, where diets are rich in phytoestrogens, have significantly lower rates of hip and other types of bone fracture. Still, the case for phytoestrogens is not yet closed: Women in Japan, for instance, seem to have higher rates of vertebral fractures than Caucasian women. Until there is more evidence, it may be safer to stay away from phytoestrogen supplements. But what can't hurt and may well help is upping your intake of phytoestrogen-rich foods—like soy-based products such as soybeans, soy milk and tofu.

Calcium is the cement that stiffens a collagen scaffold to create bone. But when there's not enough calcium in the body, the mineral leaches out of our bones for use elsewhere—like keeping the heart beating—leaving those scaffolds porous and fragile. To preserve our bones, we need between 1,000 and 1,200 mg of calcium daily. You should, of course, get as much calcium from food as possible: Dairy products are great, but aren't the only source. Other high-calcium foods include broccoli and kale, nuts and seeds. Also, dandelion leaves are chock-full of calcium, as are oats, oat-straw and kelp.

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