by Leon Chng
Counsellor / Fitness Coach

Dear readers,
Did you know that there is research done on the "Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness" from Harvard Medical School? These fields delve into how our dietary choices influence brain health and cognitive function.

Here are some key findings and points I gathered from my readings. From the "Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness" Harvard report I subscribe to, research shows:

Green, Leafy Vegetables:

Leafy greens like kale, spinach, and collards are rich in brain-healthy nutrients like vitamin K, lutein, folate, and beta carotene, which may help slow cognitive decline.

Regular consumption of these vegetables supports overall brain health and may protect against diseases like dementia.

Fatty Fish:

Fatty fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to lower blood levels of beta-amyloid, a protein associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Eating fish at least twice a week is recommended, with low-mercury options like salmon, cod, and canned light tuna being the best choices. Terrestrial omega-3 sources include flaxseeds, avocados, and walnuts, which also contribute to brain health and cognitive function.

Berries:

Berries contain flavonoids, which improve memory. A 2012 study from Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital found that women who consumed two or more servings of strawberries and blueberries each week delayed memory decline by up to two-and-a-half years.

The antioxidants in berries also help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, which are linked to neurodegenerative diseases. 

Walnuts:

Walnuts, high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid, are linked to improved cognitive test scores and better heart and brain health according to a 2015 study from UCLA. Including a handful of walnuts in your diet can provide essential nutrients for maintaining cognitive function and protecting against age-related decline.

Caffeine in Coffee and Tea:

Caffeine can offer more than a short-term concentration boost. A 2014 study published in The Journal of Nutrition found that participants with higher caffeine consumption scored better on tests of mental function.

Caffeine may also help solidify new memories and improve long-term brain function. However, moderation is key to avoiding potential negative effects on sleep and anxiety levels.

How Coffee Affects the Brain, Body, and Health

Many of us may not realise there are complex chemical processes that occur in our brain upon waking. Sleep disturbances can significantly impact quality of life, leading to cognitive impairment, hormonal imbalances, and increased susceptibility to cardiac or metabolic disorders, as noted by Antoine Adamantidis from the University of Bern.

This month, let's focus on being mindful of caffeine and it’s impacts.  

Adenosine and Caffeine:

Adenosine is a chemical that promotes sleep and recovery from sleep deprivation. During sleep, adenosine levels are reduced, leading to increased alertness upon waking. The longer you're awake, the more adenosine you accumulate, building sleep pressure.

Caffeine’s Role:

Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors in the brain, preventing the detection of adenosine and promoting wakefulness. This can also affect the cardiovascular system, increasing blood pressure. Regular caffeine consumption can lead to tolerance, reducing its effectiveness. Therefore, understanding the timing and amount of caffeine intake is crucial for maintaining its beneficial effects without disrupting sleep patterns.

It's important to note that consuming caffeine-packed drinks immediately upon waking can mute the body's natural wakefulness process. Instead, it's best to start the day with substantial water intake to counteract caffeine's dehydrating effects and wait 30 to 60 minutes before consuming caffeine.

Wala! According to a Straits Times news article published in 2017, “Three cups of coffee a day keep the doctor away: Studies”, (very plausible) lights are shed on the debatable “ideal” number of intake(s) of coffee one might want to aim for based on 2 major and international observation based studies. In essence, around 1-3 cups per day. 

According to this straits times news article serving as an informal meta analysis, those who drank one cup a day were 12 per cent less likely to die compared to those who didn't drink coffee. Those who drank two or three cups per day saw an even higher 18 per cent reduced risk of death.

On a note of disclaimer, the authors (of the studies) wish not to risk being haphazard and simply say drinking coffee will prolong one’s life. But they do champion the notion that they do see an association. This is especially propagated by lead author Veronica Setiawan, an associate professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California. She even went so far as to say: "If you like to drink coffee, drink up! If you're not a coffee drinker, then you need to consider if you should start."

The first study, led by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and Imperial College London, examined more than half a million people across 10 countries in Europe.

In their observation study, those who drank about three cups a day tended to live longer than non-coffee drinkers, which researchers described as the largest analysis of the effects of coffee-drinking in a European population. Lead author Marc Gunter of the IARC said that their study found that higher coffee consumption was associated with a lower risk of death from any cause, and specifically for circulatory diseases, and digestive diseases.

Upon finishing my reading however, I do note that these studies meant the “untainted” black coffee. Based on my reading opinion and my nutritional background, the article did not propagate the other variations of coffees (e.g. Lattes etc much less say the ultra-sweetened and highly additionally flavoured frappe coffee drink nor our usual nanyang style coffees found in our hawkers where the coffee powders are made from margarine fried coffee beans). For our Keto fans, you may want to not apply the “3 cups a day conclusion” to the highly touted pro keto style diet’s “bulletproof coffee”).

Lastly, in the article, it mentioned that experts cautioned, however, that the US and European reports, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (quoted in the article), failed to show that coffee was truly the reason that many drinkers appeared to have longer lives.

Rather, the studies were observational in nature, meaning they showed an association between coffee-drinking and a propensity toward longevity, but stopped short of proving cause and effect. 

Findings Summary and Conclusion

• As a coffee or tea drinker, the research literature seems to have moved towards already understanding how much, how and when rather than are coffees and teas good or not. These research findings are exclusively at their “pure” original form.
  Coffee drinking (unsugared) seems to be leading the charge for having positive impacts on health.  

• To optimise cognitive function and sleep health, it's advisable to:

  • Stop the habit of consuming caffeine laden drinks shortly after we wake. Wait about 30 to 60 minutes after waking before consuming caffeine.

  • Always monitor our water intake and stay hydrated. Especially hydrating up more after consuming caffeine loaded drinks

• Sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining cognitive health, emotional balance, and overall well-being. By prioritising sleep and making informed mindful dietary choices and pertinent habits, we can all support our overall body as well as brain's health and duly enhance our quality of life.

Yours Truly,
Leon Chng

Mental Health and Well-Being Counsellor (Certified in Specialist Nutrition in Fitness Nutrition by the ISSA-International Sports Science Association)