A: Becoming healthier in brain and body shouldn’t be just about giving up things you enjoy eating. So, here’s a rundown of the most brain-damaging foods and a menu of tasty, brain-empowering choices.

• Red and processed meat and full-fat dairy are linked to elevated cholesterol, body-wide, brain-damaging inflammation, and an increased risk of poor circulation (in the brain), according to the Cleveland Clinic.

The MIND Diet — aka the Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay — eliminates red meats and dairy in favor of a plant-based diet that limits animal protein to fish and poultry.

When study participants fully embraced the MIND diet, they had a 53% lower rate of Alzheimer’s disease compared with those with the lowest adherence to the diet.

Find info on a brain-lovin’ diet at iHerb.com’s blog, “Brain Power.”

And explore the 40 ways to protect your brain that are explained on LongevityPlaybook.com.

• Anything with added sugar, especially fructose, is bad for brain health.

So are artificial sweeteners. A study out of Boston University found that having more than two sugary drinks a day dimmed a person’s memory by 11 years! Another study published in the journal Stroke found that having artificially sweetened drinks significantly increases the risk of stroke and dementia.

If you want a sweet drink, opt for a berry smoothie or enjoy a mint iced tea.

• Fried foods contribute to inflammation of the neurons in the brain and are linked to increased anxiety and depression, according to a study in PNAS.

This may be because they trigger inflammation and changes in the gut biome. If you like the crunchy texture of fried foods, try cooking oven-roasted veggies and crispy corn tortillas, and enjoying fresh, crunchy celery and carrot sticks.

Q: It’s exciting to hear about all the new ways to treat cancer but I heard that while cancer deaths are decreasing diagnoses are increasing a lot. What can I do to avoid getting cancer in the first place?

— Lanie P., Baton Rouge, Louisiana

A: There have been astounding strides made in treating cancers — with immunotherapy and other innovations.

But, in contrast, there are an increasing number of cases of six of the top 10 cancers. In 2024, it’s projected that more than 2 million folks will be diagnosed — and more and more often they’re young and middle-aged adults.

The reasons for the increase in cancer cases involve individual and environmental factors. A diet loaded with added sugar, added syrups, and stripped carbs contributes to both overweight/obesity and increased cancer risk. Cancers related to obesity, such as cancer of the pancreas, kidney and postmenopausal breast cancer, are increasing.

Certain environmental chemicals like PFAs/PFOAs (forever chemicals) and toxins in plastics, as well as microplastic pollution also may play a role.

So, what can you do to reduce your risk? It starts with eliminating inflammatory foods from your diet, including red and processed meat, saturated fats, added sugars/syrups and artificial preservatives, colorings, and texturizers. Opt for fresh produce. Choose wild salmon and skinless poultry. Drink plain tea, black coffee and water.

Healthy sleep habits and smart stress management also lower inflammation and reduce your cancer risk. So, exercise, meditate, sleep in a dark, cool room with no digital devices and keep a regular sleep schedule.

Exercise is also a powerful cancer-fighting tool. Aim for 150 to 300 minutes of physical activity and two 30-minute strength-building sessions weekly.

Avoid environmental pollutants — don’t handle register receipts or buy upholstered furniture that is stain resistant (that’s from forever chemicals) and opt for glass not plastic in products you buy and as storage containers.

If you embrace these healthy options, you will have a younger RealAge or ActualAge and live disease — and disability-free much longer.

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