Researchers have made a mind-boggling discovery: the same junk-food diet that bulges your waistline and rots your teeth may be damaging your mind too. Women’s Health investigates an emerging theory: diabetes of the brain
It's no surprise that fat-laden foods and sugar spiked drinks can trigger such health derailers as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. The you-are-what-you-eat mantra has been drilled into us since we were kids. But it turns out that being a junk-food junkie may also damage your brain in some alarming ways – in fact, research showing the nutrition-cognition relationship is piling up faster than you can say “supersize it.”
A cross-cultural analysis found a link between high sugar consumption and depression; another study found that people who ate the most fast food had a 40 percent higher risk for depression than those who ate little of it. And Dr Suzanne Craft, a professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine who specialises in Alzheimer’s disease research, found that people who chowed down on meals high in sugar and saturated fat for as little as one month performed more poorly on memory tests.
Exactly why eating unhealthy food sets the stage for mental troubles is a complicated question that researchers are now trying to answer. Although no one knows exactly how much junk food it takes for the damage to begin, scientists agree that eating these foods over a long period of time isn’t just crushing our mood and wreaking havoc with our memory – it might also be shattering our ability to learn, reason and forge new memories.
Brain Damage
This story is from the September 2017 edition of Women's Health South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2017 edition of Women's Health South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Irreconcilable Differences?
You’re one-upping your partner on all health fronts and now your relationship has more tension than your new resistance bands. Here’s how to get over the hurdle of mismatched goals.
Hot And Bothered
Inflammation is all the rage in health conversations right now and research is establishing it as a major player in all sorts of issues you don't want to deal with. But! You can safeguard yourself from the smokin' internal inferno with these smart strategies.
Self-esteem under the microscope
The term brings to mind positive-thinking memes with sunset backdrops and swirly lettering. But could I you sum up self-esteem when asked as part of a pub quiz? Didn't think so. And there's more at stake here than winning the points.
the reset
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO START OVER
Mind Over Muscle
Could you level up your strength training just by putting your mind to it?
ON BEING THE HEROINE OF YOUR OWN LIFE
Olympian. All-African Games winner. African champion. Record-breaker. Javelin athlete Jo-Ané van Dyk talks mental fortitude and what it takes to live up to your own hype. If there's one thing she can do, it's to throw down. And it's all about to reach peak levels.
Why Women Are Choosing to Be Child-Free
The choice can be liberating, yet stigmas persist. Here, how to cut through the noise with clarity and confidence to make the decision that's right for *you.*
FUEL YOUR SKIN
Inside your body, there's a crew of unsung protein heroes that scientists believe are the key to a healthy, glowing complexion. Heads-up: your routine is about to change for the better.
How To Be Decisive
You could use a Magic 8 ball to help you make a choice. Or, while you're waiting to 'ask again later', let our experts explain the best ways to get unstuck.
Build A Strong Base
You heard it here: the pelvic floor is the forgotten core - and you're selling yourself short by waiting for a specific life stage to train it. Your four-move workout is here.
