There has been an enormous amount of research on ways to protect your brain through nutrition. After reviewing the medical and scientific literature, I can assure you that nutritional methods are infinitely more effective and safer than pharmaceutical drugs. Here is what you can do:

1. Avoid processed foods and eat only freshly prepared meals. Most processed foods contain harmful fats (omega-6 fats), additives and even toxic metals. In addition, they contain too much salt and sugar.

2. Eat five to 10 servings of fresh vegetables and some fruits every day. Choose nutrient-dense vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, celery, parsley, tomatoes, mustard greens, turnip greens, collard greens, squash and onions. Because fruits are high in sugar, eat only limited amounts and avoid sweetened fruit juices. These foods contain vitamins, minerals and special substances called flavonoids that are powerful and versatile antioxidants. In addition, some of them often provide other brain-protective nutrients.

3. Avoid Omega-6 oils (found in corn, safflower, sunflower, peanut, soybean and canola oils). You should not cook with these oils, nor should you use products that contain them (chips, breads, pastries, etc.).

4. Consume at least two ounces of extra-virgin olive oil a day. This oil contains a number of powerful antioxidants, as well as healthy monounsaturated oil. You can use it on a salad or mix it with other foods.

5. Take Omega-3 oil supplements and foods enhanced with this healthy fat. This includes Christopher eggs and other egg brands that contain Omega-3. These supplements should not be in gelatin capsules. Get the liquid form of highly purified fish oil. It is molecularly distilled to remove dangerous mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins. Keep the oil refrigerated. And be sure to get oil that is high in DHA. The dose is 1,000 mg. of DHA each day. The Omega-3 oils reduce brain inflammation and cool down excessive immune activity.

6. Avoid sugar. Sucrose, the sugar used in foods and as a sweetener, causes a greater insulin surge than glucose, the natural form. Extensive evidence has shown that sugar plays a major role in accelerating aging — especially brain aging. This is because sugar revs up the metabolism, which generates a storm of free radicals. In addition, sugar forms abnormal bonds with proteins and this dramatically accelerates aging. High sugar intake compounds the risk of Alzheimer’s disease over 300%. High fructose corn syrup is especially damaging.

7. Eat complex carbohydrates that are low on the glycemic index. These include broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, onions and more. You can find the index on the Internet. These foods are absorbed slowly and help avoid an insulin surge (which can lead to hypoglycemia). It is also important to eat only limited amounts of carbohydrates each day. That means no more than two servings (a serving is a cup) with each meal.

8. Drink a combination of white tea mixed with rosemary tea. These teas contain powerful antioxidants and have been shown to especially protect the brain against abnormal aging. Two cups a day should be adequate. White tea is the same as green tea but contains much lower levels of fluoride with higher levels of antioxidants.

9. If you have amalgam (silver) fillings, find a dentist specially trained in their safe removal and have them taken out and replaced with ceramics. Contact the IAOMT organization (www.iaomt.com) for a list of trained dentists near you. The mercury from amalgams has been shown to vaporize in the mouth, at which point it is absorbed into the blood. In addition, the mercury can travel directly to your brain by way of the olfactory nerves in your nose.

10. Avoid continuous stress. Unrelieved stress greatly increases free-radical production and lipid peroxidation in the brain, causing it to age abnormally and rapidly. Make sure you get at least eight hours of sleep a night. Regular moderate exercise is also an excellent way to relieve stress. It has been shown to slow brain aging. However, extreme exercise can have the opposite effect. The Omega-3 oils have also been shown to protect the brain against stress damage.

11. Avoid depression. If you become depressed, seek treatment early. A number of studies have shown that depression causes a loss of memory and learning difficulties, and that over time the hippocampus of the brain (the memory and learning center) actually shrinks. Depression is best treated with regular exercise. Avoiding Omega-6 fats and increasing Omega-3s also helps. Omega-3 fats have been shown to improve depression and protect the brain from depression-related damage.