A healthy diet not only does a body good; it can nourish your brain as well.
Remember to include omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, which may lower your risk of Alzheimer's disease, researchers have found.
There’s so much evidence this type of fat is good for you, NBC News medical contributor Dr. Natalie Azar vowed to find more ways to incorporate it into her routine.
“I decided today, I think I’m going to start,” she said.
You can find omega-3s in oil that collects in the fatty tissue of cold-water fish, like salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout and sardines, or in plant sources, such as walnuts.
If you're a fan of salmon, remember to opt for the wild-caught Alaska kind, which has the least contaminants. It’s available from late spring until early fall.
Omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart, too: They reduce the risk of abnormal heartbeats, reduce your triglyceride levels, slow the growth rate of plaque in your arteries and lower blood pressure, the American Heart Association says. AHA recommends eating fatty fish — often a staple in the diets of people who live long, healthy lives — at least twice a week. Eating a handful of walnuts every day could have similar benefits, experts say.
Follow A. Pawlowski on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For more simple tips to improve your life, sign up for our One Small Thing newsletter.