There’s No Such Thing As Perfection When It Comes To Brain Health
The beauty of progress over perfection
Hello everyone. I know many of you have been diving into my book and reading the newsletter to learn about how to eat for brain health. I love how you are making your brain health a priority. Thank you for being willing to put the science of neuroprotective foods into action in your own life.
Progress Over Perfection
As you embark on your brain health journey, there’s one thing I want you to remember: It’s all about “progress over perfection.” In other words, don’t fall into the trap of trying to do everything perfectly. While it’s tempting to say you will only consume brain-healthy food from here on, the reality is this: good eating habits build slowly over time.
It’s more important that you are making PROGRESS in the right direction rather than going for PERFECTION in every food choice.
First of all, the perfect brain-healthy diet doesn’t exist. The truth is, there are several dietary patterns that have been shown to be brain protective against Alzheimer’s, and there is much room for individual variation, whether you are vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, or enjoy all sorts of foods. (This is where the “fit” part of my 4Fs guide to brain healthy eating comes in, which I’ll be writing about on Friday.)
Secondly, trying to eat “perfectly” all the time is stressful. And stress, we know, is bad for the brain. (Studies have actually measured how the brain shrinks when under duress over time.)
So here are a few tips to keep in mind as you endeavor to be your brain-healthiest self:
Don’t approach brain-healthy eating like a diet
Eating for brain health is not a diet you go on in January and then go off the next month. Think of brain health as a lifestyle—an attitude about aging proactively to reduce risk and enjoy life. Brain healthy eating is part of that lifestyle. While diets are destined to fail, sustainability comes from choosing to build a lifestyle around how you eat.
Control your environment
Will-power—that ability to resist foods we know we should avoid—is largely a myth. Given the choice, your brain will always go for instant gratification. Love potato chips? It may be hard to resist them if they are calling to you from the kitchen every time you open the snack cabinet. That’s why it’s a much better plan to remove tempting foods from your food environment. Make the brain-healthy food choice the easier, more accessible one. Instead, stock the snack cabinet with almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, homemade granola, and other foods that you like.
Track your progress weekly, not daily
