(NaturalHealth365) According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 50 million people around the world are living with dementia. This life-altering condition is not considered a “normal” part of aging.  But, the good news: lifestyle choices can protect your brain health – as you age – and help you to avoid the devastating effects of dementia symptoms, which include memory loss and personality changes.

So, what’s one intelligent lifestyle choice to consider?  Eating more foods rich in choline.

Basically, choline is a vitamin-like essential nutrient and, actually a component of another compound known as phosphatidylcholine.  The phosphatidylcholine structure is similar to an essential fat called lecithin – which also happens to be beneficial.  When comparing the compound phosphatidylcholine vs. other nutrients, you might be amazed at just how powerful this little compound – along with its constituent choline – really is.

Discover the top 10 health benefits of phosphatidylcholine

A recent study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found dietary intake of phosphatidylcholine is associated with a reduced dementia risk and improved cognitive performance.  In their study, men who consumed the highest amounts of phosphatidylcholine had a 28% lower risk of dementia compared to men who consumed the least.

Protecting yourself from dementia symptoms and improving your memory cognitive health isn’t the only thing this essential nutrient can do. Other research has found that choline and phosphatidylcholine can:

• Protect liver health
• Naturally treat viral hepatitis
• Promote lipolysis (fat breakdown) and promote weight loss
• May reduce inflammation, especially as it relates to joint conditions like rheumatoid arthritis
• May improve symptoms of bipolar disorder (a nod to its cognitive health benefits)
• Can protect neurons (especially in the hippocampus, the part of the brain related to memory) by reducing inflammation and increasing antioxidant enzymes
• For pregnant women and to-be parents, enhance fetal brain development
• Reduce symptoms of ulcerative colitis
• Protect against damage from injuries caused by popular over the counter drugs called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

Whether your goal is to better your memory, drop excess body fat, improve your joint pain, or reduce inflammation, you’d be wise to fuel your body with adequate doses of choline and phosphatidylcholine.

The question is: where can you get these things in your diet?

Want to add more choline foods to your diet?  Add these tasty options to your next trip to the grocery store

The best sources of choline are already foods you may regularly consume, since they are generally recognized as healthy and nutrient-dense.  Here are some of the top foods rich in choline:

• Eggs (especially the yolks)
• Chicken liver
• Squid, cod, and other types of seafood
• Chicken breast
• Beef
• Peanuts
• Potatoes
• Spinach
• Carrots
• Apples
• Cow’s milk (assuming you are not intolerant to dairy, which most people are)

Just remember, whenever possible, choose organic – to avoid unwanted chemicals in the conventional food supply.

In addition, you may be interested in getting enough phosphatidylcholine from LuvByNature liposomal vitamin C + quercetin or LuvByNature LiverLuv.   There’s no gold standard for dosing, but clinical studies have used doses ranging from half a gram to 4 grams of phosphatidylcholine per day for 3 months.

Sources for this article include:

Nutritionreview.org
WHO.int