YOUR 2025 BRAIN BRAWN MINI RESOLUTION FRUITS & VEGGIES (FnVs) • WEEK 1

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Your New Mini Resolution: Eat More Fruits & Veggies (FnVs)!

Happy Monday! Welcome to a NEW mini resolution! If you are joining us mid-year you can view past Motivated Mondays editions on our website. This month, our mini resolution will be to strive for 7 servings of fruit and vegetables (FnVs) a day.

Track Your Fruit and Veggie Consumption!
 
This month, our mini resolution is to strive for 7 servings of fruit and vegetables (FnVs) a day.
 
Wondering what counts as a serving of fruits & veggies? Here is a handy graphic you may refer to when logging your intake!
 
Each Monday in June, we will provide you with a different strategy to achieve your daily goal, including recipes. We will also continue to log added sugar consumption, exercise, and sleep. Record it all in your log!

Email your Motivated Mondays Coach Michele at [email protected] with your individual questions.


One aspect of a healthy brain diet is prioritizing fruits and vegetables.

To be clear, fruits & veggies shouldn’t comprise the entirety of one’s plate, but a substantial portion is recommended. This is because FnVs are chock full of micronutrients, water and fiber which either outright prevent neurodegeneration or slow disease progression once it has initiated, here is how:

• Certain vitamins and minerals in FnVs fight inflammation and oxidation, improving cognitive performance and preserving neurons (brain cells)
• Other micronutrients preserve and fortify the blood-brain barrier which is designed to protect the brain
• Some vitamins and minerals in FnVs enhance communication between neurons by enhancing neurotransmitter synthesis and release
• Some micronutrients can even repair DNA damage

Serving Size

You might be saying, “Hey, why so many? The government says I only need 5 servings a day!”
 
Keep in mind, government recommendations for nutrition are minimal standards to support life and prevent overt disease (think scurvy or rickets). We are looking to optimize our nutrition to build brains that are resilient to degeneration. A recent meta-analysis found that in a stepwise fashion, every 100 grams of FnVs each day (1/2 cup) was related to a 13% reduction in the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. So, we are reaching beyond the government recommendations.

Food for thought… (literally)


Increasing your daily consumption of FnVs essentially crowds out poor food choices. One study found that replacing 10% of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in the diet with minimally processed foods participants lowered risk of dementia by 19%.
 
Last week we shared a special edition on UPFs. Read it here.

But is it Too Late to Make Change?

Some may be thinking it’s too late in life to make dietary changes, but recent studies on cognitive function have shown people over age 60 benefit more from increased FnV consumption than children and adolescents.
 
What aspect of cognitive function is most impacted by FnV intake?
 
Executive function, specifically verbal memory, is linked to a diet high in FnVs. Blueberries and green leafy vegetables are frequently cited in research for their cognitive benefits. One study found those who consumed at least two servings a day of green leafy vegetables were cognitively younger by 11 years than those who rarely or never consumed them

One final thought, a recent longitudinal study found those who both exercise and consume a diet high in FnVs demonstrate exponentially less cognitive decline than those who only reported each independent variable.
 
Our mini resolutions interact synergistically! Want to revisit the resolution to exercise? View our blog archive.
Exercise & FnVs

We’ll see you next week for your first strategy. In the interim, here are two past editions that parlay nicely into this month’s mini resolution:
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• Buying organic produc--is it worth it?
• Why is nutrition research so confusing?