Cholesterol - eating cholesterol in your diet has a very small impact on your blood cholesterol levels. Second, avoiding high cholesterol foods, like eggs and salmon, means you’re missing out on some of the richest sources of essential brain nutrients. In fact, high levels of cholesterol have been linked to better memory and mood in healthy middle-aged and elderly people. And, as people get older, higher levels of total cholesterol are associated with a decreased risk of dementia.