7 Foods That Reduce Your Alzheimer’s Risk
Keep your brain healthy with these foods that can slow
down—or perhaps even help prevent—the disease.
Keep Your Brain Healthy
The best thing you can do
to keep your brain working the way you want it to: exercise, and eat right.
"Nutrition is very, very important to brain health," says Paul
Nussbaum, Ph.D., a clinical neuropsychologist and member of scientific advisory
board for the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. "Surprisingly, the brain
is made up of 60% fat—it’s the fattest part of our body—and that fat insulates
the nerve tracks. Without that fat we slow down mentally," Dr. Nussbaum
says.
The crucial thing to know:
The kinds of fats and foods you eat, can have a real impact on the health of
your brain. Trans fats and sugar aren't great for your brain health. What foods
are good and can reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s? Consider eating these
good-for-your-brain foods:
1. Walnuts (and almonds, pecans, hazelnuts)
Walnuts might be small in
size, but they pack a big nutritional punch. They are filled with Omega-3 fatty
acids, the good kind of fat your brain needs. A study from the New York State
Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities found that mice
given a diet including walnuts showed improvement in memory and motor
coordination. Walnuts also contain vitamin E and flavonoids, which can help
protect the brain.
2. Salmon (and mackerel, sardines, other fatty fish)
Also high in Omega-3s,
fatty fish like salmon can lower blood levels of beta-amyloid, a protein
thought to play a role in Alzheimer’s. A Columbia University study found that
the more Omega-3 fatty acids a person eats, the lower their blood beta-amyloid
levels. Dr. Nussbaum suggests eating 8 oz. of fish per week—fresh fish is best,
but you can also talk to your doctor about taking a fish oil supplement.
3. Berries
“Antioxidants are like
taking out the broom in the spring and sweeping the garage,” Dr. Nussbaum says.
“Antioxidants are the body’s broom.” Berries contain polyphenols, a type of
antioxidant which helps stop inflammation and allows brain cells to work
better. A Tufts University study found that berries can reverse slow-downs in
the brain’s ability to process information.
“You can’t go wrong if a
food has the word ‘berry’ in the name,” says Dr. Nussbaum. “Strawberries,
blueberries, cranberries— they’re all good for your brain.”
4. Spinach (and kale, other leafy greens)
Full of antioxidants and
fiber, leafy greens should be a diet staple. In a national study, women in
their 60s who ate more leafy vegetables over time did better than their
non-greens-eating counterparts on memory, verbal, and other tests. And new
studies show that high levels of vitamin C, which is found in spinach, may help
with dementia prevention.
5. Turmeric
Break out the curry! A
host of studies have shown that turmeric, the spice used in curries, and its
main active component curcumin, can help prevent Alzheimer's. In one such
study, researchers from UCLA found that vitamin D3, taken with curcumin, may
help the immune system to get rid of the amino acids that form the plaque in
the brain that's associated with Alzheimer’s Disease. So the next time you
cook, incorporate this healthy spice.
6. Coffee
Now you don’t have to feel
guilty about pouring yourself another cup. Researchers from the University of
South Florida and University of Miami found that people older than 65 who drank
three cups of coffee a day (i.e. had higher blood levels of caffeine) developed
Alzheimer's disease two to four years later than their counterparts with lower
caffeine levels, and that caffeine had a positive impact even in older adults
who were already showing early signs of Alzheimer's.
7. Chocolate
If you haven’t already
switched from milk chocolate to dark, now you have one more reason to.
Compelling research already shows that dark chocolate, which contains
flavonoids (a plant compound that helps with the body’s circulation), can help
combat heart disease, but flavonoids may also help slow down the effects of
dementia. In an Italian study, older adults who had mild symptoms of dementia
drank cocoa with high, medium and low amounts of flavonoids. Those who consumed
high amounts outperformed those who consumed low doses on cognitive tests.
And a study is currently
underway by the National Institute on Aging to see whether resveratrol, a
compound found in chocolate, red wine, and grapes, can prevent dementia. One
tip: A healthy choice is dark chocolate that has a 70% or higher cocoa content.
For those people whose relative are suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease and maybe reading this, I find it hard that people are still ignorant of herbal medicine when it comes to treating Alzheimer’s Disease.
ReplyDeleteI have been through many phases over the last couple of years since my father's diagnosis, he was 53 years old and had Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease and his diagnosis changed my life in many ways, I spend most of the time in denial and I keep thinking the tests were wrong. But deep down I knew they were correct. Though sharing his story is very difficult. He was always very successful in being able to accomplish anything he set his mind on doing. Alzheimer’s is a bitch of a disease. It began by robbing his recent memory, but it didn't stop there. It continues to steal, taking the most recent memories until it has pilfered all but the oldest memories, he experienced a decline in his ability to think, remember and make decisions. I feel a need to express my thoughts and feelings about how it affected his day to day living and how its deteriorated since despite the help of some wonderful medics and medicine.
I remind myself how lucky to come across Charanjit rychtova's herbal medicine which is able to control this disease without any side effect, I felt a moment of relief hoping that he is free from this ailment, and nothing compares to the healing power of nature. Now I believe almost every health problem can be addressed in one natural way or another. The only thing I wanted was for him to feel better. I’m proud to say my Dad is Alzheimer’s free. You can also contact him for advice and more info. charantova@gmail.com
For those people whose relative are suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease and maybe reading this, I find it hard that people are still ignorant of herbal medicine when it comes to treating Alzheimer’s Disease.
ReplyDeleteI have been through many phases over the last couple of years since my father's diagnosis, he was 53 years old and had Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease and his diagnosis changed my life in many ways, I spend most of the time in denial and I keep thinking the tests were wrong. But deep down I knew they were correct. Though sharing his story is very difficult. He was always very successful in being able to accomplish anything he set his mind on doing. Alzheimer’s is a bitch of a disease. It began by robbing his recent memory, but it didn't stop there. It continues to steal, taking the most recent memories until it has pilfered all but the oldest memories, he experienced a decline in his ability to think, remember and make decisions. I feel a need to express my thoughts and feelings about how it affected his day to day living and how its deteriorated since despite the help of some wonderful medics and medicine.
I remind myself how lucky to come across Charanjit rychtova's herbal medicine which is able to control this disease without any side effect, I felt a moment of relief hoping that he is free from this ailment, and nothing compares to the healing power of nature. Now I believe almost every health problem can be addressed in one natural way or another. The only thing I wanted was for him to feel better. I’m proud to say my Dad is Alzheimer’s free. You can also contact him for advice and more info. charantova@gmail.com
In my own case it was just over four years ago when my Mum began to sound different on the phone. She lived back East with my siblings and my husband and I were living on the West coast and in phone calls it became apparent that my Mum's voice no longer had the same tones of excitement and humor that she used to; and instead it was very flat. At the same time she began to tell us about a situation at work that just didn't seem possible; she was complaining that a group of fellow workers were conspiring to get her. Although Mum had much academic success as a teenager, her behavior had become increasingly odd during the past years. She quit seeing her friends and no longer seemed to care about her appearance or social pursuits. She began wearing the same clothes each day and seldom bathed. She lived with several family members but rarely spoke to any of us. Obviously this whole story seemed very unbelievable and we sensed something was wrong but had no clue as to what it could be. We recommended that my Mum quit her job and look for something else - as we began to wonder if she had a "mental breakdown" and would get better once out of the stressful job situation.
ReplyDeleteIn the case of Mum, she was having persecurtory delusions, auditory hallucinations and negative symptoms that had lasted for at least Three years. All of these symptoms fit with a diagnosis of Dementia. Her story reflects a common case, in which a high-functioning young adult goes through a major decline in day-to-day skills. Although family and friends may feel this is a loss of the person they knew, the illness can be treated and a good outcome is possible as it all got better when we started using a herbal medicine for her through Aparajita.
My recommendation to people who are either wondering if they have DEmentia or wondering if a friend or loved one has Dementia should contact aparajitatan@gmail.com. I think one of our key problems was that we didn't do this in the early days of my Mum's illness as we never thought of a natural alternative for her.