Food serves so many important purposes in our lives. Food-related activities bring us together with the people who are important in our lives. The behavioral disorders related to food create or sustain terrible distress. Food deficiency or deprivation is a source of great suffering.
Much research has been directed at understanding how dietary patterns affect the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, and here too food can play a positive, health-improving role…or a destructive and disease-promoting role.
The World Health Organization recently concluded that many cases of cognitive decline could be delayed or prevented through adopting a healthier lifestyle. Physical activity, diet, smoking cessation, and attention to chronic medical diseases are all important contributors to healthier cognitive aging. So, what do we know about food and Alzheimer’s disease?
The typical western diet is high in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and processed grains, large amounts of added sugar.
This eating pattern has been linked to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. A high intake of saturated and trans fats increases the body’s levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response, harmful processes which contribute to the development of dementia. Exposure to environmental toxicity can also aggravate the issues. The take-away message? Cut down on total caloric intake, saturated and trans fats, and sugar.
https://www.sundardasnaturopathy.com/oligoscan
Next, we know that a healthier diet can protect cognitive functioning while also improving other aspects of health. Most of the research on diet and Alzheimer’s has focused on the Mediterranean diet (MD), an eating pattern that emphasizes healthy fats such as olive oil, fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, and less dairy food, red meat, butter or margarine, sweetened beverages, and pastries.
Moderate wine consumption is included in some, but not all, European and Middle Eastern populations who have adopted the MD.
In the United States, concern about lifestyle and rampant high blood pressure led National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to propose a set of dietary recommendations known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet.
The DASH Diet emphasizes many MD components as well as a reduction in overall consumption of carbohydrates and sodium. It has been shown to reduce blood pressure.
More recently, the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay Diet, known popularly as the MIND Diet, has been shown to slow down cognitive decline and improve neuroplasticity. The MIND Diet takes elements of MD and DASH and recommends dietary focus on the “good” foods such as whole grains, green leafy and other vegetables, berries, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and olive oil while minimizing intake of “bad” foods such as red meats, butter, margarine, cheese, fast foods, and sweets. (https://www.sundardasnaturopathy.com/neuroplasticity)
One study found that adherents to the MIND Diet demonstrated more successful cognitive aging and the MIND Diet provided even better protection against Alzheimer’s disease in this study than the DASH or MD diets.
Can Vitamins and Supplements Decrease the Risk of Alzheimer’s? Not all that we eat falls into the category of food, and many vitamins or supplements have also been studied in relationship to Alzheimer’s disease risk. We certainly need enough of the essential vitamins such as folic acid, B12, E, and D. Curcumin, omega 3 fatty acids, and cocoa are among the dietary additives still being researched for a deeper understanding of their risks and benefits.
We are currently helping individuals who are in the early stages of neurodegenerative decline improve the quality of their lives.
If you need help you can click HERE to review your lifestyle choices and find out what you can do to improve it. Health and Wellness Assessment
We are here for you at Sundardas Naturopathic Clinic.
Prof Sundardas D Annamalay
Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.
Simply email us at admin@naturaltherapies.com to make an appointment
or call +65 63236652. We are pleased to offer consultations via Zoom for online coaching clients