Add These Foods To Your Diet To Prevent Dementia And Alzheimer’s Disease

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia can be devastating for the person diagnosed and the entire family. With the rising number of cases, you also can’t help but wonder if you might be in line to be the next victim of cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia. According to researchers, there are various factors that might reduce these risks and keep the brain healthy, what you eat being one of them. Your diet or what you eat doesn’t just affect the health of your ticker, but there’s growing evidence that the same is true for your brain as well.

A combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors including diet and nutrition is what are said to lead to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. If you are looking at reducing your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, you must practice good nutrition and eat lots of healthy foods. This blog aims to discuss those crucial foods that can help slow the rate of cognitive decline and protect against Alzheimer’s as you become older:

Green leafy vegetables– According to a study, eating green leafy vegetables was associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, lowers the risk by 53 percent. This can be attributed to the vitamins that green leafy vegetables contain that enhance brain functioning. Experts recommend the MIND diet- Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay- that recommends frequent servings of green leafy vegetables, such as kale, spinach, broccoli, collards and other greens that are known to have vitamins A and C and other nutrients in abundance.

Nuts– Nut consumption is associated with a lower risk of dementia. The MIND diet recommends consumption of nuts at least five times a week. This can be attributed to the healthy fats, fiber and antioxidants that nuts contain, and also their ability to lower bad cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Berries– The MIND diet specifically recommends berries (as the only fruit) – raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and cherries, which individuals should consume at least twice a week to protect the brain and keep dementia at bay.

Whole Grains– You should have at least three servings a day.

Other food groups that are good for your brain:

1. Beans
2. Fish (at least once a week)
3. Poultry (twice a week)
4. Olive oil (as a form of cooking oil and fats)
5. Seeds (sunflower seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds)

It is just as important that you steer clear of red meats, butter and stick margarine, cheese, pastries and sweets, and fried or fast food- these are bad for your brain. Not just eating the brain-healthy foods, it is equally important to avoid the bad foods to reap the most anti-Alzheimer’s benefits.

It’s true some of the risks for cognitive decline are out of our control, our diet is definitely not one of them. The food we choose to eat is associated with both body and brain health, and there cannot be any better gift than maintaining our health that we can give ourselves which a good diet ensures. Anthem Senior Living in Phoenix, AZ is an award-winning Anthem assisted living facility offering specialized memory care to those dealing with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Regular, nutritious meals are important to keep the body and mind strong and healthy, which may become a challenge for people with dementia. As the disease progresses, the individual may become overwhelmed with too many food choices, forget to eat or have a tough time with eating utensils. Caregivers at Anthem Senior Living help residents overcome these.