No one wants dementia or Alzheimer’s, but the truth is that it cannot be prevented yet. The good news is that you can reduce the risk of developing the disease by about one-third. Even better is that with some changes to your meal plans, you can improve your chances of preventing it or holding it off for years.
Researchers believe that the primary driving force behind the development of dementia is inflammation. When it is in the brain, it helps the amyloid plaque and tau tangles start causing dementia.
Because inflammation appears to be the main cause, you need to start making your meals around an anti-inflammatory diet. Three popular diets focus on being anti-inflammatory. They include the DASH diet, the Mediterranean diet, and the MIND diet.
Each of the above diets focuses on providing healthy foods. The MIND diet combines the DASH and Mediterranean diets to offer foods that promote a healthy brain and brain function. The acronym MIND stands for “Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay.”
Choosing the right foods for your dementia prevention plan is a good idea. It is certainly less expensive than medication and is much tastier. It can also provide a healthy component of whole body health.
Some foods are known to be detrimental to a healthy brain. They include refined carbs such as white bread and pasta that are white; processed meats such as sausages, hot dogs, and bologna; snack foods that have been processed – potato chips and pretzels; sugary beverages and most desserts.
Other foods to avoid include foods that are high in salt. Soups and snack foods are notorious for adding lots of salt. You also want to avoid foods with a lot of sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. You should also eliminate alcohol from your diet.
There are many foods that you should eat. All three diets contain the following: vegetables of all colors, beans, seeds, and nuts – especially walnuts, wild-caught fish (oily – salmon, sardines, and mackerel), turmeric, fruits, and whole-processed grains (oats, whole wheat, barley, and brown rice). Keep eggs to a moderate amount, as well as low-fat dairy products. You can also eat dark chocolate, but it must have at least 70% cocoa.
Fermented foods are also a good source of anti-inflammatory nutrients. They include yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha – a fermented tea.
Fruits also contain some powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients called anthocyanins, and they help reduce oxidative stress and prevent the accumulation of tau protein. Berries stand out at the top of the list, which can reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s by as much as 34%. Include cherries, apples, grapes, oranges, and avocados in your diet.
Some other diets are also capable of reducing inflammation. They include low-carb diets (especially for people who are overweight) and vegetarian diets.
Other benefits from these diets include having more energy. You will also benefit from better blood sugar control, triglycerides, and cholesterol. You will also experience better symptoms if you have arthritis, lupus, and other autoimmune diseases. Your risk of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression, and obesity will also be reduced.
Strive to eat more natural foods than processed ones to improve brain health. It will help prevent the development of degenerative brain diseases, strengthen your immune system, and enable you to enjoy better health.
