One of the most frightening aspects of the aging process is the prospect of developing dementia, which is a general term for loss of memory and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with normal functioning in our daily life.
There are several types of dementia, of which Alzheimer’s Disease is the most prevalent (somewhere between 60-80% of all cases) and perhaps the best known. It requires special care and support from dedicated caregivers whose services can be availed by contacting firms like Preferred Care at Home (they are believed to provide senior care in Port Saint Lucie and neighboring locations). Most people oft for this because this condition tends to worsen over time.
Apparently, in families where both the husband and wife are working, their work schedule often doesn’t allow them to provide the required attention. Such people, however, tend to hire a full-time nurse to look after the person in their absence or consult a senior living care center (similar to the ones found at https://www.chelseaseniorliving.com/locations/new-jersey/manalapan/ ) that can give their loved one suffering from this disability the specialized attention they need. Though once affected, only proper treatment and care remain the only solution, one should from a young age start avoiding the things that can lead to such disorders.
As baby boomers continue to age, the number of people affected by dementia is unfortunately expected to skyrocket; therefore, it is extremely important that each of us pays attention to the things we can do to keep our brains as healthy as possible as we grow older.
According to The Lancet, the world’s leading general medical journal, as well as the specialty journals Oncology, Neurology, and Infectious Diseases, nearly 50% of Alzheimer’s Disease cases can be prevented with lifestyle modifications. The five most important modifications in that regard are: controlling diabetes; controlling high blood pressure; managing obesity; managing depression; and exercising.
In this article, I’d like to focus in on the aspect of nutrition, and how our diet may contribute to the development of dementia. Many people are terrified of getting dementia in one form or another, especially as it is incurable at the present time and the progression of the disease devastating for the patient, and very difficult at best for the family or caregivers to manage. Much research is being done into better understanding the processes involved in dementia, but in the meantime the good news is that there are things you can do to protect yourself, and eating a brain-healthy diet is one of them.
How does our diet contribute to dementia? A diet high in carbohydrates can contribute to insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar levels. When our blood sugar is high, it attaches to proteins and forms an AGE (advanced glycosolated end-product). One dangerous form of AGE is formed when a glucose molecule attaches to an LDL (“bad” cholesterol) protein; this AGE increases damage to the blood vessels in the heart and in the brain. When the glucose combines with other proteins, they can create free radicals. These dangerous free radicals can then oxidize the LDL cholesterol, causing a double threat of glycosolated LDL and oxidized LDL, which together can be extremely harmful to the brain by increasing inflammation.
High-fructose corn syrup can be dangerous to the brain as well, and is found in a vast assortment of processed food items. The intake of this type of fructose has increased 1000% in the last couple of decades! Increased fructose in the diet leads to a tendency to increase the amount of dangerous abdominal fat stored in the body, and tends to increase insulin resistance and the development of hypertension, all of which are risk factors for dementia. Fructose is also ten times more likely to increase AGEs, as opposed to glucose. Please note: fruit contains fructose, which in this form is not nearly as harmful as high-fructose corn syrup. Nevertheless, it is probably wise to limit the amount of fruit juices you are consuming, as well as the “tropical” fruits such as bananas, mangos, guavas, pineapple, etc., which contain higher amounts.
A few specific suggestions for ways to eat for brain health:
- Minimize sugar, junk food, refined carbohydrates, white flour and foods with a high glycemic index
- Use targeted nutritional supplements: CoQ10, a good multi-vitamin, resveratrol, green tea extract, EFAs (essential fatty acids), alpha lipoic acid, coconut oil, glucoraphain, among others
- Avoid soda and/or soft drinks, including diet versions
- Avoid high-mercury fish like tuna and swordfish
- Consume grass-fed meats as much as possible, and other sources of animal protein that do not contain antibiotics or growth hormones
- Consume plenty of organic vegetables each day, of many differing varieties
- Try to limit or eliminate sweets like ice cream, cookies, muffins, scones and cakes
I cannot stress enough the importance of consuming a clean, healthy diet, and not only for the brain! Food is direct “information” for our DNA, and how we bathe our genes has a pronounced effect on how they express themselves. Therefore, to a great extent, we hold the fate of our health in our diet and lifestyle choices. With millions of people being overweight, sedentary and living on junk food, we are facing a crisis of illness of unprecedented proportions.
However, if you already have dementia, there is a different diet for you. The mind diet, for example, tends to restrict red meat, butter and margarine, cheese, pastries and sweets, and fried or fast food. You may want to consume no more than four servings of red meat per week, no more than one tablespoon of butter per day, and no more than one serving of each of the following foods per week: whole-fat cheese, fried food, and fast food. In addition to diet, you can try Dementia natural therapy, which includes mind exercises, supplements, acupuncture, and other treatments. Such lifestyle choices and activities may aid in brain strengthening, preventing brain aging, and slowing the progression of dementia. Natural therapies can be most effective in the early stages when symptoms first appear.
Besides, for dementia patients, it is important to have microdosing of something like Psilocybin Capsules, which can increase transmission of “Glutamate,” a neurotransmitter responsible (in part) for important brain functions like cognition, learning, and memory. As a result, incorporating such things may help dementia patients remember details to some extent.
If you are not a dementia patient yet, please consult with your physician as to which diet would be optimal for you that can prevent Dementia’s disease or age-related cognitive decline .
Our brains are fantastically complicated and elegant organs, and it certainly behooves us to give them the care and respect they deserve! I’d like you to try to become aware of how you are protecting or damaging your brain through your dietary choices. Dementia in all of its forms is a devastating illness, and doing whatever you can to avoid its onset will allow you to live a long, rich and full life with your mental faculties intact, and the essential “you” undiminished and untouched by the passage of time.