Proper Nutrition can help with Alzheimers
Wednesday, February 06, 2019
An
aging population all over the world is raising the risk of
Alzheimer’sdisease among seniors. Today, the degenerative disease
which impairs older people’s mental health makes up a
significant 50 to 70 percent of dementia cases.
The World
Alzheimer Report in 2015 states that around 46 million are
afflicted with the disease and other forms of dementia. The number
rises three to four times in developing countries like Brazil.
There
seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel, so far. It is
predicted that by the year 2030, 20 percent of people above 60 years
old will have Alzheimer’s disease.
The downhill
curve can start as early as age 45, when early symptoms of the
disease like depression, irritability, confusion and forgetfulness
occur. But as in most diseases, the situation can be reversed when
caught early.
Fighting
Alzheimer’s with proper nutrition
A
2017 study aimed to set
nutritional guidelines for the three stages of Alzheimer’s: mild,
moderate and severe. The literature that the researchers gathered
point to a direct link between nutrition and Alzheimer’s.
The
findings suggest that nutrition plays a key role in helping
Alzheimer’s patients cope in all three stages of their condition.
Countries whose citizens ate lots of fish, fruits, and vegetables
showed lower cases of dementia.
In
mild stages of the disease, it was highlighted that patients can
benefit a lot from an increased intake of nutrients
like choline, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic
acid (EPA), and uridine monophosphate. Eggs, liver
and peanuts are rich in choline. Fatty fish like
herring, mackerel, tuna and halibut, eggs and algae contain DHA.
Cold-water fatty fish like salmon are also rich in EPA.
Meanwhile,
moderately impaired patients need 1.5 g/kg of protein a day for
nitrogen balance and increased muscle mass to prevent weight
loss that could lead to malnutrition. Moreover, dietary
supplements may maximize the patients’ nutritional levels and help
improve their immune response.
Patients
with severe symptoms of Alzheimer’s may develop dysphagia or
difficulty swallowing. This may affect food intake which can lead to
malnutrition and dehydration. Caregivers are advised to modify the
feeding consistency, adding more water and reducing the caloric
density of the meal.
The
researchers noted that the use of several medications for the disease
and the kind of behavior related to them increase the risk of
adverse symptoms relating to the gastrointestinal tract, like
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of taste, smell, and appetite,
which can affect food intake and lead to weight loss among the
patients.
Another
study, this time on 2,148 older patients in New York,
yielded similar results. Researchers who followed the patients for
1.5 years discovered that more frequent intake of nuts, fish,
tomatoes, poultry, cruciferous vegetables, fruits and leafy greens,
and less of dairy lacteal products high in fat and red meat can slow
down the development of Alzheimer’s.
Daily
habits to prevent Alzheimer’s
Here
are other ways of preventing Alzheimer’s:
-
Taking
coffee in the morning.
-
Playing
interactive games.
-
Striking
up a conversation with strangers.
-
Taking
your pet out for a walk.
-
Joining
a laughter club. It will relieve you of stress that could harm your
brain health.
-
Sipping
black and/or green tea.
-
Exercising
at short intervals, repeatedly.
-
Being
a regular customer in a bank, the grocery and other business
establishments. This way, your brain will benefit from the social
interaction it brings.
-
Having
a craft you enjoy, like quilting, ceramics, painting, etc.
-
Visualizing
waterfalls to help put you to sleep.
-
Enrolling
your dog or cat in agility training.
-
Standing
up every 30 minutes.
-
Doing
alternate breathing. Close your right nostril using your index
finger. Then breathe deeply through the left nostril. Repeat this
using the left nostril; remember to breathe through the right
nostril.
-
Holding
hands. This releases the love hormone oxytocin.
-
Showering
at night. Our body’s temperature declines at night. Enhance this
with a shower before knocking off.
-
Planting rosemary, which
contains antioxidants that may protect brain cells.
-
Focusing
on just one task and avoiding distractions. It’s more productive
and less time-consuming.
-
Volunteering.
You’ll find a better direction in life and have less problems
sleeping.
-
Playing
a musical instrument. This sharpens attention and memory. It also
enhances motor, visual and auditory skills.
-
Breathing lavender in
your bedroom. The scent acts as a gentle sedative that decreases
heart rate and blood pressure. It also relaxes the body.
Immediate Benefits
~ Replenishes Essential Nutrients
~ Provides for Advanced Energy Production
~ Fights Free Radicals
~ Boosts Metabolism
~ Elevates Vitality
Long Term Benefits
~ Supports Heart/Cardiovascular Health
~ Increases Muscle Strength
~ Promotes Healthy Cellular Regeneration
~ Optimizes Brain Function
~ Encourages the Anti-Aging Process
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Science.news
Taken from an article titled" Nutrition can help manage Alzheimer's, from mild to severe stages"by Jessica Delores
Springer.com
FoodfortheBrain.org
RD.com
LifesDHA.com