Posts Tagged “Alzheimer’s dementia”
A Mediterranean diet, rich in plant-based foods and seafood, may reduce the risk of dementia by 0.55%, according to a study from the UK Biobank published in the journal BMC Medicine.
The research, which tracked 60,298 people for more than nine years between the ages of 40 and 69 years, showed that people who stuck close to this diet had up to 23% lower risk of developing dementia than those who did not.
Dementia is a group of conditions characterized by impairment of at least two brain functions, such as memory loss and judgment.
Symptoms include forgetfulness, limited social skills, and thinking abilities impaired to the point that it interferes with daily functioning.
The Mediterranean diet consists mainly of fruits and vegetables for every meal, as well as whole grains, beans, and seeds, along with a few nuts.
This is the type of food that experts have been recommending for a long time as the healthiest diet. A balanced diet helps reduce the risk of cognitive decline, as well as diabetes and helps the heart.
Research has consistently shown that the Mediterranean diet is effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and overall mortality.
According to information published by Harvard University, research supports the use of the Mediterranean diet as a healthy eating pattern for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, increasing lifespan, and healthy aging. When used in conjunction with caloric restriction, the diet may also support healthy weight loss.
The risk of having Alzheimer’s dementia in older adults may be reduced by eating more strawberries, according to researchers at Rush University, Chicago.
A team led by Puja Agarwal analyzed data collected from 295 people — ages 58 to 98 and dementia-free at the start of the study — using food questionnaires and neurological evaluations as part of the Rush Memory and Aging Project between 2004 and 2018, according to a news release.
The association between frequent strawberry consumption and decreased Alzheimer’s dementia emerged and information on the link was published in the December 2019 issue of Nutrients.
Researchers said there is a potential link between disease symptoms and more oxidative stress and inflammation. Strawberries appear to have anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, possibly due to high content of flavonoids and vitamin C. Also, animal studies have shown strawberries improve neuronal function, cognition and some motor outcomes, according to the release.
Strawberry intake ranged from zero to two servings a week in the Rush study. Researcher found for every single serving increase in strawberry consumption, there was a 24 percent reduced risk of Alzheimer’s dementia.
Overall, participants eating one or more servings of strawberries per week had a 34 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s dementia when compared to those consuming none or less than once per month.