One of the more tragic issues of aging, is Alzheimer's disease. This progressive illness robs once vibrant people of their cognitive skills. If you are troubled by the lack of a cure for this dreaded disease, there is hope. An article published on Monday, by Judith Chapman of "Kaiser Health News," indicates that keeping Alzheimer's at bay, may be as simple as taking a page from Winnie the Pooh, whose motto is "Think Think Think." Taking a moment to think before you eat, may ward off this form of Dementia.
Meals that benefit senior citizens
Diets that benefit older adults, are relatively new, but considered as noteworthy.
Two of them are the MIND diet from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and the Canadian Brain Health food guide, which was created by scientists from Toronto. Both diets ae based on research which indicates that diets which are plant based, with beans, nuts, fish, vegetable oils, and whole grains, protect brain cells, while fighting oxidation and inflammation. The diets differ however, how many daily servings of these beneficial foods are necessary.
The MIND diet recommends 2 servings of vegetables 1 of fish, and 3 servings of whole grains daily. The Canadian brain health food guide suggests 5 servings of veggies, and 3 daily servings of fish with no recommendation regarding whole grains.
Both diets have proven beneficial when it comes to preventing Alzheimer's. research indicates that The Canadian diet decreased risk factors of 36 percent, while the Canadian guide decreased the risk by 3 percent.
Think Think Think
Unfortunately, most research on this subject has been done on animals and young children. For this reason there is not yet a great understanding of how nutrition affects the brain of older adults.
What has been documented is the fact that a poor diet, increases risk factors for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, all which can impair cognitive skills. Taking the time to think about what you will eat, and how it will affect your brain health, stop you from purchasing foods that are not beneficial for cognitive skills.
In time you may find it easier to load up on nutritious foods, that will make healthy meals, which protect the cells in your brain, and prevent Alzheimer's disease. The next time you are at the grocery store, remember to stop, and think about what you will be putting in your body, and how it will affect the cells in your cranium. Make wise food choices today, and prevent damage to your brain tomorrow..
