What to Eat to Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

Can you eat to prevent Alzheimer’s disease? Of course, a healthy diet and good nutrition is no guarantee that you won’t get this incurable brain disease, but there’s evidence that eating habits play a role. Fortunately, a new study published in the Archives of Neurology has identified some of the foods that potentially lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s Disease and Diet: What Type of Diet is Best?

Researchers at the Columbia University Medical Center studied the diets of 2,148 people over the age of sixty-five and followed them for signs of Alzheimer’s disease over a four year period. During this time, almost twelve percent of the individuals developed Alzheimer’s disease. What did their eating habits reveal? Those who ate a diet rich in red meat and full-fat dairy foods were more likely to get Alzheimer’s disease compared to those who ate a diet consisting mostly of nuts, poultry, fish, fruits, and vegetables. All-in-all, older individuals who ate a diet rich in this second group of foods were almost forty percent less likely to get Alzheimer’s disease.

Is There an Alzheimer’s Disease Diet?

Most of the foods that were protective in this study are components of the Mediterranean diet – a style of eating that emphasizes healthy oils such as olive oil, nuts, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and fish while de-emphasizing red meat and dairy. The Mediterranean diet is one of the world’s healthiest diets because of the low risk of disease enjoyed by people who follow this style of eating. Following a Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and even certain types of cancer. Now, you can add Alzheimer’s disease to this list.

The Mediterranean Diet to Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease: Why Does It Work?

Some components of the Mediterranean diet such as nuts, seeds, and some vegetables are good sources of vitamin E which helps to protect the brain against oxidative stress and inflammation. The Mediterranean diet also emphasizes fish which is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids – which studies show lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The Mediterranean diet now appears to be the best eating plan to prevent Alzheimer’s.

 The Bottom Line?

Eating a Mediterranean type diet and reducing red meat, full fat dairy products, and most processed foods could reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. It can also protect your heart, reduce blood pressure, and, possibly, reduce the risk of some types of cancer. Sounds like a good trade-off?

References:

Medical News Today website. “Study Identifies Food Combination Associated With Reduced Alzheimer’s Disease Risk.”

Medscape. com website. “Diet and Alzheimer’s Disease: What the Evidence Shows”.