Alzheimer’s: These two diets can reduce the risks, while another should be banned absolutely!

That berries stimulate cognitive functions or that fish improves memory has become part of popular wisdom, but is this enough to protect your brain from dementia or cognitive degeneration? Of course not. On the other hand, our daily plate could have a preventive effect in the long term, as Professor June Andrews, an expert in the care of frail elderly people and people with dementia, points out. In the Daily Mail, she therefore takes stock of the foods and diets which, in light of the latest discoveries, make a difference.

2 Interesting Diets to Delay Cognitive Decline

So there is now a lot of evidence that the risk of these diseases is reduced by simply changing one’s diet. Yes, but by what? Research has suggested that two diets in particular, the Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet (similar to the Mediterranean diet, but with fewer animal foods), may offer some protection against cognitive decline.

They encourage eating unprocessed foods, plants and seeds, and avoiding or limiting alcohol consumption.

Foods to favor above all

To be more precise, the expert targets foods and food groups to adopt on a daily basis for their power against cognitive decline.

Kale, spinach and broccoli

If in nutrition everything is a question of balance, the expert reminds us, fruits and vegetables are very important because of the antioxidants and vitamin C they provide.A US study last year found that people who followed the MIND diet, which focused on green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale, may have fewer proteins in their brains linked to Alzheimer’s disease,” June Andrews points out

Indeed, in this study published in the journal Neurologyresearchers found that people who ate seven or more servings per week had levels of harmful brain plaque that were nearly 19 years younger than those who ate the least.

Lentils more often on the menu

Whole grains, as well as legumes, such as lentils and soybeans, also appear to have beneficial effects on heart health and cognitive function.

Olive oil

A 2022 study of more than 92,000 American adults found that higher olive oil consumption was associated with a 29 percent lower risk of dying from a neurodegenerative disease. The overall mortality risk was also 8 to 34 percent lower, compared with those who never or rarely consumed olive oil.If you can afford to buy your food fresh and cook it while it’s still fresh, that’s really important,” however, the expert recalls.

Alcohol, to be banned if you want to age in good health

Finally, if you really want to do something good for your brain and protect it, the expert assures us that the most effective change is still to stop drinking alcohol.

“Studies show that alcohol is bad for the brain. Research has shown that heavier drinkers are much more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease later in life than those who drink less. The earlier you start moderating your alcohol consumption, the better off you will be when you are old.”

Likewise, if you have a very strict diet and exercise, but drink excessively on weekends or at parties, you are probably undoing all the good you did all week.

And the diet most likely to increase dementia risk is…

Unlike foods and diets that are good for your cognitive health, a diet that is currently trending on TikTok could expose you to more risks. This diet, called carnivore, is one that favors meat above all, to facilitate weight loss. Many accounts on the networks are currently praising the benefits of steak, eggs, and butter in the quest for ideal weight. A trend that particularly worries Dr. Rupy Aujla, a general practitioner in the NHS, because it could have a lasting impact on the health and memory of consumers.I just think it’s playing with fire since we don’t have long-term studies of people consuming these diets in modern environments,” he warns.

In contrast, shorter-term studies in mice, for example, have found that long-term adherence to the ketogenic or carnivorous diet may be pro-inflammatory and pro-aging.”They actually observed changes in key organs such as the heart and kidneys, where the accumulation of so-called senescent cells contributed to systemic inflammation and toxicity,” he reveals on his podcast, The Doctor’s Kitchen. Additionally, high cholesterol is also linked to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes as well as dementia.

Revisiting your weekly meat consumption in favor of green vegetables and legumes seems like a better idea if you want to preserve your memory in the long term.