The dementia It is the main neurodegenerative disease in the Western world, being the Alzheimer’s disease, its most well-known and studied variety. Its common symptoms are memory loss, difficulty with thinking and cognition, confusion, mood disturbances, and behavioral disturbances. Only in Spain it is estimated that almost half a million people suffer from dementia50-70% of cases being due to Alzheimer’s disease.
According to current data, between 4-9% of the population over 65 years of age will suffer from dementia in Spain, and both the prevalence and incidence of the disease will double by next year 2050. Although it is true that it does not yet exist a medical treatment to stop and cure the disease, yes they are known certain measures that can reduce the risk of ending up suffering from dementia. Diet, in this case, would be a basic pillar.
What to eat to reduce the risk of dementia
As he explains Dr. Stefan Mindea, MD, neurologist and neurosurgeonand current director of Minimally Invasive Oncology and Spine Surgery:
“Diet is essential to prevent dementia because The brain depends on a constant supply of nutrients for optimal functioning and maintenance of cognitive health, emotional health and memory. It is increasingly evident that dietary patterns can reduce or increase the risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, by influencing brain inflammation, oxidative stress and vascular health. Ultimately, healthy blood vessels are the brain’s oxygen transport pathway, and their narrowing has been linked to cognitive and neurological decline.”
There are several dietary patterns that would have shown benefits when it comes to preventing dementiabeing the Mediterranean diet the most studied of all. This is a pattern rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats (such as olive oil), fish, nuts, seeds and few animal fats, with special emphasis on reducing the consumption of red meat and processed meats.
In this regard, Dr. Mindea has no doubts about what snack saludable choose to take daily and reduce your risk of dementia: walnuts.
“Walnuts are a plant source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)a type of omega-3 fatty acid crucial for brain health. This type of fat is also found in fish, and is essential for reducing brain inflammation and promoting neuroplasticity. Ultimately, this healthy fat helps maintain neural connections.”
An example of these benefits would be explained by a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health & Agingin which it was found that people who consumed nuts regularly experimenton memory performance improvements y higher scores on cognitive testscompared to those who did not consume them. According to Dr. Mindea, this would suggest a possible protective effect against age-related cognitive decline.
Other healthy tips to prevent dementia
On the other hand, beyond the consumption of nuts, Dr. Mindea also remembers that there are other nutritional tips to take into account.
On the one hand, the Maintaining a healthy weight would be another basic pillar: the obesity it would have been directly related to the risk of dementia; a study published in International Journal of Epidemiology would suggest that women who suffer from obesity would have up to a 39% greater risk of suffering from dementia, compared to women with normal weight.
In this regard, with the aim of avoiding obesity, Dr. Mindea advises control the amount of calories ingested and maintain a constant daily physical activity. Likewise, remember the importance of eating foods rich in antioxidants and with anti-inflammatory effectssuch as avocados, nuts, raisins, seeds, cilantro or ginger.
For their part, some foods to avoid would be the processed foods and sugary drinkswhich should be replaced with foods rich in antioxidants and healthy fats: “processed foods and sugary drinks promote inflammation and brain ‘oxidation’, known scientifically as oxidative stress. In addition to inflaming and ‘oxidizing’ the brain, these foods “They increase insulin resistance, slowing down metabolism and increasing feelings of hunger and cravings for sweet foods.”
Both sugary soft drinks and diet soft drinks should be avoidedaccording to Dr. Mindea: in the first case due to its high sugar content, and in the case of light soft drinks, due to its relationship with the risk of metabolic syndrome and risk of dementia.
Finally, the Alcohol consumption is also harmful to brain healthespecially excessive consumption. As Dr. Mindea recalls, a study published in The Lancet Public Health would have concluded that alcohol use disorders would be “the most important modifiable risk factor for preventing dementia, especially in cases of early dementia”, which would imply that alcohol consumption is the most important modifiable factor if we want to reduce the risk of suffering from dementia.
