Let’s talk…November is Alzheimer (Dementia) awareness month
Let’s talk…November is Alzheimer (Dementia) awareness month
This information on Alzheimer prevention is taken from the Mayo Clinic website. Pre-venting the disease is a step that we can all take today. A recent article in Science Daily Research listed that there is a direct link from unhealthy gut bacteria to brain functions that trigger dementia. Eatingwell.com list key foods to improve gut health overnight: Greek yo-gurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, garlic, onions, artichokes, kefi r, kombucha, tempeh, dragon fruit, mushrooms, soybeans and oats. These foods provide the right balance for tummy troubles while regulating your body functions and keeping your systems running well. There’s no sure way to prevent dementia, but there are steps you can take that might help. More research is needed, but it might be benefi cial to do the following:• Keep your mind active. Spend time reading, solving puzzles and playing word games. • Be physically and socially active. Physical exercise of 150 minutes per week and social interaction might delay the onset of dementia and reduce its symptoms. • Quit smoking. Some studies have shown that smoking in middle age and beyond might increase the risk of dementia and blood vessel conditions. • Get enough vitamins. Some research suggests that people with low levels of vitamin D in their blood are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Increase your vitamin D levels with certain foods, supplements and sun exposure. Taking a daily B-complex vitamin and vitamin C also helps.• Manage cardiovascular risk factors. Treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes to lower the risks. Lose weight if you’re 30 pounds overweight.• Treat health conditions. See your doctor for treatment of depression or anxiety.• Maintain a healthy diet. A Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and omega-3 fatty acids, which are commonly found in certain fi sh and nuts. This type of diet plus gut diet foods lowers dementia risk.• Get good-quality sleep. Talk to a health care professional if you snore loudly or have periods where you stop breathing or gasp during sleep.• Treat hearing problems. Early treatment of hearing loss, such as use of hearing aids, might help decrease the risk of memory issues.Everything we eat either positively or negatively effects are health. The foods we choose either heals the body or contributes to disease and organ failure. Now we are learning that certain foods have a positive effect in your brain concerning memory. If Covid did anything positive, it heightened awareness to do more helpful things to keep ourselves healthier. Talk about some of these points with your family and step up to a healthier body and mind. Choose wisely and live longer.
