Based on the results of recent studies, doctors and researchers believe that Alzheimer's disease - a type of dementia that is unfortunately very common and still incurable - can be prevented in various ways.
Adopting a healthy diet is one of them.
In fact, it has been shown that eating healthy foods slows the deterioration of brain neurons and has beneficial effects on brain health.
Going into more detail, the good behaviors to follow at the table, which reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, are:
- Stick to a Mediterranean diet . This means that fruits, vegetables, olive oil, whole grains, various types of legumes and occasional glasses of red wine become the main foods to eat daily.
- Avoid foods containing saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids . It means avoiding red meat, fried foods, fast food and packaged and long-life foods.
- Adopt a diet that is beneficial for the heart . It has been shown that people with a healthy heart are less at risk of getting Alzheimer's. The limited use of table salt is good for the heart, not overeating (even if occasionally) and getting the right caloric intake.
- Increase omega-3 intake . The omega-3 fatty acids, contained in abundant quantities in some fish (salmon, anchovies, tuna, etc.) and in nuts, slow down the cognitive deterioration, a typical condition of advanced age and which usually precedes many forms of dementia (Alzheimer in particular) .
- Divide the three classic one-day meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) into 4-5 daily meals . This helps to keep blood levels (ie in the blood) of glucose better under control; levels that increase especially after carbohydrate-containing meals.
- "Consume a rainbow of foods" . It is a metaphor that indicates the importance of consuming a wide variety of foods rich in antioxidants. The latter are, for example, the anthocyanins of wild berries, the lycopene of tomatoes, the carotenoids of carrots or the chlorophyll of green leafy vegetables.
- Drink tea or coffee . Several researches have revealed that caffeine and other substances contained in tea and coffee slow cognitive deterioration and the appearance of dementia.
In order to have a protective effect against Alzheimer's, these drinks should be taken at least 3 times a day (NB: some health conditions do not go well with hiring tea or coffee of this magnitude).
