Feed Your Brain: How Proper Nutrition Can Help Prevent Dementia
Dementia is a condition characterised by progressive or persistent decrease in cognitive function, including, but not limited to, memory, critical thinking and personality traits. Currently there are over 400,000 people living with dementia in Australia, this is the equivalent to 15 in every 1,000 Australians, increasing to 84 in every 1,000 Australians over the age of 65. Often those that are diagnosed with dementia will experience the symptoms as young as in their 20’s.
It is a common misconception that dementia is a hereditary disease which is inevitable to those that carry the genes. Yes there is certainly a hereditary precursor to developing dementia, however evidence indicates that there are seven main lifestyle factors that impact a person’s risk of developing, treating and even reversing dementia.
Nutrition - restricted carbohydrate intake, increase dietary fat (ketogenic diet)
Exercise - decrease sedentary behavior, exercise for 30 minutes daily
Sleep - ensuring 7-8hrs per night of good quality sleep
Stress - find ways to reduce stress through mindfulness and meditation
Brain stimulation - listening to music, dancing and doing daily brain teasers
Detox - avoid chemicals in household and food products, maintain good oral hygiene
Supplementation - avoid nutrient deficiencies through adequate nutrition and lifestyle choices
The biggest change to how we view and treat dementia stems from the dietary changes everyone has the ability to make. The most recently tried and tested dietary change is moving away from the traditional “healthy eating” and adopting a more ketogenic style diet. The ketogenic diet is in fact a therapeutic diet and was originally developed to successfully treat children with epilepsy due to changing how the brain gets energy to function.
Similarly to epilepsy, dementia and Alzhiemers disease are likely the result of the brain not being able to access fuel and therefore parts of the brain begin to deteriorate. A ketogenic diet changes the fuel source of our body and brain, moving away from using glucose to using fatty acids. These fatty acids have the ability to yield neuroprotective ketone bodies. Ketone bodies are now believed to promote cognitive health through decreasing inflammation and improving the brain’s uptake of fuel, helping to keep the brain alive and healthy.
So how do you put this science into action, or on our plate?! It is really just a matter of making small changes to our day. For example, if you are a cereal person, try changing it up and having a cooked breakfast like bacon and eggs with some avocado. At lunch, swap the bread in your sandwich to a salad loaded with nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil and some good quality protein. Dinner is simple, swap the starchy part of your meal for more non starchy vegetables or better yet, increase your serving of meat, fish, chicken or tofu!
If you have a family history of dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease, please get in touch today so we can formulate the right diet for you! The earlier the intervention, the better your chance of preventing, managing or yes, even reversing your dementia risk!