Diet Mistake Sends Dementia Risk SOARING

Researchers estimate that 78 million will develop dementia by 2030.

With numbers like that, it could seem almost inevitable that your luck will eventually run out … or that it’s, at the very least, a toss of the dice.

But a growing body of research shows that you DO have a say in how your brain ages.

Here’s what you need to know to lower your risk…

A recent study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease highlighted the role that diet plays in either reducing—or increasing—your dementia risk.

Researchers compared folks eating a typical Western diet, high in processed foods and sugar, to those who eat more whole foods like the traditional Mediterranean, Japanese, or Chinese diets.

The groups eating whole foods had a significantly reduced Alzheimer’s risk.

These traditional whole foods diets share a couple of features.

• They’re low in processed foods and sugar.
• They are rich in fruits, vegetables, and grains.
• And they contain a modest amount of meat.

The study identified specific components of the Western diet as dementia risk factors, including ultra-processed foods, sugar, and refined grains.

These foods are harmful because they increase common dementia risk factors, including inflammation, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs).

Ultra-processed foods ALSO send your risk of obesity and diabetes soaring, which increases dementia risk.

But they’re also harmful because of what they don’t contain. And that, of course, is the essential nutrients and antioxidants that protect against neurodegeneration.

Specific foods shown to SHIELD against dementia include green leafy vegetables, colorful fruit and veggies, legumes, nuts, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Remember, everything you put in your mouth is a choice that either lowers or raises your dementia risk.

You don’t have to be perfect, of course. None of us are. But your goal should be to include more GOOD choices than BAD ones.

P.S. Discover the 5 BEST foods for fueling your brain!

SOURCE:

“Diet’s Role in Modifying Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease: History and Present Understanding,” Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, vol. 96, no. 4, pp. 1353-1382, 2023, DOI: 10.3233/JAD-230418