Dementia affects more and more people in Germany. Experts emphasize the importance of nutrition in prevention. In her book, scientist Barbara Plagg explains which foods can reduce this.
Fulda – More and more people in Germany are suffering from dementia. Younger people are also increasingly affected. To date, the neurodegenerative disease is not curable. However, experts agree that there are opportunities to promote brain health and maintain as long as possible.
Lower your risk of dementia with these eight foods
Table of Contents
- Lower your risk of dementia with these eight foods
- Video: Possible first signs of dementia
- These foods should be on the menu several times a week or even daily
- Lower dementia and Alzheimer’s risk through nutrition: protect the brain with twelve foods
- Bad for brain health: consume only a few portions of these foods
On the one hand, it is important to get the large risk factors under control – including high blood pressure and obesity as well as lack of exercise. On the other hand, good social contacts, mental fitness and a general healthy lifestyle are important. According to numerous studies, this is considered central when it comes to preventing diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.
But what makes a healthy lifestyle? In addition to movement and sufficient sleep, nutrition plays a key role. The Mediterranean diet, which is often mentioned in this context, also recommends a scientist and author Dr. Barbara Plagg in her book “Smart to the coffin – healthy brain, strong memory”.
Video: Possible first signs of dementia
A long-term study recently showed that people with Mediterranean eating habits had fewer Alzheimer’s-typical deposits in the brain after their death. In 2015, the so-called mind diet developed from further findings: a diet that aims to promote the health of the brain and heart.
“The more you eat at least like, the better you are protected against dementia and neuron reduction,” writes Plagg, which on Institute for General Medicine and Public Health In Bolzano research, with a view to previous studies on the topic. Building on this, the scientist recommends a total of eight foods that should be on the menu several times a week or even daily.
This should be on the plate against dementia every day:
- At least three portions of whole grain products: For example, whole grain bread, wholemeal noodles, barley, oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, millet, bulgur, amaranth
- At least one portion of vegetables (in addition to green leafy vegetables): For example, carrots, broccoli, paprika, cucumbers, eggplants, asparagus, peas, celery
That should be on the plate every week:
- At least six portions of green leafy vegetables: For example lettuce, Roman salad, lamb’s lettuce, arugula, endivie, spinach, kale, chard
- At least five portions of nuts: For example almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashew nuts, pecans, paranese, pistachios, pine nuts
- At least four meals with beans: For example, black beans, white beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, mung beans, soybeans
- At least two portions of berries: For example blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, currants, cranberrys
- At least two meals with poultry: For example chicken, turkey, duck
- At least one meal with fish: For example salmon, trout, sardines, tuna
Olive oil should mainly be used when cooking and serving salads, emphasizes South Tyrol. She points out: “No olive oil and no lens spread of this world can heal Alzheimer’s or guaranteed to prevent”, but a healthy diet keeps the organic prerequisites for thinking for longer. “So don’t harm a little more radishes on the plate before you can watch them grow from below,” sums up Plagg.
Bad for brain health: consume only a few portions of these foods
If you also take the recommendations about the food that should be on the plate as little as possible, a lot is certainly done: Here, the expert advises less than five portions of pastries and sweets and less than four portions of red meat per week.
Cheese and fried foods should land less than a portion of a weekly on the plate and less than one tablespoon a day.
Smart to the coffin – healthy brain, strong memory
Autorin: Dr. Barbara garments – Doctorate in human biology at the University Hospital in Alzheimer’s Research (2016), currently a scientist at the Institute for General Medicine and Public Health as well as lecturer for prevention and social medicine at the Free University of Bolzano. Freelance author and columnist.
Verlag: Stock Raetia
Appearance date: December 5, 2024
Preis: 24 Euro [D/A] 22 Euro [I]
ISBN: 978-88-7283-933-1
This coincides with other studies that underpin the importance of a healthy diet and warn of the frequent consumption of highly processed food. If a high percentage of daily energy supply is covered by ultra -high -processed foods, this is associated with cognitive degradation in adults, according to Brazilian researchers.
