PUBLIC HEALTH Table 1: Foods to choose and foods to limit as part of the MIND Diet Foods to choose
Foods to limit
Wholegrains – at least three servings a day
Limit red meat to less than four times a week
Leafy green vegetables – every day plus at least one other choice of vegetable a day
Butter – less than one tablespoon a day
Berries – at least twice a week
Cheese – less than one serving a week
Nuts – at least five servings a week
Pastries and sweets – limit to less than five times a week
Legumes – every other day
Fried or fast foods – less than one serving a week
Fish – at least once a week Poultry – at least twice a week Olive oil – primary oil in home cooking Wine – no more than 1 x 150ml glass a day6
in foetuses to learning and memory in adults. Brain cells with high levels of omega-3 in their membranes appear to be better at communicating with other cells.10 There is little evidence to suggest that an omega-3 supplement alone has a role in a reduced risk of dementia, rather, the benefits are from eating the fish and consuming other nutrients alongside the omega-3 fats. LIFESTYLE CHANGES
A report in The Lancet in 2017, Dementia prevention, intervention and care, highlighted ‘nine potentially modifiable health and lifestyle factors from different phases of life that, if eliminated, might prevent dementia.’11 These risk factors include physical inactivity, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, smoking and social isolation. It was estimated that a third of dementia cases could be prevented by making lifestyle changes. It is also important to keep your brain healthy and active; a phrase we often hear is “use it, or lose it”. Challenging yourself mentally can help build up the brain’s ability to cope with the disease.12 This might include studying for a new qualification, doing puzzles, Sudoku or crosswords, playing board games, or even completing the NHD CPD eArticles (all found online at www.NHDmag. com). Talking and communicating with other people and staying socially active may also help to reduce your risk of dementia. It is important to remember that whilst dementia risk increases with age, it is not an inevitable part of ageing. 18
www.NHDmag.com June/July 2019 - Issue 145
SUMMARY
A key message from a report published by Alzheimer’s Disease International, states that, ‘there is quite consistent evidence from epidemiological cohort studies that adherence to a Mediterranean diet…may lower the risk of cognitive decline and dementia’.5 Further research is needed to fully understand the preventive role of the Mediterranean diet and the active ingredients to improve cognitive function and reduce the risk of dementia, but a healthy, varied diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, legumes, fish, nuts, seeds and oils, and low in saturated fats, free sugars and processed foods, is generally beneficial. We know it can help prevent vascular diseases, including stroke and heart attacks, which in turn are risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. It has already been said: “What’s good for the heart is good for the brain.” As we have seen, damage to the brain in dementia occurs 15 to 20 years before the onset of clinical symptoms and there is good evidence that healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risk of developing dementia as we age. This is a message that we should all be talking about and actively making changes. Young people may not be thinking about the possibility of dementia in later life, but most likely, many of them will know a loved one living with dementia and the effects of the disease. If there is a chance we could do something about it by making simple lifestyle changes, isn’t it a chance worth taking?
