Tom Seaver, one of the 69 Mets recent diagnoses of dementia brought back many memories of growing up around my families’ dinner table. However it also made me think how food may play a part in preventing or slowing down the process. Seaver, at least in two of my brothers eyes was the face of the Mets. I come from a large family with 4 brothers and 2 sisters. My brothers are avid baseball fans. A house divided by 2 brothers loving the Mets and the other 2 being Yankee fans. It certainly made for very interesting dinner conversations and sometimes it got real hot in our kitchen and usually it had to do with baseball not the oven temperature. Having that said, I feel like I grew up with some of the players, including Tom Seaver. Hearing his diagnoses of dementia made me sad but also made me realize this topic deserves to be covered in the nutrition column. I believe that people should start including certain foods into their diet to help with slowing down the progress of dementia or Alzheimer’s.
What is dementia? According to Dr. Gaba, author of the Nutritional Medicine dementia is characterized by impairment of cognitive function that is severe enough to interfere with normal activities. Some patients may have loss of memory, become more forgetful, and sometimes changes in personality and mood. There are different causes of dementia like in Seavers case it may have been associated with neurological lymes. Dementia can also be connected to lifestyle, genetics, aging and diet.
Can diet play a role in preventing or pushing off dementia? According to Dr. Marc Flajolet, Ph.D., Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation at The Rockefeller University there is reason to believe that certain foods would help prevent or slow down the symptoms. Richard Isaacson, who founded and directs the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at Weil Cornell here in New York City, shifted his approach to research from cure to prevention. He has conducted many observational studies concluding that there is a link to dementia and Alzheimer’s with exercise, sleep, cognitive stimulation and especially diet.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition conducted studies that cholesterol and saturated fat do not have an effect on the brain. However, polyunsaturated fats did have play a part on brain. Another researcher from Weil Cornell, Lisa Mosconi and author of Brain Food: The Surprising Science for Eating for Cognitive Power agrees that the one fat that is beneficial to the brain is polyunsaturated fats and that cholesterol and saturated fats have no effect on the brain.
So what foods should we be consuming to prevent or slow down the process of declining cognitive function?
Omega 3 Fatty Acids-According to the Journal Expert Review of Neurtoherapeutics, “epidemiological evidence suggests a possible association between fish consumption and a reduced risk of cognitive decline and dementia. EPA and DHA are two types of fatty acids found in many fish. According to Mosconi DHA is more important for the brain and prevention of dementia.
Here are some sample amounts of DHA found in a 3-ounce serving:
Atlantic Salmon 950 mg
Sockeye salmon 600 mg
Rainbow trout 440 mg
Even a can of white tuna touts 540 mg of DHA
For those who cannot eat fish taking a supplement will also have a positive affect.
A plant-based diethas been known to improve heart health but newer studies are showing that it may protect the brain and aid in preventing or slowing dementia and Alzheimer’s. Leafy greens, and colorful vegetables like those that are red and orange ones containing carotenoids help protect the cells from oxidative damage.
Avoiding Sugar– Mosconi recommends staying away from sugar as it creates inflammation in the body and that inflammation has a negative effect on the brain. Whether we are at risk for dementia or not sugar is something everyone should avoid.
Additional Brain Support may include the following:
Get adequate sleep and exercise as both were found in research studies to help in decreasing cognitive function.
Eat no or less processed foods.
Reduce toxic exposure from food, your environment and household chemicals.
Follow a Mediterranean diet for both heart health and brain health.
References:
Hector M, Burton JR. what are the psychiatric manifestations of vitamin B12 deficiency? Journal of American Geriatric Society 1988
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/142214.php