Alzheimer's is eating out? Reminder: 3 dietary habits increase the risk of dementia, correct it in time

Like many of the patient's family members, Ms Li only realized her mother was ill after discovering that "something was wrong". Like many patients, when Li's mother was diagnosed, she had already missed the best intervention period...

1. Self-reported by family members: 72-year-old mother was repeatedly forgetful and diagnosed with Alzheimer's

My mother is 72 years old this year, and she is still in good health. She is usually in charge of grocery shopping and cooking at home. In her spare time, she will gather with her old girlfriends.

One morning, when I was going to go to work, my mother asked me what I wanted to eat at night. I said I wanted to eat braised pork ribs, and she smiled and said she would cook it for me at night. When I got home from work that day, I found that there was no sign of braised pork ribs on the dinner table. I asked my mother why she didn't make it, but she said that it was not the case at all .

After dinner, I opened the refrigerator to get the fruit, and found a box of spare ribs in the refrigerator, so I asked my mother, "You already bought spare ribs, why didn't you make them for me?" My mother was puzzled, saying that she had never bought spare ribs, and she asked yes I didn't buy it.

At that time, I was a little angry, and I was too tired from work during the day, so I went back to my room to rest and didn't continue to chat with my mother .

The next morning, I woke up and found that my mother was not at home. When I was about to go out, I saw my mother was sweating profusely and walked in with a vegetable basket. The mother excitedly took out a spare ribs and said to make me braised spare ribs at night.

I felt very strange: "Mom, there are already spare ribs in the refrigerator, why did you buy another copy?" My mother didn't believe it. She opened the refrigerator and asked in surprise, "When did you buy it, why didn't you tell me?"

That's when I finally realized something was wrong with my mother , and took time off work to send her to the hospital.

After the examination, the doctor said that the mother suffered from Alzheimer's disease, which is Alzheimer's disease, and the disease had progressed to the middle stage, missing the best time for intervention . When I heard the doctor's diagnosis, my hands trembled, my mind went blank, and I almost cried. Then the doctor prescribed medicine and told me to let my mother take the medicine on time, to spend more time with her, and never leave her at home alone.

Stories like this happen in millions of families. In China, the prevalence of dementia among the elderly is about 8% to 10%, and there are at least 15 million dementia patients, involving tens of millions of families.

2. Is Alzheimer's caused by eating? 3 habits to change

At present, the etiology of Alzheimer's disease is not yet clear, but it is generally believed to be related to brain degenerative diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, genetics, hypertension, diabetes and other factors. Relevant studies have found that there is also a certain relationship between Alzheimer's disease and diet, especially the following three bad eating habits, which may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

1, like to eat foods rich in heavy metals

Numerous studies have pointed out that heavy metals such as lead, aluminum and mercury can poison brain cells, and the higher the exposure, the higher the incidence of mental decline and dementia. Foods with high levels of heavy metals such as lead, aluminum, mercury, and copper in the daily diet are contaminated fish and shellfish.

2, like to eat salty

A study by the world-class journal "Cell Reports" shows that eating too much salt for a long time can lead to vasopressor, overactive neurons, excessive brain hypoxia, tissue damage, and increased risk of dementia. Long-term high-salt diet not only induces high blood pressure, but also increases the risk of diseases in brain regions such as depression, neurodegenerative diseases (such as cerebral ischemia, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease).

3. Like to drink

Research in the medical journal "Molecular Neurobiology" revealed that frequent and heavy drinking can lead to abnormal phosphorylation of tau protein, loss of its normal biological function, and then accelerate the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease and make the symptoms more severe.

3. Seize the golden opportunity for treatment

Due to insufficient awareness of the disease, many patients miss the golden opportunity for early diagnosis and treatment. Early Alzheimer's disease mainly has the following manifestations:

Poor memory : recent memory loss, unable to remember what happened in front of you;

Decreased language function : language function declines, unable to call acquaintances' names, unable to pronounce previously known words, and words that do not convey meaning when speaking;

Hearing loss : Some patients have hearing loss, which is easily ignored;

· Mood swings : The patient has anxiety, mood swings, and even loses his temper suddenly;

Four, 5 kinds of nutrients are beneficial to the brain, eat more appropriately

Dr. Brennan, an American health care expert, suggested that diet affects general health, especially the brain, and certain foods and nutrients help keep the brain healthy. E.g:

1. B vitamins

B vitamins such as folic acid and vitamin B12 are involved in the synthesis of brain chemicals, as well as in energy conversion. A lack of B vitamins can lead to nerve damage, forgetfulness, depression, learning difficulties and confusion. Common foods rich in B vitamins are milk, animal liver, grains and beans .

2. Vitamin E

Vitamin E can reduce the natural destruction of brain cells in the body. If the body lacks vitamin E, it may lead to muscle weakness, poor stability and coordination, sensory nerve damage, etc. Lean meat, spinach, cabbage, kiwi, almonds, corn oil and other foods contain more vitamin E.

3. Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are important for brain development. They are the building blocks of brain cells and assist in the functioning of the nervous system. Lack of omega-3 fatty acids may cause memory, concentration and learning ability decline. In addition to seafood such as salmon and sardines, foods such as cauliflower, tofu, and flaxseed are not low in Omega-3 fatty acids.

4. Antioxidants

Antioxidants help protect brain cells and also help improve memory loss and inflammation. Some fruits and vegetables contain more antioxidants, such as tomatoes, grapes, cauliflower, blueberries and so on.

5. Choline

Choline protects nerves and makes brain chemicals, and if choline is insufficient, it can trigger memory-related problems. The human liver can produce choline, but not enough to meet the needs, so it must be obtained from food. Choline-rich foods include eggs, milk, beef, mushrooms, peanuts, and cruciferous vegetables .

If the elderly in the family have related symptoms, they can take them to the hospital for examination. Through early intervention and avoiding risk factors, the onset and progression of Alzheimer's can be delayed.

References:

[1]What to Know About Foods for Brain Health，WebMD，Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD on March 29, 2021

[2] Are you a high-risk group of Alzheimer's? Do these 8 things and hit the pause button! .Health Times, 2021-09-21

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