What does the research say to do to avoid dementia and Alzheimers?

Ω

A reader of my Health News Reports has asked:

Other than physical exercise and moderate drinking, what else is there to do to avoid dementia and Alzheimers?

Here are the relevant research reports:

Eating foods rich in vitamin E associated with lower dementia risk

High blood levels of vitamin E reduces risk of Alzheimer's

Vitamin D Promotes Mental Agility in Elders

Abdominal fat at middle age associated with greater risk of dementia

Caffeine may slow Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, restore cognitive function

Magnesium Helps You Remember - But Not Supplements

Dr. Slutsky advises people to get their magnesium the old-fashioned way — by eating lots of green leaves, broccoli, almonds, cashews and fruit. The effects on memory won't appear overnight, she cautions, but with this persistent change in diet, memory should improve, and the effects of dementia and other cognitive impairment diseases related to aging may be considerably delayed.

High fruit/vegetable = high cognitive performance

Results published in the August issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease indicated higher cognitive performance in individuals with high daily intake of fruits and vegetables.

Mediterranean Diet = Slower Cognitive Decline

Higher adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet is linked to lower risk for mortality and chronic diseases. In an examination of the association between adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet and cognitive performance and risk of dementia, researchers found that high adherence to the diet was associated with slower decline in some measures of cognitive function.

Mediterranean diet, exercise fight Alzheimer disease

Elderly individuals who had a diet that included higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereal and fish and was low in red meat and poultry and who were physically active had an associated lower risk of Alzheimer disease.

Methionine could increase risk of Alzheimer’s

A diet rich in methionine, an amino acid typically found in red meats, fish, beans, eggs, garlic, lentils, onions, yogurt and seeds, can possibly increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study by Temple researchers.

Still, Praticò emphasized, methionine is an essential amino acid for the human body and “stopping one’s intake of methionine won’t prevent Alzheimer’s. But people who have a diet high in red meat, for instance, could be more at risk because they are more likely to develop this high level of circulating homocysteine,” he said.

Other possible help; Green tea, dark chocolate, grapes, apple juice (references upon request.)