Alzheimers and Nutrition  What You Deserve to Know

There have been many studies recently linking Alzheimers and nutrition. More and more, the evidence overwhelmingly indicates that proper nutrition is essential to maintaining a healthy brain: it plays a major role in cognition, memory, and various neurological disorders  including Alzheimers disease.

Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D., President and Medical Director of the Alzheimers Research and Prevention Foundation, is a strong proponent of the link between Alzheimers and nutrition. He has found that a proper diet is one of the main keys to Alzheimers prevention.

According to Dr. Khalsa, a proper diet should consist of the following:

1. 20% good fat, such as extra virgin olive oil, avocado, and flax seed oil 2. 40% lean protein, such as fish, chicken, turkey, and soy 3. 40% complex carbohydrates, such as fresh vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and fresh fruits 4. Super foods for the brain, such as blueberries, spinach, and seaweed

Furthermore, it is important to avoid a diet high in trans-fat and saturated fat, since these fats produce free radicals in your body. High quantities of free radicals have been known to damage and even kill brain cells.

Omega-3 fatty acids, found primarily in fish, have been shown to drastically decrease your risk of developing Alzheimers disease. In fact, simply eating one fish meal per week can result in a 60% reduction in your risk of developing Alzheimers.

Dr. Khalsa also recommends that everyone should take a high potency multiple vitamin containing vitamin C and folic acid.

Get Your Antioxidants

A diet rich in antioxidants is also important. It has been found to drastically lower your risk of developing Alzheimers disease.

Antioxidants eliminate free radicals from your body. Your body naturally produces free radicals as a by-product of normal cell functioning. However, when produced in large quantities, free radicals can cause such debilitating diseases as cancer, Parkinsons disease, and Alzheimers.

Vitamins C and E are both an excellent source of antioxidants. Vitamin E is fat soluble, and can be found in vegetable and nut oils, spinach, and whole grain products. Vitamin C is water soluble, and can be found in citrus fruits, tomatoes, spinach, and red peppers.

These vitamins more effectively help prevent Alzheimers when obtained from actual foods instead of from supplements. Research shows that when taken together, vitamins C and E can reduce your risk of Alzheimers disease by 20%.

Diets that are low in fat and cholesterol and high in fiber will also help prevent Alzheimers by reducing oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can cause an increase in the production of free radicals in your body.

High fat and cholesterol diets impair learning and memory performance. Plus, diets high in fat and cholesterol have been shown to triple your risk of developing Alzheimers disease.

A diet rich in niacin will help prevent the onset of Alzheimers. However, research indicates that it is more beneficial to receive niacin from foods than from supplements. Niacin-rich foods include lean meat, fish, poultry, peanuts, omega-E-enriched eggs, whole grain products, beans and peas, avocados, dates, figs, and prunes.

Supplements to Know About

Ginkgo biloba extract is an excellent antioxidant and works well to improve cognitive performance.

The following supplements have also proven very effective in improving cognitive functioning and memory: alpha GFC (alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine), N-acetyl-L-carnitine, lipoic acid, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and phosphatidylserine.

Medical researchers are still hard at work trying to determine the exact cause of Alzheimers disease. But one thing has already been determined with certainty: there is a strong link between Alzheimers and nutrition.

The mission of the non-profit Alzheimers Research and Prevention Foundation is to help you prevent the development of Alzheimers. Paying careful attention to your diet is one important way you can drastically reduce your risk for this debilitating disease.

About The Author For more free suggestions and advice on prevention, treatment and help coping with Alzheimers disease, please visit the Alzheimers Research & Prevention Foundation at http://www.alzheimersprevention.org