DVIDS – News – Awareness of Alzheimer’s Disease and the Effects of Diet LTC Brenda D. White, MS, RD, LDN.

I remember as if it were yesterday that as a child I went to my grandparents’ house in the country for a visit. My grandmother used to make these delicious cookies, piping hot links and delicious buttery grits for me on her wood stove. When the meal was ready, she would scream and I would paraphrase, “Where are you as a child? Come in here and eat Brendly.” My grandmother was the only one who added a ‘ly’ to my name. I didn’t mind at all, because I loved her, and she enjoyed watching me eat the whole pan of cookies by myself, and I happily obliged.

The days I spent in my grandmother’s company were the best, but they became shorter and shorter as time passed. My grandfather died suddenly and my Aunt Bessie came to live with her. At first I thought my aunt was there so my grandmother wouldn’t be alone. However, as I continued to visit my grandmother, it became clearer why my aunt was there. I remember my grandmother starting to forget, running away from the house, fighting anyone unlucky enough to cross her path, and constantly picking her right cheek. The name she had especially for me was quickly forgotten. My mother and aunt called my grandmother’s condition “Oldtimer Disease.”

November is Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month; a time to take a moment and reevaluate your daily habits. Does this include exercise and a healthy, healthy intake of nutritious foods? Are your habits important? – YES, extensive research indicates that our daily dietary intake and exercise regimen may be key factors in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease or slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s cognitive decline.

To date, the disease is still considered a disease of the elderly, as only 5 to 8% of the population is diagnosed prematurely each year. The medical terminology for this disease is Alzheimer’s disease. It is a neurological disease characterized by a gradual deterioration of cognitive skills. There is currently no known cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but there are medications that can slow progression and control symptoms, depending on the state/stage of the disease. Importantly, research has been conducted into the effects of nutrition and different types of diets on the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The Mediterranean Diet, the Mediterranean DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) and the Western Diet have been extensively evaluated.

The Mediterranean diet consists primarily of fruits, vegetables, fish, breads, grains, monounsaturated oils (olive oil/canola oil, etc.), legumes, nuts, beans, seeds with moderate amounts of dairy and poultry, limited or limited amounts of red and processed meat, etc. These are foods with high amounts of antioxidants and phytochemicals – natural disease fighters. The concept, in the simplest terms. is that consuming foods associated with the Mediterranean diet can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, protecting brain cells and cognitive functions.

The MIND diet is a combination of the Mediterranean Diet and Dietary Approaches to Stop the Hypertension Diet. It consists mainly of whole grains, plenty of berries and green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans, monounsaturated fats (olive oil), a moderate intake of poultry and a limited or limited intake of red meat. The concept is the same for the MIND diet, in that it can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, thereby helping protect brain cells and cognitive functions.

Both the Mediterranean and MIND diets have neuroprotective factors. They have a high content of potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, moderate protein, etc., with a reduced amount of sodium, saturated fat and simple sugars.

The Western diet consists of those delicious cookies, red hot links and the buttery grits my grandmother made for me as a child. The diet contains an excessive amount of saturated fats, simple sugars, cholesterol, sodium, etc., but is woefully lacking in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids, those wonderful essential fatty acids – 3, 6, and 9. There is also a progressive decrease as the body ages in the intestinal absorption of vitamins and minerals – the natural disease fighters found in the Mediterranean and MIND diets.

Consider making long-term dietary changes such as the Mediterranean or MIND diet, and treat Western diet foods as occasional treats.

References:
1. WHO. Data from Global Health Observatory (GHO): top 10 causes of death. (2017) [last accessed 3 Nov 2023]. http://www.who.int/gho/mortality_burden_disease/causes_death/top_10/en/.
2. Albrahim, T. (2020). The potential role of dietary components in improving brain function in patients with Alzheimer’s disease: a meta-analysis of RCT studies. Neuroscience. 25, 4–17.
3. Solch, RJ, Aigbogun JO, Voyiadjis AG, Talkington GM, Darensbourg RM, Connell, S, Pickett, KM, Perez, SR. (2022). Mediterranean diet, gut microbiota and risk of Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review. Journal of Neurological Sciences., 1-15.
4. Marchand NE, Jensen MK. (2018). The role of dietary and lifestyle factors in maintaining cognitive health. Am J Lifestyle Med;12(4):268–85.
5. Lou IX, Ali K, Chen Q. (2023). Effect of diet in Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review. Front side. Neuroscience 17:1147177.
6. Van den Brink A, Brouwer-Brolsma E, Berendsen A, van de Rest, O. (2019). The Mediterranean Diet Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH and Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diets are associated with less cognitive decline and a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease – A Review. ASN. 1-26:1040.