When you or a loved one are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, you may feel defeated, as if this is one uphill battle that can’t be won. However, recent science has shown that there is a multitude of ways that one can fend off the progression of this neurological disease. For one, the food you put into your body and the amount of exercise you receive can play a role in slowing down this degenerative brain disorder.
Based on anecdotal evidence, you could even see an uptick in your overall health through the consumption of certain vitamins and minerals. So before you throw in the towel and submit to this life-altering disease, take a look at how improving your health can help you combat Alzheimer’s, particularly in regards to vitamins and other supplements.
Now, the first place to start with improving health is by taking a look at what you put into your body. For instance, changes in the brain caused by Alzheimer’s can precede even the earliest symptoms. By taking a look at what we eat even before symptoms are noticeable, you can possibly prevent or at least reduce your likelihood of developing the disease in the first place.
This is especially important for individuals with a familial history of Alzheimer’s. An example of this can be seen with foods that cause inflammation and oxidative stress, or cell damage, in the body. Both of these are precursors for Alzheimer’s, so it’s important to monitor any foods that have been linked to inflammation and monitor your intake of these sorts of foods.
Inflammation from foods like alcohol, vegetable oils, refined carbs, and even tomatoes is caused by “free radicals” which are highly unstable molecules that can damage brain cells as well as other parts of the body. By decreasing the number of foods in your diet that contain these molecules, you reduce the likelihood that you’ll be damaging your body’s cells.
One way to improve your diet to avoid these negative effects is to consume foods that are high in antioxidants. Antioxidants have been shown to reverse the effects of oxidative stress in labs, and they are readily available in plant-based diets. As a result, it’s important to ensure that you get an appropriate amount of vitamins C and E through fruits and vegetables in order to increase the antioxidants in your diet.
A few foods that are naturally high in antioxidants include dark chocolate, blueberries, pecans, beans, and spinach. If you’re interested in drinking your antioxidants, green tea is a health drink that has the highest level of antioxidants of any tea. You can also supplement your diet with antioxidant-rich supplements, like beta-carotene and resveratrol.
Because these two supplements are so popular, they’re often offered in a combination pill from supplement manufacturers, making it even easier to increase the antioxidants you consume each day. You can buy supplements and vitamins in a variety of forms, from powders to capsules, allowing you to take these nutrients in the way most convenient for your diet, preference, and schedule.
If you want to complement your Alzheimer’s medication or are interested in staving off the disease, nutrition is an important place to start. Different vitamins and supplements can all play a role in how your body equips itself to fight various diseases, and Alzheimer’s is no different. It’s important to consider ways that you can reduce the number of free radicals in your body as well as increase immunity-boosting properties in your body with antioxidant-rich foods and supplements if you want to have a stronger chance against Alzheimer’s.
Since the disease affects a wide range of Americans in the United States, it wouldn’t hurt to talk to your doctor today about which supplements and vitamins are worth introducing to your diet. The results could keep you from facing memory problems later in life.
