Foods that Help Prevent Alzheimer's

While there is no known cure for Alzheimer's disease, nutritious foods may decrease your risk or delay the process. Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and healthy nutrients are recommended as brain foods to prevent Alzheimer's disease.

History

• According to the Alzheimer's Organization the disease was first described by Alois Alzheimer in 1906. Alzheimer described the disease as a progressive brain disorder. The first patient diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease was Auguste D., a 51-year-old woman. The family allowed Dr. Alzheimer to do an autopsy on Auguste. He discovered that her brain had shrunk, there were fatty deposits on the brain and nerves were destroyed. The cortex area, which affects the ability to speak and cognitive memory, was the largest damaged area.

Identification

• You might forget where you parked your car or where you placed an item in your home. Short-term memory loss is normal. However, when short-term memory loss evolves into long-term memory loss, you may be developing Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia

  According to the Alzheimer's Organization, the earliest onset of Alzheimer's disease is around 65 years of age. Levels of brain dysfunction gradually increase. . Alzheimer's patients lose their sense of the present and often stray from their homes. Patients regress to early years in their lives.

  Many Alzheimer's patients will forget if they've eaten. Others have difficulty feeling full. In advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, patients have to be watched for items they place in their mouths because of age regression and not feeling full.

Significance

• Alzheimer's disease is much more frequent and prevalent than you might realize. According to the Alzheimer's Organization, 5.3 million Americans suffer from this fatal brain disease. Symptoms become severe enough to affect your quality of life, ability to work, ability to care for yourself and eventually lead to virtually complete memory loss.

Vitamin E

• According to the Alzheimer's Organization, scientists believe that vitamin E may delay the process and prevent Alzheimer's progression. While not a cure for Alzheimer's disease, doctors are prescribing large doses of vitamin E to slow the progress of the disease to give patients longer lives.

  Vitamin E is known for its natural abilities to help with nerve damage repair and and is an antioxidant. It protects the nerves from damage that can result from by-products known as free radicals, which contribute to the general aging process and memory loss.

Omega 3 Fatty Acid Foods

• Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids are thought to slow down the deterioration of the brain. Cold water fish that is broiled, boiled or baked and nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Complex whole grains found in rye, barley and oats are also higher in omega-3 fatty acids. Include foods with omega-3 fatty acids in your daily diet. Avoid fried, battered or heavy dairy products, which can counter your body's ability to use the omega-3 fatty acid building blocks.

Fruits and Vegetables

• Eat a large number of fruits and vegetables daily. Nutritionists recommend eating by color. Eat fruits and vegetables that contain different nutritious benefits. For example, eat a banana with breakfast, grapes with lunch or a snack and oranges for dessert at supper. Eat lettuce, carrots and tomatoes on a salad at lunch. Eat beets and corn for your vegetables at supper.

  Starchy vegetables include carrots, potatoes and corn. Vegetables rich in fiber, iron and calcium are the dark green vegetables. Acidic fruits include lemons, grapefruit and oranges. Apples and grapes provide high amounts of fiber. Fruits and vegetables provide a wide range of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants that your brain needs to maintain a healthy function level and to slow Alzheimer's disease progression.