Dementia refers to a disease related to memory decline that usually results from damaged brain cells. In addition to your memory, dementia also affects your physical movement, communication skills, and social skills.

It can be more than just forgetting where you placed your keys or why you entered a room. Dementia can make it difficult for patients to carry out their daily activities. People with the disease may have difficulty bathing, feeding, or dressing and are easily lost. Although there is currently no known cure for dementia, medications and other lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy diet, can improve, delay, or completely prevent disease.

Although the cause and process of dementia is unknown, some studies have shown that while certain foods with certain nutritional value stimulate memory, others actually increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease, causing serious problems with it. health, which makes it all the more important to limit or remove them from a person's diet.

If you are one of those caregivers who are concerned about what to include and what not to include in your dementia patient's diet, you may want to read on.
Below is a list of foods linked to increasing the chances of developing Alzheimer's disease.

1. Meat high in fat

Meats high in fat are enriched with saturated fat, which is undesirable for health. While small amounts of saturated fat can be healthy, when combined with a balanced diet, consuming more than enough saturated fat can contribute to dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

In a study on "Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Impairment" in May 2006, researchers analyzed the fat intake of 1,449 adults aged 65 to 80, 117 with dementia. While participants consuming considerable amounts of polyunsaturated fats, typically found in nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils, were found to be less at risk for dementia, a higher intake of saturated fat would however be linked to a higher risk of symptoms. associated with the development or worsening of dementia. The state of a person.

To improve fat intake in patients with dementia, a person who suffers from dementia is advised to replace high-fat meats, such as beef, steak, lamb, bacon, sausage and dark meat - poultry meat, along with foods containing low fat meat such as fish or legumes.

2 . Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) can cause plaque build-up in the brain

EFAs also known as glycotoxins, these are proteins that have swirled mainly due to high exposure to sugars.

This usually happens when cooking foods, such as French fries and meat, at high temperatures. These harmful compounds are said to be linked to hypertension and diabetes; however, recent studies have pointed out that EFAs are also linked to dementia. High levels of AGEs can lead to the formation of amyloid plaques in the brain - the most obvious sign of dementia.

A recent study published by a team of researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, recently suggested that compounds known as glycotoxins in overcooked foods may actually increase the risk of dementia, with Alzheimer's disease being the most common type of all. The study is known as "Oral glycotoxins are a modifiable cause of dementia and metabolic syndrome in mice and humans" which was published in the journal known as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

3. Fortified starches

Starches, such as bread, cereals, and pasta, provide glucose (usually the body's main source of food energy).

Whole grain starches, such as oatmeal, brown rice and 100% whole grain bread, provide considerable amounts of vitamins, minerals and fiber, which improves the overall nutritional well-being of the body, digestive function and cardiovascular health.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, since memory loss is one of the main symptoms of people with dementia, they often forget to eat, it often leads to various complications including malnutrition.

Keeping your kitchen stocked with whole grains instead of fortified starches can go a long way in ensuring that your food choices are nutritious and protect against the dietary issues of people with dementia.

4. Added sugar

Although added sugars such as sugar cane, corn syrup, maltose, and sucrose may sound convincing enough to a person with dementia, however, they provide little or no nutritional value to the body, especially the ones. vendors sweet snacks and drinks. The UMMC recommends that people with Alzheimer's disease avoid refined foods, especially sugar, and consume more nutritious and hydrating foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables.

Although occasional sweets are less likely to harm the person with dementia, it is advisable to keep foods and drinks high in added sugars such as jelly, pancake syrup, regular soda, candy, and sugar. desserts commercially prepared at a minimum level.

It is recommended to replace jelly with fruit spread, applesauce or fresh fruit and donuts and pastries with low fat bran muffins. Additionally, an artificial flavor known as diacetyl commonly found in popcorn butter has been linked to dementia. It's not only found in butter, but diacetyl is used in snacks such as baked goods and beer.

Although many companies have limited the use of diacetyl due to the health risks associated with it, its use is still not being phased out. Like other harmful ingredients linked to dementia, diacetyl has been shown to produce an Alzheimer's disease-related protein called amyloid.

What's more, other research suggests that diacetyl disrupts the production of glyoxalase I, a detoxifying protein that prevents amyloids from sticking together.

5. Foods high in sodium

According to doctors, too much salt is harmful to the heart and brain. A simple teaspoon of salt a day would dull the mind and increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease or even worsen symptoms in some cases according to a study in Canada.

The team recorded the physical activity level and salt intake of 1,262 healthy men and women aged 67 to 84 over a three-year period. They also assessed participants' mental health at the start of the study and once a year for the duration of the study, using a battery of tests most commonly used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease.

The results of our study showed that a diet high in sodium, combined with little exercise, was particularly detrimental to cognitive performance in older people, ”said Dr. Alexandra Fiocco of the University of Toronto.

While managing the diet of dementia patients is not fashionable for caregivers because healthy eating is never on the agenda of dementia patients. It is very important to understand the link between a poor diet and dementia. Patients with psychiatric disorders can become delusional and distracted when it comes to their diet.

It is therefore even more important for caregivers to support dementia patients with sufficient care so that they can eat and drink properly.

It is also important that caregivers take into consideration the preferences of the patient which can be very helpful during their treatment. Distractions and noise should be avoided as much as possible during mealtime so that patients can properly focus on their food.

The patient's preferences and eating styles can change, so caregivers need to be flexible when it comes to the person with dementia.

Proper care, good nutrition, and regular exercise can go a long way in preventing and slowing the progression of dementia.