We’ve all experienced the irritating feeling of walking into a room and forgetting what it is that we’re looking for. Or the embarrassment of forgetting someone’s name, even though they just told you. But imagine forgetting where your own home is, or what your own family members look like.
Every three seconds another person around the world develops dementia. A degenerative brain syndrome that causes memory loss, as well as change in behaviour, mood and personality, dementia is a life changing illness.
It’s thought that there are over 100 different types of dementia, with the most common being Alzheimer’s disease, which is responsible for around 50 – 60% of all dementia cases. Although more common amongst people aged 65 and over, early onset Alzheimer’s can effect those much younger, and in such cases develop at a much quicker and aggressive rate. But what can you do to prevent Alzheimer’s?
Although the most vital organ in the body, the brain weighs around only 2% of our entire body weight, yet it requires up to and sometimes more than 20% of our energy resources. In order to work at it’s best, the brain needs a healthy supply of the right kinds of fats, amino acids, proteins, micronutrients and glucose. It’s important to nourish our brains, as they’re responsibly for the control of our moods, functioning, development and energy, each of which is affected by what we consume.
As a child, did you ever hear the saying, “Eating fish gives you brain power”? Well, whoever told you that wasn’t lying. Good fats Omega 3 and 6, found in fatty fish, nuts and seeds, are linked to the prevention of degenerative brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s. Whereas, foods rich in Trans and Saturated fats, such as those found in your favourite junk food, are known to reduce brain productivity.
Foods rich in antioxidants, such as vitamin E found in red peppers, broccoli and strawberries, have also been found to have a positive affects on the brain, in turn improving cognitive function and decreasing your risk of Alzheimer’s.
As well as protecting our brain, foods can affect our behaviour. Our behaviour is affected by the quantities of proteins and amino acids that we consume, and foods rich in these can affect your sleep, weight and moods. All of which determine our overall health.
Therefore it’s true, metaphorically speaking, “You are what you eat.” Eating a balanced, healthy diet is key to achieving not only a healthy body, but also a healthy brain. Thinking about what you eat now, and how it affects not only your body but also your brain could be the key to decreasing your risk of developing the life-debilitating syndrome that is Alzheimer’s.
At Absolute Health Clinic Chiang Mai, they can help you plan for your future. By helping you to evaluate your diet now, Absolute Health can help you not only improve your brain health and productivity now, but also help you to protect yourself from Alzheimer’s in the future.
Absolute Health Integrative Medicine
8/1 Nimmanhamin Road Soi 7,
Suthep Sub-District
Open 9am-6pm
Tel. 053 223 023 095 626 4522
Email: info@absolute-health.org
Facebook: AbsoluteHealthChiangmai
www.absolute-health.org