It is stated that the Mediterranean diet may be effective in slowing down the rate of Alzheimer's disease, one of the most feared diseases today. Experts recommend consuming foods rich in vitamins B, E, C and A such as hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sharp peppers, mint, egg yolks, liver, milk, spinach, carrots, green vegetables, apricots, tomatoes, greens, beef, fish, feta cheese.
Prof. Dr. Oğuz Tanrıdağ, Head of the Department of Neuroscience at Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences and Neurology Specialist at NPISTANBUL Hospital, pointed out that there is no definitive treatment for Alzheimer's disease, but there are some suggestions in scientific circles to slow down the rate of the disease.
Mediterranean diet is recommended
Stating that hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol, which are called vascular risk factors, have been added to the risk factors of Alzheimer's disease in recent years, Tanrıdağ said, "These factors have been shown to accelerate cell death mechanisms in the brain and facilitate the emergence and progression of Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, diets recommended against these risk factors have started to be recommended for Alzheimer's disease. The Mediterranean Diet is at the forefront of these. This diet is a diet based on olive oil, cereals, walnuts, hazelnuts, fruits, vegetables, fish and restriction of red meat."
Is Diet Important in Alzheimer's Disease?
The importance of a healthy diet is an accepted fact for everyone; but unfortunately, a healthy diet has an indirect importance for Alzheimer's disease. The nutritional factors that have been identified so far are either related to vascular health or vitamin deficiency.
Although nutrition has little influence in the case of the disease, certain aspects should still be taken into account, but the diet we will discuss here is more protective.
First of all, it is necessary to eat a diet rich in B1, B6, B9, vitamin E and folate, and to include antioxidant foods in the diet frequently. In the meantime, we should not forget essential fatty acids. The word essential means that they are not present in the body and must be taken from outside, and the source of essential fatty acids (EFA and DHA) is seafood and fish.
Although they are rich in Omega 3s, there are still two caveats to be made regarding the consumption of seafood and fish. These are the risk of heavy metals and the fact that eating raw fish (sushi) increases the risk of vascular dementia. The fact that Japan is the country with the highest incidence of vascular dementia in the world is a warning in this respect.
Vitamin E is an important fat-soluble antioxidant and has important antioxidant functions especially for cell membranes. Vitamin E has been found to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, some cancers and chronic diseases. Vitamin E is important for the function of the nervous system, muscles, endocrine glands such as the pituitary and adrenal glands, and reproductive organs. Vitamin E is one of the most important antioxidants in humans. In cases of dementia, turning to vitamin E sources may be beneficial in this respect. In general, our Mediterranean-Aegean diet fits the above-mentioned dietary pattern.
Vitamin B6-B9-folate is found in spinach, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, B12 in red meat and spiriluna algae and vitamin E in all yellow foods. Other antioxidants include quercetin in apples, onions and green tea, resveratrol in red grapes and wine, epigallocatechin in turmeric, black and green tea, ferulic acid in vegetables, fruits, wheat and eucalyptus.
