(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of
dementia among the elderly, affecting an estimated 5 million Americans. Unless
some type of cure or prevention is found, that number may increase to 14 million
by 2050, experts say.
A recent study shows modifying your diet may be one way to decrease your chances
of suffering the devastating disease. People who eat a diet consisting of more
salad dressing, nuts, fish, poultry, and certain fruits and vegetables, as well
as fewer high-fat dairy products, red meats, organ meats and butter appear less
likely to develop Alzheimer's.
"Vitamin B-12 and folate are homocysteine-related vitamins that may have an
impact on Alzheimer's disease via their ability of reducing circulating
homocysteine levels, vitamin E might prevent Alzheimer's disease via its strong
antioxidant effect and fatty acids may be related to dementia and cognitive
function through atherosclerosis, thrombosis or inflammation via an effect on
brain development and membrane functioning or via accumulation of beta-amyloid,"
study authors wrote.
Examining the impact of individual food items and nutrients on the risk of
Alzheimer's disease and determining a causal relationship can be difficult
because humans tend to eat meals with complex combinations of nutrients and
foods.
Source: Archives of Neurology, June 2010
