Brain Power Diet
I'm reading more about how diet effects the onset of Alzheimer's, and I have to say that Grandma and Grandpa's diet on the farm didn't help Grandma escape the disease any more that if it chased her down and tackled her like a Chicago Bears linebacker (GO BEARS!).
There was always good 'farm food' growing up and if there wasn't meat and potatoes on the table, it wasn't a meal. AND don't forget the gravy. Genetically, Grandpa was from Irish background and Grandma was from German heritage, so that will tell you right there they were hearty eaters.
Maybe that's why I like beer so much.
Here are Grandma's most favorite foods when she could eat solid food: hamburgers, french fries, barbecue and fried chicken. She wasn't much of a milk drinker, but she did like tea, and so did Grandpa.
I enjoy following USA Weekend's weekly Eat Smart tips by Jean Carper. Here are 5 brain food tips (for baby boomers she says but I'm not waiting until I'm 55 before I start paying attention to my diet) she suggests that will help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and preserve brain power as we age:
There was always good 'farm food' growing up and if there wasn't meat and potatoes on the table, it wasn't a meal. AND don't forget the gravy. Genetically, Grandpa was from Irish background and Grandma was from German heritage, so that will tell you right there they were hearty eaters.
Maybe that's why I like beer so much.
Here are Grandma's most favorite foods when she could eat solid food: hamburgers, french fries, barbecue and fried chicken. She wasn't much of a milk drinker, but she did like tea, and so did Grandpa.
I enjoy following USA Weekend's weekly Eat Smart tips by Jean Carper. Here are 5 brain food tips (for baby boomers she says but I'm not waiting until I'm 55 before I start paying attention to my diet) she suggests that will help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and preserve brain power as we age:
- Eat fish. Studies have show that the omega-3 fat in fish such as tuna or salmon may help fight toxic plaque and stimulate communication between the brain cells.
- Get plenty of fruits and vegetables into your system. A daily serving of strawberries, blueberries or spinach helped to prevent AND in some cases reverse brain aging in animals.
- Drink Green Tea. Two cups of the antioxidant-rich drink a day can cut the risk of cognitive impairment by 54%.
- Eat Curry. This could be called the spice of life! One of the ingredients in curry, curcumin, is shown to improve memory in animals and reduce a brain toxin that's linked to Alzheimer's.
- Trim Animal Fat and Calories. A new Swedish study indicates that people who ate more saturated animal fat in midlife doubled their Alzheimer's risk, especially those who are genetically vulnerable.
I'm going to start looking for cookbooks that focus on diets for those who are wanting to prevent Alzheimer's Disease.
posted by H at 12:06 PM
2 Comments:
Holly--My parents were the meat and potatoes types, too! Another good book is "The Food Bible" by Judith Wills. It's a wonderful nutrition resource. Thanks for the post.
Another thing relating to diet in preventing Alzheimer's that I've been told several times: Don't skip meals. Blood sugar issues may be related to the development of Alzheimer's, so its important to not let your blood sugar get too low. At least that's what I've heard.
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