Are Bananas Good For Dementia

Colorful Fruits And Vegetables

The more colorful the produce on your plate, the better the food usually is for your brain, several experts said. One reason is those foods are usually high in flavonoids, natural substances with antioxidant-like properties.

A new study published in the November issue of the journal Neurology, for instance, found that older adults who reported eating or drinking foods with flavonols types of flavonoids found in many fruits and vegetables, as well as wine and tea had slower rates of memory decline.

Researchers looked at nearly 1,000 people ages 60 to 100 living in Chicago retirement communities or senior public housing who did not have dementia, and followed them for about seven years, on average. Each year, participants filled out diet questionnaires and completed cognitive and memory tests. The researchers found that those who consumed the most flavonols had slower rates of cognitive decline than people who ate the least.

Those that consumed the highest level of flavonols an average of seven servings of dark leafy greens per week versus the lowest, had a 32 percent decrease in their rate of cognitive decline, said Dr. Thomas M. Holland, who led the study and researches the chronic diseases of aging at the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging in Chicago.

What Is The Best Fruit For Memory

Berries are antioxidant powerhouses that can protect the brain from oxidative damage, preventing premature aging and memory-impairing dementia. Blueberries are a particularly rich source of anthocyanin and other flavonoids that may improve brain function. Grapes are full of resveratrol, a memory-boosting compound.

Brain Exercises That Boost Memory

The study found that the MIND diet lowered the risk of Alzheimers disease by 53 percent.

Another exciting revelation is that its possible you dont have to follow the diet strictly to enjoy its brain-boosting benefits. Even those who moderately follow the diet may have a 35 percent reduced risk for the disease, the authors noted. Still, following it closely has an upside: Its comparable to being 7.5 years younger cognitively than people who dont follow the diet diligently, according to a 2015 study.

In addition to reducing the risk of Alzheimers disease, the MIND diet may also reduce the risk of Parkinsons disease. A 2018 studyfound this way of eating cut the risk and delayed the progression of the disease among older people.

A 2022 study looked at diet data of more than 8,000 people covering over 20 years and also found an association between high adherence to the MIND diet and a decreased risk of dementia. However, in some cases, the association weakened in the later years of the study.

The researchers concluded that this may be in part due to reverse causality, meaning that the onset of dementia is actually causing poor adherence to the MIND diet rather than close adherence to the diet preventing dementia. Dietary habits can deteriorate as dementia progresses, the researchers said, and they called for more studies to better understand the MIND diets effect on dementia risk.

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Eat Small All Day Long

Contrary to what we believe, we do not need 3 main meals a day. Research shows that there is no major differences between 3 regular meals a day, 2 large meals a day or 5 little ones. In fact 5 little meals can help to regulate steady blood pressure which is an added bonus.

If you can only get your parent to eat small amounts, thats not a problem as long as this is at regular periods throughout the day. Its all about finding what works best for you.

Eating smaller portions can also benefit people living with dementia who have difficulty swallowing. Difficulty swallowing is a symptom of some types of dementia, including Alzheimers and Lewy Body Dementia.

Fruits In Neurodegenerative Prevention/management

The brain is especially a centrally significant organ of the nervous system which requires a healthy diet, with fruits potentially offering a wide range of rich nutrient supplies . Fruits represent a major dietary component across Western and Asian demographics. They have been reported to have positive synergy with and relation to chronic disease management . Examples of these common fruits include Malus domestica, Persea americana, Musa sinensis, Citrus limon, Musa paradisiaca, Pyrus communis, Citrus sinensis, Fragaria ananassa, and Ananas comosus .

Commonly consumed fruits with bioactive capacities including Banana and Plantain.

Date palm fruits have been reported in studies for their potential biological capacity in nephroprotective, hepatoprotective, and anticancer activity . Recently, the inhibitory effect of avocado juice against trypsin aggregation has been reported: a formation process associated with several neurological diseases . Similarly, other reports identified the beneficial role of berries with regards to the obstruction of the central nervous system and cognitive deficit . The cactus pear fruit has also been reported to have the biological capacity to modulate neuron excitation in a distributive manner across sectors of the brain .

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Arrange The Food On The Plate

You may need to experiment with different sizes, textures and flavours of food to see which the person responds to the best. Here are some tips to help you change things up:

• Add variety in the colour of food different colour vegetables help to really brighten up the plate.
• Try less quantities of food and fewer individual items on the plate.
• Think about what types of food they have always enjoyed in the past. Put it on the plate with another food right next to it.
• Cut up the food into small pieces.
• Change the texture of the food potatoes could be mashed, boiled, baked for example.

The Plate Colour Matters

In a study conducted at Boston University, researchers found that patients eating from red plates consumed 25 percent more food than those eating from white plates. This appears to be connected with the way someone living with dementia sees food on a plate. If you cant really see food because its on a white background you are much less likely to eat it.

The use of colour helps to stimulate interest in dementia patents, as often they have trouble distinguishing between colour. If the food is too close to the colour palette of the plate, people with dementia can struggle to distinguish the contrast between the two and realise there is food to be eaten.

A company called Eatwell Tableware have a fantastic selection of innovative tablewear designed for those with dementia or motor impairment.

Peace of mind without the constant check-ups

Home monitoring, like StackCare, provides families that reassurance that a loved one is okay without any intrusion. With smart sensors family members can check-up through their phone that they have woken and gotten up at a normal time, had their morning coffee and not been asleep on the sofa for too long. StackCare can even help spot UTIs long before they create too many problems

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Can You Smell Peanut Butter If You Have Alzheimers

The second research team found no difference in the ability of 15 patients with Alzheimers to smell peanut butter in their left versus their right nostrils. This highlights the scientific importance of studies being repeated and refined by other researchers in different patient populations, says Dr. Wint.

What Foods Heal The Brain

What is the best food for recovery from brain damage? Dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is the best food for TBI recovery because it contains high levels of both magnesium and antioxidants, two essential nutrients for a healthy brain. fatty fish. flaxseed oil. thick, leafy vegetables. walnut and pumpkin seeds. berries. eggs meat.

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Try Some Of These Best Foods For Dementia Patients To Eat

There are lots of fads and daily news on the latest food to help slow down dementia. Advice from the Alzheimers Society and other expert dementia organisations is clear: there are foods that can help reduce some of the symptoms, but mostly its common sense. A healthy balanced diet with treats in moderation of course. Some suggestions include:

Are Bananas Good For You

Bananas are incredibly healthy, convenient, delicious, and one of the cheapest fresh fruits you can buy. This is a great choice for anyone interested in a healthy diet. Although native to Southeast Asia, they grow ubiquitously in many warm climates and are available worldwide. 11 Evidence-based Health Benefits of Bananas www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-bana Search: Are Bananas Good for You?

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What Is The Best Alzheimers Diet

Agrowing body of evidence suggests that a Mediterranean diet may protect against cognitive decline and dementia. To date, several studies have shown that individual nutrient characteristics of the Mediterranean diet reduce oxidative stress biomarkers and positively affect cognition, says Reyzan Shali, MD, a primary care physician board-certified in internal medicine practicing in San Diego, California.

A typical aging brain displays signs of cell atrophy, which are most likely related to three main mechanisms: a decrease in cerebral blood flow and oxygen supply, mitochondrial dysfunction , and increased inflammation, Dr. Shali explains. The Mediterranean diet works on all three of these mechanisms. To prevent cell atrophy in your brain, consider including Mediterranean diet foods into your routine, she says.

The Mediterranean diet limits red meat, eggs, and sugar, and focuses on the following:

The MIND Diet, a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, also seems to be beneficial, says Morey. Like the Mediterranean diet, the MIND diet focuses on plant-based foods linked to dementia prevention and incorporates elements of the DASH diet . The DASH diet helps to lower high blood pressure, which is a known risk factor for Alzheimers disease. The MIND diet encourages eating recommended servings of these 10 healthy food groups each week:

Which Foods Boost Brain Function

Did you know dark-skinned fruits and vegetables like blueberries, raspberries, cherries, kale, spinach, and beets all contain high levels of antioxidants to help protect brain cells? You can also add extra flaxseed, coconut oil, and chia seeds to your diet for additional fiber and healthy fat intake. There have also been some rumors that coconut oil has been known to prevent dementia and improve memory.

Ultimately, smoothies are packed with nutrition when using healthy ingredients and can complement an aging adults diet, especially when they dont have the appetite but need to eat. Here are some wonderful smoothie recipes below you may want to experiment with until you come up with your own personal favorite.

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Whats Good For Your Heart Is Good For Your Brain

Dr. Marc Agronin, Alzheimers researcher and author of The Dementia Caregiver, explained that a basic rule of thumb is that whats good for your heart is good for your brain.

What we eat over our lifetime has a dramatic impact on our health and risk for many diseases, including dementia, said Agronin.

He said a diet weighted toward healthy foods can help. These foods include:

• olive and nut oils
• whole grains and legumes
• less highly processed sugars and red meats

Eating healthy is essential for controlling weight, glucose, and cholesterol levels which are key risk factors for both cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health.

According to Lonsdorf, Research on overall diet is still in early stages, however, the following are associated with lower risk: Mediterranean diet, DASH diet , the MIND diet , and the Anti-inflammatory diet.

What Is The Mind Diet Plan And How Does It Incorporate The Dash And Mediterranean Diets

MIND is a hybrid of the Mediterranean diet and DASH diet, and research suggests it may reduce the risk of developing dementia or slow the decline in brain health, says Becky Kerkenbush, RD, a clinical dietitian with Watertown Regional Medical Center in Wisconsin.

In a study from 2015, the nutritional epidemiologist Martha Clare Morris, ScD, and her colleagues at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago referenced past studies on the dietary connection between food and cognitive decline, and then borrowed concepts from the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet two plant-based diets to develop a meal plan with brain-boosting benefits. Thus the MIND diet was born.

Although there are similarities among all three diets, the MIND diet is the only one that encourages the consumption of foods that have been found to promote cognitive health.

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The Foods That May Lower Dementia Risk

Blueberries, strawberries and red wine were among the foods tied to a lower risk of dementia.

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By Nicholas Bakalar

Eating foods high in flavonoids a group of nutrients found in many fruits and vegetables may lower your risk for dementia, researchers report.

The study, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked at 2,801 men and women who were 50 and older and free of dementia at the start. Over an average of 20 years of follow-up, researchers gathered diet information at five periodic health examinations during that time, 193 of the participants developed Alzheimers disease or other forms of dementia.

Compared with those in the 15th percentile or lower for flavonoid intake, those in the 60th or higher had a 42 to 68 percent lower risk for dementia, depending on the type of flavonoid consumed.

Intake of one type of flavonoid, anthocyanins, abundant in blueberries, strawberries and red wine, had the strongest association with lowered risk. Apples, pears, oranges, bananas and tea also contributed.

The study controlled for many health and behavioral characteristics, including how strongly participants adhered to the governments Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which in addition to fruits and vegetables emphasize whole grains, lean meats and other heart-healthy foods.

How Do Bananas Affect Weight Loss

No study has investigated the effects of bananas on weight loss.

However, one study of obese, diabetic people investigated how unripe banana starch affected body weight and insulin sensitivity.

They found that taking 24 grams of banana starch each day for 4 weeks caused weight loss of 2.6 lbs , while also improving insulin sensitivity .

Other studies have also linked fruit consumption to weight loss. Fruit is high in fiber, and high fiber intake has been associated with lower body weight (

22 ).

It may contribute to weight loss by increasing fullness and reducing appetite, thus helping people eat fewer calories .

Although no studies have shown that bananas per se cause weight loss, they have several properties that should make them a weight loss friendly food.

That being said, bananas are not a good food for low-carb diets. A medium-sized banana contains 27 grams of carbs.

Bottom Line:

The fiber content of bananas may promote weight loss by increasing the feeling of fullness and reducing appetite. However, the high carb content of bananas makes them unsuitable for low-carb diets.

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Are Bananas Good For Seniors With Depression

In addition, bananas are usually well tolerated by older people who may have no appetite if they live with emotional health problems. By interacting, exercising, and spending time outdoors, you can also improve the mood of your loved ones and relieve depression. Healthy Reasons for Elderly People Eating Bananas www.homecareassistancedesmoines.com/banana-benefi Search: Are Bananas Suitable for Elderly People with Depression?

Listen To This Article

Walnuts can improve cognitive function. Blueberries can boost memory. Fish oil supplements can lower your risk of Alzheimers disease.

You may have noticed these buzzy brain food claims scattered across online health articles and social media feeds. But can certain foods or diets really stave off or prevent dementia?

Experts say that while nutrition studies are notoriously challenging to carry out, there is a compelling and ever-growing body of research that does suggest that some foods and diets may offer real benefits to an aging brain. So we spoke with two dozen researchers and pored over the research to better understand the links between diet and dementia.

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Why Are Vitamins B6 B12 & Folic Acid Important

When your body is deficient in vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid, you produce homocysteine. This is a toxic acid that can lead to health problems if levels are high.

Studies have suggested that Alzheimers is linked to high levels of homocysteine in the body. Plus, your body needs B12 to form new neurotransmitters, which are essential to regular brain function.

Risk Factors For Dementia & Alzheimers

Scientists know that genetics, environment, and lifestyle affect your risk of developing Alzheimers disease and dementia.

Alzheimers and dementia risk factors include:

• Age: As you get older, youre at greater risk of developing dementia and Alzheimers.
• Genetics: If you have a family member with dementia, you are more likely to have dementia, too. Additionally, having certain versions of genes, like apolipoprotein E 4 , increases your risk of developing Alzheimers.
• Education: People with less education have a higher chance of getting Alzheimers.
• High risk for cardiovascular disease: The same factors that affect your heart health, such as high blood pressure and heart disease, also increase your Alzheimers risk.
• Head trauma: Youre more likely to develop Alzheimers if you suffer a head injury that makes you lose consciousness.
• Alcohol abuse: Patients with alcohol-use disorder are more likely to have impaired cognition and develop Alzheimers disease.
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