Plant Chat: Seanne Safaii Author Of The Alzheimers Prevention Food Guide
Sharon Palmer
Published on
Updated on
Lets give a warm welcome to SeAnne Safaii on my Plant Chat today! SeAnne Safaii, PhD, RDN, LD is an Associate Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Idaho and the author of the newly released book, The Alzheimers Prevention Food Guide. She is a nutrition communications professional, a registered dietitian and educator. SeAnne has been focused on conducting research on aging and diet, specifically as it relates to centenarians from around the world. Her work has been featured in the Food & Nutrition Magazine and Diabetescare.net. She loves sharing nutrition information in the media, writes for three newspapers, makes appearances on local television networks and has a series on the eHow Network. She is a recipient of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Young Dietitian of the Year Award, the Outstanding Dietitian Award, and most recently the University of Idaho Community Outreach and Engagement Award.
An important aspect of SeAnnes life is family: her husband, daughters and sons. Together they lead a very active lifestyle cycling, running, skiing, and just about anything that gets them outdoors. One of her favorite foods is pizza and she hopes to see her 100th birthday! It was so much fun to learn more about SeAnne, as well as her best advice for eating for healthy aging, as we sat down to chat with her.
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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Does The Mediterranean Diet Work
Vegans and vegetariansparticularly those who focus on whole foods like produce, nuts, and beansmay be at a lower risk for obesity than nonvegetarians, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. And when overweight adults were assigned to a standard reduced-calorie weight loss diet or a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, they lost roughly the same amount of weight over the 18 months researchers from the University of Pittsburgh tracked them, according to a 2008 study published in the International Journal of Obesity.
The Mediterranean diet has been shown in studies to produce greater weight loss than low-fat diets. It also may reduce the accumulation of belly fat specifically. Fat stored in the abdomen is more harmful to health than fat stored in the hips or thighs, raising the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
A plant-based diet, however, is still subject to many of the same pitfalls of a meat-containing one. Vegetarian food includes french fries and potato chips and lots of other high-calorie food, says Lawrence Cheskin, M.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center in Baltimore.
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The Mind Diet: 10 Foods That Fight Alzheimer’s
Doctors have been saying for years that what you eat can affect the health of your heart. Now there’s growing evidence that the same is true for your brain.
A new study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago shows a diet plan they developed — appropriately called the MIND diet — may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by as much as 53 percent.
Even those who didn’t stick to the diet perfectly but followed it “moderately well” reduced their risk of Alzheimer’s by about a third.
Diet appears to be just one of “many factors that play into who gets the disease,” said nutritional epidemiologist Martha Clare Morris, PhD, the lead author of the MIND diet study. Genetics and other factors like smoking, exercise and education also play a role. But the MIND diet helped slow the rate of cognitive decline and protect against Alzheimer’s regardless of other risk factors.
The study, published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, looked at more than 900 people between the ages of 58 and 98 who filled out food questionnaires and underwent repeated neurological testing. It found participants whose diets most closely followed the MIND recommendations had a level of cognitive function the equivalent of a person 7.5 years younger.
The MIND diet breaks its recommendations down into 10 “brain healthy food groups” a person should eat and five “unhealthy food groups” to avoid.
Sorting Brain Health Fact From Fiction
Suddenly, it seems, we are in the midst of an explosion of new information about how the brain ages, what keeps it sharp, and why it declines. And, just as suddenly, there are recommendations about what you should do to prevent Alzheimers. Sorting medical fact from fiction can be difficult.
Should we be vegetarian, vegan, or pescatarian? What about the paleolithic diet? Or the ketogenic one? Nutrition can be complicated, but eating for brain health is not. Brain Health Kitchen examines the science behind how food impacts the brain and gives recommendations based on the latest science.
As a physician, I am here to help you wade through the growing number of claims about how to protect your brain. My recommendations are based on evidence-based scientific studies. More information pours in each day from reliable medical journals about which factors help reduce Alzheimers risk, and which ones contribute to cognitive decline.
Instead of eliminating entire food groups or imposing a long list of rules regarding how we should eat, we only need to ask ourselves one question: Is it good for my brain or not?
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Why Should Dementia Patients Eat Well And Enough
Nutrition is critical to ones health and well-being. Getting the right nourishment through food can be challenging for Dementia patients.
Its vital to keep in mind that Dementia affects people in different ways. Changes in food and drinking habits may occur as Dementia develops further. This might result in under-eating, which leads to weight reduction, or overeating, which leads to weight gain.
Unintentional weight loss can accelerate the onset of Dementia and increase the risk of other issues, including bedsores, infections, and falls due to disorientation and forgetfulness.
It is stressful to see our loved one struggling with eating and drinking and weight loss or gain. Dementia people can benefit from sound nutritional guidance. It will help them manage their symptoms and be as active, healthy, and independent as possible.
Alzheimers Diet: 16 Foods To Fight Dementia + What To Avoid
The best diet for Alzheimers is Dr. Bredesens KetoFLEX 12/3 diet, which is a keto diet mixed with metabolic flexibility. It encourages 12-hour fasting periods every day, including at least 3 hours of fasting before bedtime.
This slightly-flexible ketogenic diet can lower your risk of developing Alzheimers disease or dementia. In the earliest stages of mental decline, an Alzheimers diet may even reverse cognitive decline.
This revolutionary diet also encourages 12-hour fasting periods so the body has more time to repair cell damage. Make sure to not eat within 3 hours of going to bed either.
What are the benefits of an Alzheimers diet? The benefit of an Alzheimers diet is taking control of your own health, based on science. Eating foods like green leafy vegetables, fish, nuts, and even an occasional glass of red wine can reduce your chances of developing Alzheimers.
Can Alzheimers be reversed with diet? In the earliest stages of cognitive decline, adhering to an Alzheimers diet may reverse cognitive decline. Unfortunately, theres no surefire Alzheimers cure. However, we have personally observed patients whose cognitive decline was reversed after making specific lifestyle changes, including changing their diet.
Can dementia be reversed with diet? Advanced dementia cannot be reversed with a healthy diet. However, the KetoFLEX 12/3 diet shows promise in slowing general cognitive decline and early stages of dementia.
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A Complete Guide To The Mediterranean Diet And How It Can Help You Lose Weight
The Mediterranean diet is anything but newits been around since the 1960sbut its still hailed by registered dietitians and nutrition experts as one of the healthiest diets. In fact, it was named the Best Diet Overall for 2022 by U.S. News for incorporating a diverse array of nutritious foods.
And youve likely heard all about its benefits: longevity, weight loss, and disease prevention. And more importantly, the diet is super-easy to follow long-term.
Heres everything you need to know about this popular eating plan.
Foods To Eat On The Mind Diet
- Green leafy vegetables : a minimum of 6 servings a week
- Nuts : a minimum of 5 servings a week
- Berries : a minimum of 2 servings a week
- Beans : a minimum of 3 servings a week
- Whole grains : a minimum of 3 servings a day
- Fish : at least 1 serving a week
- Poultry : at least twice a week
- Olive oil as the primary oil used
- Wine: no more than 1 glass a day
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Diet And Dementia Risks
We know from research that dementia can appear years before the first symptom is visible. Researchers are beginning to understand that there may be a window of opportunity available to help prevent or at least delay dementia symptoms with lifestyle changes. Some risk factors associated with dementia cannot be altered, though. But, lifestyle changes that include eating healthy, quitting smoking, and exercising can have some positive effects.
It is possible that having a certain type of diet can assist the biological mechanisms that affect the development of Alzheimers Disease. But beyond that, a healthy diet can help prevent diabetes, obesity, and heart disease, which helps prevent Alzheimers Disease.
Impact Of The Best Foods For Brain Health
And while the statistics are disheartening, there is still so much hope! Leading neurologists Dr. Dean Sherzai and Dr. Ayesha Sherzai state, Ninety percent of us can avoid ever getting Alzheimers, and for the rest of us, the 10 percent with the strong genetic risk for cognitive decline, the disease can potentially be delayed by ten to fifteen years. This is based on available scientific research and the results that the Sherzais have seen in their clinic, which is good news for all of us!
But what exactly helps delay or possibly reduce your risk of ever getting Alzheimers? Pharmaceuticals havent cut it, despite decades of research and millions of dollars spent, leaving those with Alzheimers feeling hopeless. What the research does show is the profound impact that lifestyle changes can have on the risk of developing this devastating disease. Maybe youve already guessed that food plays a part, but did you know that nutrition has a massive impact on brain health? Along with nutrition, research shows that exercise, stress management, quality sleep and cognitive challenge also contribute to slowing down the progression of Alzheimers and may reduce the risk of it developing at all.
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Foods That Can Fight Dementia And Alzheimers Disease
Dementia and Alzheimers disease are thought to be caused by a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors including diet and nutrition. Health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity may also contribute to cognitive decline, and are often affected by the foods you eat. Practicing good nutrition and eating lots of healthy foods is shown to help reduce your risk of dementia and Alzheimers disease as you become older.
Here are 7 foods that can fight off cognitive decline and help you stay healthy as you age:
Alzheimers Prevention Diet: What Foods Help Prevent Alzheimers
Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
Alzheimers is a terribly sad disease characterized by deterioration of memory, skills, and thinking ability. It is devastating for individuals and their families, and currently affects around 5.8 million Americans. This number is expected to nearly triple to 14 million by 2060.
Whilst there is no cure, research has shown that lifestyle factors can play a key role in protecting brain health and therefore in Alzheimers prevention. This means there is plenty we can do to prevent and slow the onset of cognitive decline through simple lifestyle changes such as diet improvements, exercise, social engagement, less stress, and better sleep.
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Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease: What Do We Know
As they get older, many people worry about developing Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. If they have a family member with Alzheimer’s, they may wonder about their family history and genetic risk. As many as 5.5 million Americans age 65 and older live with Alzheimer’s. Many more are expected to develop the disease as the population agesunless ways to prevent or delay it are found.
Although scientists have conducted many studies, and more are ongoing, so far nothing has been proven to prevent or delay dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease. But researchers have identified promising strategies and are learning more about what mightand might notwork.
We know that changes in the brain can occur many years before the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s appear. These early brain changes point to a possible window of opportunity to prevent or delay debilitating memory loss and other symptoms of dementia. While research may identify specific interventions that will prevent or delay the disease in some people, it’s likely that many individuals may need a combination of treatments based on their own risk factors.
Researchers are studying many approaches to prevent or delay Alzheimer’s. Some focus on drugs, some on lifestyle or other changes. Let’s look at the most promising interventions to date and what we know about them.
Why Mediterranean Diets Might Affect Dementia Risk
High levels of antioxidants from the high intake of fruits and vegetables may help to protect against some of the damage to brain cells associated with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as increasing the levels of proteins in the brain that protect brain cells from this damage. Inflammation in the brain is associated with Alzheimer’s disease . There are suggestions that the diet reduces the signs of this inflammation. The diet is also linked to lower levels of cholesterol, which recent research has suggested may be associated with memory and thinking problems.
Although the evidence from this analysis of multiple studies is very promising, it is worth noting that other recent large studies have not shown similar trends. It is also important to recognise that the studies were observational so they are unable to show any direct cause and effect in the way that a trial might. This means that people who follow Mediterranean diets may lead healthier lifestyles in general, so it may be this rather than the diet itself that causes the difference in memory and thinking problems.
For most people, following the Mediterranean diet is a good way to ensure a healthy diet, which may be important for maintaining good brain function.
Eating and drinking
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What Does A Normal Day Of Health And Wellness Look Like To You
I always start my day with a cup of coffee and later in the morning a cup of tea. I know that as I get older, it is important to spread my protein out throughout the day. I try to have a breakfast with at least 20 grams of protein and that usually means I need to rely on dairy and nuts added to my cereal or oatmeal. I also try to get a fruit in there. One of my biggest challenges is getting a serving of fermented food in each day. Since I am not a huge fan of kombucha, I usually rely on yogurt with live cultures. The rest of the day is pretty easy and filled with vegetables and fruits. We always have salad on the dinner table. That ensures getting those important, brain healthy greens in every day!
What’s The Bottom Line On Alzheimer’s Prevention
Alzheimer’s disease is complex, and the best strategy to prevent or delay it may turn out to be a combination of measures. In the meantime, you can do many things that may keep your brain healthy and your body fit.
You also can help scientists learn more by volunteering to participate in research. Clinical trials and studies are looking for all kinds of peoplehealthy volunteers, cognitively normal participants with a family history of Alzheimer’s, people with MCI, and people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia.
To find study sites near you, contact NIA’s Alzheimer’s and related Dementias Education and Referral Center at 1-800-438-4380 or . Or, visit the Alzheimers.gov Clinical Trials Finder to search for trials and studies.
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