How Low-Carb Mediterranean diet may slow Alzheimer’s?

Following a Low-Carb Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of developing problems with memory and thinking, and getting some forms of dementia like Alzheimer’s.

Mediterranean diets are traditionally high in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and cereals with moderate consumption of oily fish and dairy, and low in meat, sugar and saturated fat. Most fat in this type of diet comes from olive oil, alcohol is consumed in moderation with meals. Therefore, this kind of diet is associated with lower levels of stroke, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and therefore, death from any cause. In other words, sticking to the Low-Carb Mediterranean diet more strictly might be associated with slower rates of decline in memory and thinking.

How Low-Carb Mediterranean diet may slow Alzheimer’s?

So what makes the Mediterranean diet a dementia-friendly option to consider?  The answer is basically consumption of the food items in this diet such as:

Green Leafy Vegetables

Green Leafy Vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, and other greens contains vitamins A and C and other nutrients. These are a staple in low-carb Mediterranean diet. Therefore, it means that your meal plan is guaranteed to pack lots of antioxidants. Which help to fight free radicals in the brain that contribute to aging and neurodegenerative disorders.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is an indispensable part of a Mediterranean diet. Therefore, it is highly lauded for its various health perks, among which being its dementia-friendly properties. It is proven that people on diets enriched with extra virgin olive oil had better memories. And learning abilities compared to those which didn’t consume the oil. Olive oil staves off memory loss and preserves learning faculty by reducing brain inflammation and removes intracellular debris and toxins, which are firm indicators of Alzheimer’s Disease. Thankfully, if there is one item the Mediterranean diet doesn’t lack, it’s olive oil.

Fish

Consuming fish once or twice a week may help keep your mental function in check. Fatty fish like wild caught sardines provides a high dose of omega-3 fatty acids, which besides significantly lowering the risk of heart disease, also stimulates blood flow to important areas of the brain responsible for learning and memory and prevents brain inflammation.

Nuts

The nuts are a good snack for brain health. Nuts contain healthy fats, fiber and antioxidants. Research had shown that Nuts can help lower bad cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Berries

Berries especially dark ones such as blackberries, blueberries and cherries are a rich source of anthocyanins and other flavonoids that may boost memory function.

Conclusion

Should you choose to give the Low-Carb Mediterranean diet a go, avoiding unhealthy foods and ingredients is just as crucial as eating the right ones. Sugar is the number one item off your table (or at list reduced), which means saying goodbye to candies, cakes, ice cream, table sugar, and similar sources. Refined grains like white bread and certain pastas also have to make way for whole grain foods. The same applies to oils, with olive oil preferred over refined options like soybean oil and canola oil. Stay clear of processed foods, even if they claim to be “low-fat”.

The best way to reduce your risk of dementia is to adapt various aspects of your lifestyle, including eating certain foods, taking regular exercise, not smoking, and maintaining normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Health News Tips Team Member