Dementia is a cognitive disorder that afflicts people with age and impacts the ability to fulfill simple tasks. The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, a degenerative condition that affects more than 5 million people in the United States, according to the National Institute on Aging. The Mediterranean diet is among the healthiest diets in the world and is backed up by scientific evidence that demonstrates it can reduce the incidence of chronic diseases and increase longevity, notes the Harvard School of Public Health.
Dementia
Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning, including your ability to think, remember, reason and complete daily activities. Alzheimer's disease, the leading form of dementia, is a condition that slowly progresses and deteriorates cells in your brain, impairing your thought processes and memory. Dementia is irreversible and treated with drugs, but it may be prevented through diet.
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is primarily plant based. It includes whole foods, avoids processed foods and minimizes meat. Research by scientists at the Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health in Washington and published in the "Journal of Nutrition" in 2001 reports that the Mediterranean diet is based on the diet of Greeks from Crete prior to 1960. The research says the diet comprises a high intake of fruits, vegetables, especially wild plants, nuts, cereals, olives, olive oil, small amounts of milk and cheese and even less meat. The Mediterranean diet contains several protective nutrients, antioxidants and other substances that include vitamins C and E, selenium, glutathione and essential fatty acids, such as omega-3 fatty acids.
Prevention
A Mediterranean diet can help you prevent dementia from Alzheimer's disease. Research scientists at the Taub Institute for Research of Alzheimer's Disease and Aging Brain at Columbia University in New York City and published in the "Journal of Alzheimer's Disease" in 2010 discovered that adherence to a Mediterranean diet can help you prevent Alzheimer's disease. The research found that individuals in the highest tertile of adherence to a Mediterranean diet has a 34 percent less risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than among individuals in the lowest tertile of adherence to the diet.
Garlic
The Mediterranean diet includes the use of fresh garlic, a food with medicinal properties that may reduce your risk of dementia. Research by scientists at the Department of Public Health and Family Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston and published in the "Journal of Nutrition" in 2006 discovered that consumption of aged garlic extract may reduce the risk of dementia. The research reports that aged garlic extract inhibits or lowers risk factors of dementia that include reducing cholesterol synthesis, arterial plaque formation and inflammation of small blood vessels in the brain and protect nerve cells from toxins that cause cognitive decline.
References
- National Institute on Aging: Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet
- Harvard School of Public Health: Close Adherence to a Traditional Mediterranean Diet Promotes Longevity
- PubMed.gov: The Mediterranean Diets: What Is So Special About the Diet of Greece? The Scientific Evidence
- PubMed.gov: Mediterranean Diet, Inflammatory and Metabolic Biomarkers, and Risk of Alzheimer's Disease
- PubMed.gov: Garlic Reduces Dementia and Heart-Disease Risk
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