Anti-Alzheimer’s Diet & Lifestyle Tips
The Anti-Alzheimer’s Diet and Lifestyle is based on scientific evidence and double-blind studies from the most prestigious scientific journals, including Nature, Scientific America, Journal of Neurology, the Proceedings of the American Academy of Science, and those books mentioned above that have proven to be scientifically sound and noteworthy.
Prior to starting your diet there are three special concepts to understand:
- Meals should be eaten in balanced proportions of 30 % carbohydrates, 30 % protein 30% fat. This is important to maintain the insulin – glugagon balance needed to minimize fat storage and maximize fat store use for energy. By eating the correct combinations of food you can lose fat stores and prevent Diabetes.
- Physical exercise is important to stay fit and to lower your Cortisol level in order to lower Insulin levels, decrease inflammation and stimulate the production of healthy hormone as thyroid, testosterone, and Growth Hormone. These increase lean mass and make you look and be young,.
- Anti-Inflammatories such Arachidonic acid Inhibitors, a simple dose of 81mg of aspirin, should be taken daily. Eating foods high in sugar, high in saturated fats, foods that contain too much arachidonic acid such as beef, egg yolks and dairy products can aggravate the inflammatory process.
Diet Guidelines:
- Keep a food journal. Initially, write down everything you eat for at least three days, this will help with self-awareness. Any diet, to become a habit, takes 28 days.
- Plan on 5 meals a day- breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks- one between breakfast and lunch and another between lunch and dinner. Keep foods, not vitamins as the primary sources of nutrients.
- Take time to eat your meal, do it with friends or family. Make it an occasion. Do not stand while eating!
- The new food pyramid taken from the Harvard study is 30% carbohydrates, 30% protein, 40% fats. Try to keep this proportion as it is vital to maintaining ones hormonal balance of insulin and glucagons essential for the Anti-Alzheimer’s Diet.
- Fill your plate ½ with vegetables, ¼ whole grains, and ¼ protein (your serving of meat or fish should be no larger than the size of your palm or a deck of cards).
- Limit intake of salt & sugar. Reduce intake of saturated fats, butter, fatty meats, trans fat found in frying oils and margarine, and foods high in cholesterol including egg yolks and red meats.
- If you are trying to lose weight you will want to decrease your carbohydrate intake and make sure to consume complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains and brown rice, instead of simple carbohydrates such as white rice, pasta, and white bread.
- Don’t forget to include at least one serving of dairy but of the low-fat or nonfat variety such as cottage cheese and ricotta.
- Snack on fruits including berries, the darker the better and apples and vegetables such as broccoli which is higher in vitamin C than oranges.
- Get moving! Walk somewhere, anywhere, 10,000 steps per day can burn 500 calories, or 3,500 calories a week which is equal to one pound!
- Complete a puzzle, read a new book, sign up for a class, talk with friends or family, keep your mind going by engaging it actively at least 8 hrs per day. (Watching TV is not actively engaging the brain.)
- Take a moment to de-stress everyday, meditate, drink tea, sit in a bath, and go to the gym.
- Get a good night’s sleep! Eight hours is advised. Avoid exercise, news, or other stimulating activities as computer games two hours prior to sleep. Do not eat three hours before sleeping to reduce one’s destructive cortisol levels.
The Food Basics
Fish: wild salmon (not Atlantic or farmed), anchovies, other fish 2-3 times a week. Take Omega 3, DHEA or Fish Oil supplements daily. EPA and DHA are found in cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, halibut, sardines and herring. Alpha-linolenic acid is found in flaxseeds, flax seed oil, soybeans, soybean oil, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed oil, walnuts and walnut oil.
Suggested Dosages – Omega 3 Fatty Acids
EPA and DHA
The adequate daily intake of EPA and DHA for adults should be at least 220 mg of each per day. Two to three servings of fatty fish per week (roughly 1,250 mg EPA and DHA per day) are generally recommended to treat certain health conditions.
Fish oil supplements this contains Omega 3
3,000 to 4,000 mg standardized fish oils per day. (This amount corresponds to roughly 2 to 3 servings of fatty fish per week.)
Typically, a 1,000 mg fish oil capsule has 180 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA
Note: Omega 6 fatty acids are found in red meats and should be avoided
ALA - alpha-linolenic acid
The adequate daily intake of ALA for adults should be roughly 2,220 mg per day.
Flaxseed oil
One or two Tbsp of flaxseed oil per day is recommended for general health.
Doses up to 3,000 mg per day are recommended to prevent certain conditions and doses up to 6,000 mg per day may be recommend to treat these conditions.
Flaxseed
1 Tbsp two to three times per day or 2 to 4 tbsp one time per day. Grind before eating and take with lots of water. Decoction (liquid prepared by boiling down the flaxseed in water): A rounded Tbsp of whole seed simmered in 1 cup water for 10 to 15 minutes, strain and drink 100 grams of raw flaxseed provides 22,800 mg of ALA.
Fruit-berries: blueberries, blackberries, the darker the better;
Nuts and tea – almonds, walnuts, green teas, chamomile 10 to 20 nuts per day;
Vegetables-spinach, broccoli, green leaf salads, tomatoes (best cooked), carrots;
Water – 2 liters purified water. When hungry drink 4to 8 0z.of water first;
Wine – 6 oz. a day or grape juice 8 oz.;
Desserts – dark chocolate (70%), berry compote with non-dairy whip cream;
Spices – Curcumen, Garlic;
Supplements – see below .
Essential Supplements:
- Fish oil with EPA, DHEA, and Omega-3 fatty acids in soft gels
- Folic Acid 4 mg
- Multivitamin such as Theragram which contains many needed Antioxidants
(Vitamin C, E, Selenium, B-12 etc.)
- Coenzyme Q-10 600-1200mg per day especially for those on anti-lipid drugs
- Baby aspirin 81mg (anti-inflammatory)
- Brain Health Supplements (BriteAge Corporation) http://www.briteagehealth.com
ADVISORY: on all supplements obtain physician approval if you are on medication regimen for systemic illnesses as coronary artery disease, etc.
Supplements with essential antioxidants:
- Vitamin C: 2,000 - 4,000 mg
- Vitamin E: 400 - 800 IU
- Beta Carotene: 15,000 - 40,000 IU
- Selenium: 100 - 300 mcg
Additional antioxidants that may be beneficial include:
- Grape Seed Extract: 50 - 200 mg
- Coenzyme Q10: 30 - 150 mg
- L-Lipoic Acid: 50 - 250 mg
- Green Tea Extract: 30 - 150 mg
Fitness and Mental Exercise
Should include aerobic, non-aerobic, and flexibility.
- Aerobic – 10,000 steps, 30 minutes walking, 1 hour tennis, etc. Important for cortisol stress reduction and weight loss.
- Anaerobic – weight lifting 3 times a week, strengthening arms, chest, and legs. Important for growth hormone and thyroid stimulation.
- Flexibility – Pilates and yoga for relaxation and joint protection.
People who are aerobically fit tend to suffer less cognitive decline with normal aging and have less chances of developing AD. When Fred Gage of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California, allowed mice to run at will - about five kilometers a day, they generated many more neurons in their hippocampus area compared to their sedentary counterparts.
A well-balanced exercise program is the key to optimum mental health While most people think of exercise as a way to reduce body weight , exercise does much more, including reducing insulin resistance and impotence.
A well-balanced exercise must include three components:
- Flexibility training
- Cardiovascular training.
- Strength training.
Suggested Amount:
Ideally, about 2000 calories should be burned per week. Working out with 30 minutes of aerobics exercise at moderate intensity 5 times a week plus 15-20 minutes of strength training 3 times a week will accomplish this goal.
Mental Exercise
- Newspapers, magazines
- Computer and computer games
- Socialization
- Cross word puzzles
Mental Capacity is not fixed. It can be increased and maintained through mental exercise. Just like physical exercise can maintain muscle lean muscle mass and increase strength and endurance so can mental exercise and socialization.
TEST #1 - MEMORY:
For those who fear they may have a memory problem or just want to see how good they are. Please answer “yes” or “no” to the following:
- In the past month, did you forget an important meeting or appointment?
- Do you daily have problems with finding words to express yourself?
- Do you forget where your keys are more than three times a week?
- Did you forget what movie or TV show you saw or what it was about in the past week?
- Do you often forget why you have entered a certain room?
- Have you had your gas, electric, or telephone shut off because you forgot to pay the bill?
- Did you get lost driving to a familiar place or did you forget where you parked?
- Do you find yourself not stopping at traffic lights or going through stop signs?
- Do you find yourself forgetting to shave, put on deodorant, or other hygienic tasks?
- Have you stopped your recreational activities or decreased them significantly, i.e. golf, club meetings, etc.?
Give yourself 1 point for every “yes” on questions 1-5, 2 points for every “yes” on 6-10.
Three or less is normal for a person in a stressful environment, i.e. job, children, overly committed. Five to eight score: you should be examined by a specialist if this is a long term (more than 2 months) problem. More than 9 points: you need immediate consultation.
Please note that psychiatric disorders such as depression and other medical disorders such as diabetes and insulin reactions, and thyroid disease can affect one’s memory. If symptoms are persistent (more than 2 months) medical evaluation is needed.
TEST #2 - MEMORY:
Does someone you know (family, friend) demonstrate the following problems:
Please answer “yes” or “no”.
- Tells you the same story over and over as if it was the first time you heard it?
- Asks you the same question after you just answered it minutes or hours before?
- Forgets to shave, bathe, or dress properly?
- Frequently searches for words to explain themselves?
- Forgets well known names of family or friends?
- Forgets important appointments such as doctor visits?
- Had a recent car accident that was clearly their fault?
- Disregards traffic signs or lights and changes lanes erratically?
- Burns food on the stove or in the oven?
- Gets lost either in their car or walking in their own neighborhood?
- Forgets to pay bills or balance checkbook?
- Has telephone, electric, or gas due to lack of payment?
Give one point to each of the first five questions for a “yes” answer. 2 points to questions 6-12 for a “yes” answer. A score of 4 or more should be a concern. A score of 6 or more indicates need for medical intervention and evaluation. A score of 8 or more, the person needs referral to an Alzheimer’s specialist. * Please note the individuals who you are evaluating should be well known to you, and you judge that this behavior is radically different than what is normal for them. |
|
