Avoiding Alzheimers: Adjusting your diet to avoid the disease

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Nothing is more heartbreaking than watching a loved one tread the path of Alzheimer’s disease.

It is among the top 10 causes of death and currently affects 1 in 9 people over the age of 65 in the United States.

But is there anything you can do right now to increase your chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease?

It’s easy for anyone to get started, and regardless of age, the sooner you start, the more likely you are to succeed.

At least three times a day, you can expand your mental health horizons.

“There’s actually been some research showing that what we eat can definitely lead to cognitive impairment,” says Kelsey Hatter, a registered dietitian at Allegheny Health Network.

73% of the food we have on hand is processed food.

“It’s our processed foods that really increase our risk of cognitive decline,” she said. .”

Finding these foods is easy. It’s detailed on labels and fast food restaurants.

This is where the brain comes into play. His 10-year study of 10,000 people “found that those with the highest intake of ultra-processed foods had a higher rate of cognitive decline, a 28% increase,” Hutter says. said.

Not only that, but there was also a decline in executive function, which governs planning, memory, and concentration, which Hutter said was a 25% decline.

She said if you’re worried about your mental health, it’s as simple as eating healthier.

“When I talk to my patients, we focus on eating more natural foods and eating more plant-based diets.

The less processed foods you have in your diet, the more likely you are to have mental health down the road.

“It’s been declining over time,” she said. “Through my research, I have found that eating these minimally processed foods is more preventive, including helping with prevention.

While no studies have shown that eating healthier can help you recover from whatever damage has been done, the preventive factor is clear.

This doesn’t mean cutting out all processed foods, but according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s Neurology, 20% of your daily intake, or up to 400 of your 2,000 calories a day. You will benefit from doing so.

That said, the more you cut the better, and with temptations and conveniences everywhere, it’s clearly not easy.