What we eat has a significant impact on the health of our brains as we age. According to the Dementia Society of America, people looking to prevent or control dementia symptoms should consider lowering consumption of sugary foods and drinks, processed foods, and carbohydrates, which can increase inflammation of brain cells.
"The onset of the symptoms of cognitive decline and dementia can be frightening for the patient and their families," said Aleksandra C. Stark, MD, a neurologist with the Neurology Memory Clinic at Dartmouth Health's Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. "By incorporating education on diet into a patient's care plan, we empower them with tools to hopefully slow the decline in in their condition, and help them feel more in control of their situation. Research suggests that diets rich in foods like a plant-based diet, incorporating whole grains, fish, vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts and seeds supports brain health, so these are easy steps our patients can take to improve their quality of life."
The diet Stark describes is often referred to the "Mediterranean diet." Adopting this diet while also cutting back on ingredients like vegetable oil blends and sugar-based sweeteners (even "natural" ones like honey and agave) are important steps dementia patients can take to improve their brain health and cognition, said Shawn Richardson, director of Nutrition Services and Environmental Services at Dartmouth Health's Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital.
Richardson offers the following simple tips for dementia patients to implement these diet changes:
- Have a blueberry yogurt smoothie every day. Throw in some chia seeds or flaxseed for bonus Omega-3 fatty acids, which support brain health.
- Eat a handful (14 halves) of walnuts as a snack.
- Eat salmon twice a week.
- Opt for olive oil instead of vegetable oil when cooking or baking.
Making these changes doesn't mean totally giving up other snacks, Richardson said, as long as they don't form the basis of your diet—and healthy brain foods do.
"It's about balance," he said. "It's important not to think of treats as cheats. It's okay to treat yourself. Moderation is key."
About Dartmouth Health
Dartmouth Health, New Hampshire’s only academic health system and largest private employer, serves patients across New England. Dartmouth Health provides access to more than 2,300 providers in nearly every area of medicine, delivering care at its flagship hospital, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in Lebanon, NH. Its network of hospitals, outpatient centers, clinics and home care facilities, spans a broad geographical area. Year after year, DHMC is named the #1 hospital in New Hampshire by U.S. News & World Report, and is consistently recognized for high performance in numerous clinical specialties and procedures. Dartmouth Health includes Dartmouth Cancer Center, northern New England’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers and one of less than than 60 total nationally; Dartmouth Health Children’s, which includes the state’s only children’s hospital (Children’s Hospital at DHMC/CHaD) and more than 20 locations around the region; eight member hospitals in Lebanon, Keene, Claremont, Hampstead, and New London, NH, and Windsor and Bennington, VT; Dartmouth Health Home Care; Dartmouth Health Connected Care Center for Telehealth, serving patients as far away as Texas; and more than 30 primary and multi-specialty clinics across New Hampshire and Vermont. Through its partnership with Dartmouth College, Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine and the White River Junction VA Medical Center, Dartmouth Health trains nearly 400 medical residents and fellows annually and performs cutting-edge research and clinical trials with international impact. Dartmouth Health and its more than 16,000 employees are committed to serving the healthcare needs of everyone in the communities it serves and to providing every patient with exceptional, state-of-the-art, personalized care. Learn more at dartmouth-health.org.