7 Foods That Combat Dementia Symptoms:

What are the exact benefits of an Alzheimer’s diet? It seems that it all stands in the fact that it takes control of your own health, at least according to science.

Eating green leafy veggies, fish, nuts, and even the occasional glass of red wine might reduce your chances of developing this serious disease.

Starting a diet in the earliest stages is most recommended, although there is proof that such a diet can reverse some symptoms even in the advanced stages of dementia.

If you want to read a list of some of the best foods for your brain, then you’ve come to the right place! Also, we made you some suggestions on recipes, just to make sure you have all the needed information.

Leafy Greens

Swiss chard, collard greens, spinach, and kale are some of the best examples of leafy greens that are high in essential B vitamins, such as folate and B9.

They’re known to reduce depression but also boost cognition. Yet, this doesn’t necessarily imply that you should only eat these leafy greens in order to see improvements.

You can easily add these powerhouse veggies to soups, stews, and even chilis. Also, you can puree them and add them to sauces, pesto, and hummus.

Recipe recommendation:

We found on Delish this absolutely delicious recipe of stuffed pasta shells with spinach, and we can’t wait to try it!

Ingredients:

• 1 package of jumbo shells (obviously)
• 1 large egg
• 1 container of ricotta (16-oz.)
• 2 c. shredded mozzarella that needs to be divided
• 3/4 c. grated Parmesan or pecorino, depending on your taste
• 1 (16-oz.) package of frozen spinach
• 1 tsp. of fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
• kosher salt (depending on your taste)
• 6 cloves of garlic, which will be later grated
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 c. marinara
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• FRESH HERBS!

What you need to do:

Check the pasta shells package to see how much time you need to cook them. It usually takes 6 to 7 minutes. Then, drain the pasta completely.

In a big bowl, stir the egg, ricotta, 1 ¼ cup mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, the tasty spinach, thyme, nutmeg, pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, salt, and garlic until it all smoothes out.

Prep the oven, and preheat it to 375°. In a big large oven-proof skillet over medium heat, add oil, then the garlic, and cook everything until lightly golden, while you occasionally stir everything for about 3 minutes.

Then, add the marinara and the sugar. Fill pasta shells with 1 tablespoon ricotta mixture and place them in the skillet. Top everything with the remaining mozzarella and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan. Cook everything for 30 minutes, and then…what can I say? Come back here to tell us if you liked it!

Berries

I’m talking about raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and even cherries! They all have a special flavonoid known as anthocyanin, which is known to stop the progression of brain damage triggered by free radicals.

These and other berries are also loaded with antioxidants and numerous vitamins that will calm down inflammation and help you keep good brain health.

When it comes to berries, things are much more straightforward. You can easily eat your berries with some Greek Yogurt in the morning, or with some delicious pancakes! They even go great with cheese! So whatever you might eat today, just sprinkle some berries on top!

Nuts

Pecans, almonds, walnuts, cashews, and even peanuts are all rich in healthy fats, magnesium, vitamin E, and vitamin B. They all promote good cognition and ward off possible signs of dementia.

Women over 70 years old who consume a minimum of 5 servings of nuts a week are shown to have better brain health than women of the same age who don’t eat nuts.

Plus, there’s another study that shows how anti-inflammatory phytochemicals in English walnuts can easily reduce inflammation of brain cells, maintaining optimal brain health throughout the entire aging process.

There’s a 5-minutes nuts snack we’d like you to try. It’s super simple but crazy delicious! Pick some of your favorite nuts, whether pecans, walnuts, almonds, or even a mix, and season them in a mixing bowl, with some sugar and spices.

Then, melt some butter on a stovetop, and add fresh rosemary and let it rest for 1 minute. Next, add the maple syrup.

Pour that tasty butter mixture on the nuts, stir and toss until all the nuts are coated in the mix. Bake them in a 350-degree oven for 15-18 minutes, until the nuts become golden. And…that’s basically it!

Omega-3s

Olive oil, flax seeds, and fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, and mackerel have tons of benefits, being rich in omega-3 fatty acids with DHA that keep your brain healthy.

So many studies show that omega-3s are effective when it comes to fighting and preventing dementia, and they all recommend taking 200 mg of DHA on a daily basis, to achieve good brain health.

Even so, the average daily intake of DHA in America seems to be only 80 mg. You can make a mindful effort to consume higher amounts of omega-3s, or you can ask your doctor to recommend safe, effective DHA supplements.

Do YOU know what’s the best method to cook salmon? 

The most common mistake you could possibly make when it comes to salmon is overcooking it, because what you might consider being “done” is actually “overdone”.

The best way of cooking salmon is sous vide. When you cook the salmon, make sure you seal it in a sous vide bag and cook it at 120°F for 30 minutes.

The point is that you should treat the salmon as you would with a steak. When you cook it in the sous vide, you don’t even need to pay attention to it, as 20 minutes should be enough to get the wanted results.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous veggies include broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and many others. They’re all high in B vitamins and carotenoids that are able to reduce levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that’s directly linked to cognitive decline, brain atrophy, and even dementia.

Recipe recommendation:

We know it’s hard to find a tasty recipe that’s mainly based on cruciferous veggies. But it’s not impossible either! Here’s our favorite one:

Ingredients

• 100 ml olive oil
• 1 cauliflower head
• 300g brussels sprouts that are trimmed and halved
• 100 g (or half a cup) of French green lentils
• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1/2 purple kale, leaves torn (even healthier)
• 85 g (half a cup) natural almonds

What to do:

Be sure to preheat your oven to 180C/200C fan forced. Also, drizzle some olive oil over a large baking tray. Then, place it in your oven for about 10 minutes until the oil is hot. Take the cauliflower and cut it into 4 thick slices, and place them on the baking tray.

Add the Brussels scattered over the cauliflower. Add another tablespoon of oil over the veggies and then season. Roast them for 30 minutes. Now let’s take care of the lentils.

Place them in a saucepan and add a bit of water to cover them, then bring the water to the boiling point over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook them like this for 10 minutes until they’re tender.

Drain very well and place them in a bowl. Add some vinegar, mustard, parsley and the rest of the olive oil to a small bowl, then add the mix to the lentils.

Spoon the lentil mixture and scatter on the roasted vegetables. Then, add the kale and the almonds. Roast for another 10 minutes until you notice that the almonds and kale change color (the kale becomes crisp and the almonds golden).

Spices

Spices that are good for preventing dementia include sage, cumin, and cinnamon. They all taste AMAZING when used to season all kinds of meals, while they also contain many polyphenols.

These compounds are known to offer different benefits, including memory and brain health. Spices like these have a particular ability to eat away any brain plaque, but also reduce inflammation, which prevents impairment and Alzheimer’s.

So, wait no more and start filling your spice rack with all sorts of spices that could liven up your meals, while also keeping your brain as healthy as possible.

Seeds

Sunflower, flax, and even pumpkin seeds are rich in antioxidants and nutrients such as vitamin E, zinc, omega-3s, and choline, which are known to reduce cognitive decline.

You can either snack on these seeds by themselves, sprinkle on salads, or even sneak them into desserts like pudding and muffins, to get the most out of the benefits. You can easily add seeds to any of the recipes mentioned above, to your morning cereal bowl, and even on salads.

If you enjoyed reading this article, we also recommend reading: Top 6 Healthiest Types of Cheese You Can Eat