Why you should worry about Alzheimer’s in your thirties
Spending 15-20 minutes out in direct sun every day is a good idea to ensure that enough of Vitamin D is formed in the body.
To mark the Alzheimer’s month (September), we recently organised an event in our clinic to spread information about Alzheimer‘s.
A panel of experts spoke about this disorder. The idea was to reach out and create awareness, and stop talking about mental health as if it is a taboo.
Dr Manjari Tripathi, professor of Neurology at AIIMS, and head of the Alzheimer's & Related Disorder Society of India, Delhi Chapter, spoke about the disease and its early symptoms and prevention. Dr Ekta Chadha, CEO of Smile Studio, mentioned how giving up brushing or lack of personal hygiene is the often-missed first sign of Alzheimer's, and I spoke about the foods that can help keep our brains in good shape.
During that talk, even as I was stressing on the importance of eating turmeric, walnuts, eggs, yoghurt and cinnamon and more such foods, I realised that while it is important to talk more about the food connect and speak about what superfoods to eat for our brain, an even better idea is to educate people about the nutrients that play a key role in helping save our brain from untimely deterioration.
After all, these nutrients play a huge role in preventing neuro disorders like Alzhiemer's and neurocognitive disorder (NCD; it was earlier called dementia), which are irreversible, progressive brain disorders that slowly destroy brain cells — crippling memory, speech, thinking, planning and judgement skills, orientation, reading, writing and more.
A lot of people in the audience knew some of this, but postponed worrying about it.
Why worry now about a disease that strikes really old people… Right?
Wrong!
That is because new research is showing that prevention for these debilitating diseases must begin as early as in our thirties. We need to pay heed, as we are nowhere close to finding a cure for them yet. Nor do we know any way to slow the nerve damage within the brain. All we have are some medications that can help slow the progression of the disease. The only fact that is crystal clear (at least till now) is that prevention is their only cure.
And nutrients play an important role in prevention. Protein is omni-important. Amino acids come from protein-rich foods and help connect the neurotransmitters which are essential for keeping our brain sharp. So, a diet that delivers enough good quality protein is essential.
Next, good fatty acids are important. Fish is a great source of omega-3, the type of fatty acid our body can’t produce, and it’s good for our brain. It helps iron out memory kinks and boosts our cognitive abilities. Those who are vegetarians can depend on walnuts and flaxseeds instead.
The connect between people with low vitamin D levels and cognitive problems is fairy well established, and it is increasingly getting clear that Vitamin D deficiency also translates into a substantial increase in the risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
Vitamin D levels above 50 nmol/L are most strongly associated with good brain health. Indians are particularly deficient in Vitamin D. So, a test to check vitamin D level and then taking appropriate action (supplementation, if required) is extremely important.
Meanwhile, spending 15-20 minutes out in direct sun every day is a good idea to ensure that enough of Vitamin D is formed in the body.
Vitamin E is important too as it helps prevent cognitive decline. Good sources include nuts, leafy green vegetables, asparagus, olives, seeds, eggs and brown rice.
The evidence regarding the protection vitamin B 12 (cobalamin) provides against dementia and Alzheimer’s is not conclusive still. But it’s well known that it helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells in the brain. In fact, Vitamin B6, B12 and folic acid, especially in combination, have been found to lower blood levels of homocysteine, which is a key predictor of these disorders.
Antioxidants help of course! The more fruit and vegetables you eat, the lower is your risk of cognitive decline. So, include carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, spinach and mushrooms in your diet, and eat lots of berries too.
Finally, the weight issue. As our belly grows, the brain tends to shrink. There is a direct correlation between obesity and a shrinking of our hippocampus (the part of the brain that works on our memory).
And keeping our blood sugar level down, which also means you make less insulin, is also known to help preserve our memory. This is probably an important lesson to remember every time you consider eating high sugar and high glycemic index foods. They could be eroding your memory and brain tissue with every bite.