Alzheimer’s Disease Patients, Nutritional Treatment Options! 

 Patients

1. Facts About Alzheimer’s Disease:

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, a serious brain disorder that impacts daily living through memory loss and cognitive changes. Although not all memory loss indicates Alzheimer’s disease, one in ten people over 65 years of age, and over half of those over 85 have Alzheimer’s disease.

Currently,

• 29 million people worldwide have this dementia, and over 15 million Americans will be affected by the year 2050.
• Alzheimer’s disease is irreversible and is progressive over time, advancing from mild to moderate to severe.
• Treatment can slow the progression and sometimes help manage symptoms, but there is no cure.
• The time from diagnosis to death varies from as little to 3 or 4 years in older persons to as long as 10 years in those who are younger when diagnosed.

Alzheimers Disease, 

is a degenerative condition that is progressive, causing the loss of many functions in elderly people, including memory. Often, it is the short-term memory that is affected, and often, patients will relive memories of their distant pasts.

There are many styles of dementia, but Alzheimer’s disease is the most commonplace form, accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases. About 1 in 9 people aged 65 and older and 1 in 3 of those age 85 and older have Alzheimer’s disease.

2. Risk Factors:

Who is at Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease? The primary risk factors for Alzheimer’s are:

I. Age, Family History, and Genetics:

However, there are other risk factors that you can influence. 

• Maintaining a healthy heart and avoiding.
• High blood pressure.
• Heart disease.
• Stroke.
• Diabetes and high cholesterol can decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s.
• Watch your weight.
• Avoid tobacco and excess alcohol.
• Stay socially connected.
• And exercise both your body and mind.

II. Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Affects Patients Under The Age of 65:

This relatively rare condition is seen more often in patients whose parents or grandparents developed Alzheimer’s disease at a young age and is generally associated with three specific gene mutations (the APP gene found on chromosome 21, the PSI gene on chromosome 12, and the PS2 gene on a chromosome.

A growing body of evidence suggests that certain dietary components (such as antioxidant nutrients, fish, unsaturated fats, B-vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids) may help protect against age-related cognitive decline and AD.

Related Topics:

3. Why Nutritional Treatment for Alzheimer’s?

In Functional Medicine, we try to optimize the body’s natural defenses against disease, which may involve detoxification, nutritional rebalancing or supplements for some missing elements needed for proper functioning of the body.

Nutritional treatment is a science-based approach to treating Alzheimer’s without drugs. It’s important to embark on these treatments only after laboratory tests assess the patient’s comprehensive medical profile.

4. Alzheimer’s Nutrition Basics: 

As the disease of Alzheimer’s progress, it becomes more difficult for an individual to maintain the proper eating habits as they tend to forget to eat and have more difficulty when doing so. It is essential that a variety of foods including fruits and vegetables are given and that cholesterol and saturated fats are limited.

It May,

benefit you to try several smaller meals a day in which you can incorporate finger foods as opposed to the traditional three meals a day as these may be easier for them to handle. Nutritional shakes are also a great choice when it comes to giving them the additional nutrients they may be lacking if they are having difficulty eating.

 

5. The Importance of Monitoring Hydration:

As Alzheimer disease progresses, eating as well as drinking becomes more difficult and it is essential that they get enough fluids as this will prevent constipation and dehydration.

The minimum recommendation for fluids is at least six to eight glasses a day. 

At mealtimes ensure that there is always a beverage available and limit the table setting to only the necessary utensils, main dish, and beverage glass so that there is nothing else to distract them. It may also be helpful to use a beverage container with a lid so that they can keep this with them at all times especially if they tend to wander. You can also try and encourage them by treating them to frozen drinks such as a smoothie or an ice cream soda.

6. Nutrition’s Role in Alzheimer’s Treatment:

Factors that contribute to free radical damage include too much sun exposure and having a poor diet. In order to prevent, or treat, Alzheimer’s disease, everyone needs to follow a healthy diet plan that is rich in the proper vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.

• Vitamin E is important, but because it can be dangerous when taken in high doses, it should only be taken on the advice of a physician.
• Vitamin E can also have adverse effects on other medications.
• Thiamin is also beneficial and may help in memory improvement.
• This should only be used under a physician’s care because large doses can cause cases of mild nausea.
• Another important nutrient that is necessary for all diets, especially for Alzheimer’s patients, is protein.

7. Protein For Alzheimer’s Patients:

Protein is a macronutrient that is necessary in order for survival, One of the problems associated with Alzheimer’s disease is a loss of appetite and difficulty eating, and this can cause patients to not get the nutrients they so desperately need, including protein. But they need to digest the right proteins.

There is a blood protein, ApoE, which transports cholesterol throughout the bloodstream, which, in Alzheimer’s patients, deposits extra amyloid plaque compounds in the brain.

It may also cause these compounds to harden as well. People who test positive for the ApoE-4 gene are 8 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than people with the ApoE-2 or ApoE-3 genes.

Using Protein Supplements,

in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Patients, because appetite and the ability to eat are affected by Alzheimer’s disease, many people need to find other ways to get the nutrients that they need without resorting to being tube-fed.

As we get older, we need more and more protein in our systems in order for our bodies to function properly, and if Alzheimer’s patients are not getting the protein that they need from dietary sources, they may need to add protein supplements to their diets.

When a person,

With end-stage dementia, is hand fed, food and fluids may need to be altered inconsistency for easier consumption or to manage swallowing problems.  The man or woman should be endorsed to consume ingredients that carry them consolation or are related to the satisfaction or properly reminiscences.

unlike tube feeding, hand feeding might not meet a 100 % of a person’s vitamins and fluid desires.  it could, however, satisfy different vital simple desires like taking part in the process of eating, appreciating flavors and textures of meals, human touch and interplay, and the ordinary of sharing a meal with others.

8. Suреrfооdѕ tо Fеnd оff Alzhеіmеr’ѕ Dіѕеаѕе

bу mаkіng ѕоmе ѕіmрlе аdјuѕtmеntѕ іn уоur dіеt tо іnсludе fооdѕ hіgh іn fоlаtе, уоu саn hеlр rеduсе уоur rіѕk. Aссоrdіng tо rеѕеаrсh, оldеr аdultѕ whоѕе dіеtѕ wеrе hіgh іn fоlаtе rеduсеd thеіr rіѕk оf Alzhеіmеr’ѕ dіѕеаѕе bу hаlf соmраrеd wіth thоѕе whоѕе dіеtѕ соntаіn lеѕѕ thаn thе Rесоmmеndеd Dіеtаrу Allоwаnсеѕ (RDA

• Fоlаtе hаѕ аlѕо bееn ѕhоwn tо lоwеr blооd lеvеlѕ оf hоmосуѕtеіnе, а rіѕk fасtоr fоr hеаrt dіѕеаѕе.
• Hіgh hоmосуѕtеіnе lеvеlѕ, аѕ wеll аѕ dесrеаѕеd fоlаtе аnd vіtаmіn B-12 lеvеlѕ, hаvе аlѕо bееn аѕѕосіаtеd wіth ѕtrоkе аnd Alzhеіmеr’ѕ dіѕеаѕе.

A hеаlthу,

Wеll-bаlаnсеd dіеt іѕ уоur bеѕt орtіоn tо gеt thе fоlаtе уоu nееd.  Bе ѕurе іt іnсludеѕ аt lеаѕt fіvе ѕеrvіngѕ оf frеѕh fruіtѕ аnd vеgеtаblеѕ еасh dау.

Fооdѕ rісh іn fоlаtе іnсludе оrаngеѕ аnd bаnаnаѕ, dаrk lеаfу grееn  vеgеtаblеѕ, аѕраrаguѕ, brоссоlі, lіvеr, аnd mаnу tуреѕ оf bеаnѕ аnd реаѕ, іnсludіng lіmа, lеntіl аnd gаrbаnzо, аѕ wеll аѕ fоrtіfіеd brеаdѕ аnd сеrеаlѕ.

Thе аntіоxіdаntѕ,

іn аррlеѕ соuld hеlр рrоtесt thе brаіn frоm thе tуре оf dаmаgе thаt trіggеrѕ Alzhеіmеr’ѕ аnd Pаrkіnѕоn’ѕ dіѕеаѕе, ассоrdіng tо rесеnt rеѕеаrсh. But іt’ѕ еѕtіmаtеd thаt оn аvеrаgе Amеrісаnѕ оnlу еаt аррrоxіmаtеlу оnе-ѕеvеnth оf аn аррlе реr dау, nоwhеrе nеаr еnоugh.

Bluеbеrrіеѕ аrе аn аwеѕоmе fооd сhоісе аѕ wеll tо аrm уоur bоdу tо соmbаt dесlіnіng mеntаl сарасіtіеѕ. It’ѕ аlѕо іmреrаtіvе tо сhооѕе unѕаturаtеd fаtѕ ѕо уоur сіrсulаtоrу ѕуѕtеm ѕtауѕ hеаlthу. Hеаlthу blооd flоw аnd blооd vеѕѕеlѕ lеѕѕеn thе сhаnсе оf brаіn dаmаgе duе tо ѕtrоkеѕ оr соmрrоmіѕеd сіrсulаtіоn.

If you find this article useful, don’t forget to share it with your friends and family, as you might help someone in need. Thanks.

Disclaimer: “Nothing in this article makes any claim to offer cures or treatment of any disease or illness. If you are sick please consult with your doctor.”

To read more about Alzheimer’s disease, and other health topics to improve your lifestyle, We invite you to visit our website to learn more about Alzheimer’s disease, as well as great tips for eating healthy that will make living better and less pain, Please  Click Here

Alzheimer’s treatments, Do natural treatments actually work?

Eat Healthy. Live Healthy!

Liked the article? Share the love!