Anti-Inflammatory Diet May Reduce Risk for Dementia

From Medical News Today

Some foods linked to high rates of inflammation include:

Processed foods

Sugar

Unhealthy oils

Excess amounts of red meat

Alcohol

Some foods that are known for their anti-inflammatory properties include:

Fish

Fruits

Vegetables

Nuts and seeds

Tea

Legumes, such as lentils

Being able to measure the inflammatory potential of different diets may help clinicians recommend dietary interventions for cognitive health.

The researchers found that those with the most inflammatory diets were 3.43 times more likely than those with the least inflammatory diets to develop dementia.

To explain the results, the researchers say that after around 40 years of age, the immune system starts to decline, called “inflammaging.”

“Inflammaging” is also linked to oxidative stress and the induction of apoptosis, or programmed cell death. These effects, note the researchers, make up some of the main neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative pathways involved in dementia.

Although “inflammaging” is a common factor of aging, research suggests that food components could exacerbate it.

One researcher said “We need to have a serious look at pro-inflammatory foods that we consume in Western diets. There has recently been a lot of attention paid to research on Mediterranean diets, which are anti-inflammatory and seem to have positive effects against cognitive decline and dementia risk.”

Dr. Birken likes Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet recommendations.

“There are two restaurants that follow his guidelines,” Dr. Birken said.  “True Food and Flower Child.  But reading about anti-inflammatory foods and diet and utilizing these concepts at home is the essential approach.  And I highly recommend the antioxidant supplement, Mitothera, that we carry in the office.”