Alzheimer's is a disease that hardly needs any introduction. It has a long been part of a campaign, raised by members of the global community, that hopes to see it defeated. It leaves only pain and devastating memories in its wake. It makes up for the greater part of dementia cases, accounting for 60-70% of them. It affects people of all races and genders, and is incurable. And it is a possibility for all of us.

What is Alzheimer's?

Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease - a disease which slowly causes the brain and the cognitive functions to decline over time, which in turn sparks a series of behaviours and physical changes that bring the body to a fatal end. We’re not even sure of what causes Alzheimer’s; there are a series of possible explanations put about by the expert community, but we remain ignorant. Of course, this hampers our ability to tackle and cure once and for all this deadly illness.

Nearly 50 million people all over the world suffer from Alzheimer’s and a disproportionate amount of them are women. These figures are only expected to rise with the growing population. Alzheimer’s typically affects individuals over the age of 65, more rarely those above 50, but a certain kind of Alzheimer’s can affect individuals much younger, young as even 15, though it extremely rare.

Symptoms

Alzheimer’s begins with the rather forgettable symptom of short term memory loss - something which everyone experiences, especially as they grow older. This rather serious beginning in innocent disguise makes us overlook the possibility of a serious neurodegenerative disease. Everyone forgets things every once in awhile, right? But this is soon followed by a significant decline in cognitive ability: communication ability can be disrupted, the victim can have difficulty having a sense of place, that is, he or she can lose their way, mundane tasks become difficult and so on and so forth.

Since the illness is so deadly, and since it has no cure, it is best to take whatever measures possible to prevent its occurrence or at least delay it. Your diet can have an impact on the likelihood of Alzheimer’s occurring as well.

Here are some foods and substances that are believed to fight against Alzheimer’s:

1. Spinach and Other Green Leafy Veggies

The research going into Alzheimer’s is plentiful, a very positive thing, and studies have learned that leafy vegetables seem to reduce the chances of it occurring. This may be because greens are rich in minerals and vitamins. Spinach is a great source of many vitamins and a whole host of other nutrients.

2. Coffee

Coffee is now, with growing conviction, believed to be a therapeutic in the fight against Alzheimer’s. The belief is that coffee consumption over a period of years can reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer’s and that the elderly in particular benefit from drinking coffee. While this may now be true, don’t overdo it! Coffee in large doses can cause problems, so make sure you moderate your consumption, or the consumption of whomever this article is intended to benefit.

3. Olive Oil

It is believed that the antioxidants present in extra virgin olive oil boosts the brain’s learning and memory. This is particularly effective for those whose brain function is in decline. A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease presented this interesting piece of information. Olive oil is also very beneficial to other parts of the body, especially the heart. All the more reason to use it!

4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

You would have heard a lot about the wonder substance called omega-3 fatty acids. This has become all the rage in the diet world, because of the sheer number and potency of the benefits it has to offer. Omega-3s are necessary for healthy brain development so it is thought to fight against the progression of Alzheimer’s. Sources of Omega-3 fatty acids are Flaxseeds, olive oil and nuts.

Being incurable, every measure needs to be taken to delay or prevent Alzheimer's. Keep this diet regulation in mind!