Most people fear losing their cognitive function and getting Alzheimer’s disease or dementia as they age–it is worth getting scared of. After all, dementia is not an easy disease to live with. However, dementia could also happen due to underlying medical issues like a brain tumor. If the tumor gets detected with the help of MRI, it could be removed with proper treatment, for instance, radiotherapy. Radiotherapy such as gamma knife surgery can treat tumors and lesions in the brain without harming surrounding healthy tissues. These types of treatments could be safe, effective, and painless and can reduce tumor-related symptoms like changes in personality and memory, speech and language disorders, and confusion.
There could be other reasons for dementia as well like damage to brain cells, brain injury, central nervous system infection, etc. The symptoms may include short-term memory problems, communication issues, personality change, depression, agitation, paranoia, and a few more. Those affected by these diseases often can not carry out the tasks of their daily routine. For that, they might need to take the help of others. That is why patients often opt for assisted living centers like this one (Chelsea Senior Living) or in-home caregivers to live a normal life.
Well! All thanks go to those who donate funds to build these types of senior living homes for retired people who require ongoing medical care. Besides, these senior living homes are outfitted with amenities that retired personnel may not have in their own homes, which is why retired personnel prefer to live in these senior living homes. When such houses are constructed, the authorities typically seek the advice of professionals from companies such as lcs development consulting, who can assist them in locating suitable construction sites, financial analysis, development planning, and so on. As a result, they also deserve a lot of credit.
Even though these facilities are quite accessible now a days, it can be understood why people fear getting these diseases. But what if there was an easy way to significantly reduce your risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s? A recent study supports the idea that certain vegetables can reduce cognitive decline. Additionally, keeping your brain stimulated by doing puzzles, quizzes or even learning brain fitness tips could be alternative option to keeping your brain in top form.
The Study:
The study gave 954 participants with an average age of 81 a 144-item food questionnaire. The participants were followed for an average of 4.5 years and were given a battery of 19 cognitive tests every year. The researchers found that green leafy vegetables, like spinach, kale, mustard greens and collards significantly reduced cognitive decline. Quantitatively, the brain age of someone who ate 1- 2 servings of green leafy vegetables was 11 years younger than those who ate none. Not surprisingly then, the researchers expect green leafy vegetables to protect against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
When looking at specific micronutrients, vitamin K, lutein, folate and beta-carotene were found to be the biggest drivers of brain health. No associations were found for lycopene, alpha carotene, or beta-cryptoxanthin.
Conclusion:
This study gives you yet another reason to eat your greens. Making a daily habit of eating a salad is a great way to ensure you eat green leafy vegetables every day. You also could use them in sandwiches, as side dishes or anywhere else. Regardless, find a way to eat at least 1 serving of green leafy vegetables a day!
Citation:
Morris, Martha Clare, et al. “Relations to Cognitive Change with Age of Micronutrients Found in Green Leafy Vegetables.” The FASEB Journal 29.1 Supplement (2015): 260-3.
