Role of vegetables and Fruits in Alzheimer’s disease

 Mental Health
Role of vegetables and Fruits
in Alzheimer’s disease
Starting early in life with a flavonoid rich diet may be important
for brain-health for young people and those in middle age
Lt. Gen. (Retd) Mahmud Ahmed Akhtar

In Pakistan Alzheimer is seriously affecting the health of elderly. As a result, the families suffer along with the elderly. There is no curative medicine. Some of the medicine available may only slow down the progression of the disability. Life-style preventive measures like diets, exercise, music and socialization are effective in preventing physical as well as mental disorders.

Eating colorful fruits and vegetables have been found good for brain and health. A new study, one of largest such analysis to date, has found that flavonoids, the chemical that give plants foods and their bright color, may curb the frustrating forgetfulness and mild confusion that elderly people often complain about health in advancing age, can sometimes produce a diagnosis of dementia. Nicholas Bazaar, a medical journalist, said that the study was observational so it cannot prove cause and effect, though its large size and long duration adds to growing evidence that can affect brain health.

The researchers used data from two large continuing health studies that began in the 1970s and early 1980s in which participants periodically completed diet and health questionnaires for more than 20 years. The analysis included 49,603 women whose average age was 76 and 51,529 men whose average age was 73. The researchers calculated their intake of two dozen commonly consumed flavonoids- which include beta carotene in carrots, flavone in strawberries, anthocyanin in apples and other types in many other fruits and vegetables. The study has been published in the Journal of Neurology.

The degree of subjective cognitive decline was scored using “Yes” or “No” answers to seven questions i.e. do you have trouble in remembering recent events, remembering things from one second to the next, remembering a short list of event items, following spoken instructions, following a group conversation or finding your way around familiar streets and have you found a recent change in your ability in remembering things.

Lt. Gen. (R) Mahmud Ahmad Akhtar

The higher the intake of flavonoids, the researchers four favor the yes answers to the questions compared with the one-fifth with the lowest intake of flavonoids, the one-fifth with the highest were 19 percent less likely to report forgetfulness or confusion.

According to the senior author Dr Deborah Blacker, a Professor of Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health, these long-term finding suggest that starting early in life with a flavonoid rich diet may be important for brain-health for young people and those in middle age, she said that message is that these things are good in general not just for cognition, finding ways that incorporating these things into life is important thing that how to find fresh produce, cooked in a way that is appetizing- that is a part of message here.

The study controlled for diet apart from flavonoids intake, physical activity, alcohol consumption, age, body mass index (BMI) among other factors that may affect the rise of dementia. Paul E. Jacques a senior Scientist at the Jean Mayer United States Agriculture Department Human Nutrition Research Center on Ageing at Tuft University who has no part in the research said that in terms of scientific advance, the study adds to the literature, and it is a really well-done study. It is a medium-sized step, not a large step going in the direction of helping us to identify the early period in which we can intervene successfully and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Blacker pointed at the broader policy issue “if we can make a world in which everyone has access to fresh vegetables and fruits”. She said if so happens, that should help improve many health issues and lengthen life span. Provision of one nutritious meal to child in the school is a way to do this. This is being done in many countries but in Pakistan there is food insecurity. Forty Percent of children are suffering from stunting affecting physical and mental development of children. This not only jeopardizes their future but also of the Nation. Children are the future of the Nation and the Country. Many children are suffering from wasting and micro-nutrients deficiencies. Micro-nutrient deficiencies can be tackled by enriching the basic staple diet with iron and iodine etc. Proper nutrition can also help in solving the problems of obesity which is affecting many children and adults and is creating diseases / disorders like diabetes mellitus, hypertension, fatty liver cirrhosis, hepatoma, heart attacks, strokes, renal failures and malignancies etc.

Diet containing fresh vegetables and fruits prevents physical diseases/disorder and also mental disorder like Alzheimer’s disease. Physical and mental health is co-related in association with other health measures like exercise, good sleep etc. they are helpful in the prevention of diseases including Alzheimer’s which is increasing in incidence and prevalence.

aining fresh vegetables and fruits prevents physical diseases/disorder and also mental disorder like Alzheimer’s disease. Physical and mental health is co-related in association with other health measures like exercise, good sleep etc. they are helpful in the prevention of diseases including Alzheimer’s which is increasing in incidence and prevalence.