Eight Things to Avoid for People With Dementia
Proper nutrition is the building block for which our bodies fight disease. Therefore, it only stands to reason that knowing what NOT to eat as well as how NOT to prepare your food is the first step in fighting the affects of Dementia. These eight steps can assist you in deciding what you should and shouldn’t put in your mouth.
1) Say No to Milk - Anyone with Dementia should avoid dairy milk. Instead, they should seek out their dairy needs from other sources such as soy, rice, goats and almonds.
2) No Red Meat - All forms of red meat and processed meats such as hot dogs or sausages should be eliminated from the diet. Instead, seek protein from alternate sources such as soy, alfalfa sprouts or fish. The best fish includes salmon, cod, tuna and sardines are an excellent source for high quality Omega 3 Fatty Acids which are highly beneficial to the body.
3) No Fast Food - While we all enjoy fried chicken, French fries and other deep fried delectables, these should all be eliminated from the diet. Not only are they high in fat, the saturated oil they are fried in contains free radical agents that affect the body in a negative way.
4) Beer or Wine - All alcohol consumption should be limited. In France, a recent study showed that those partaking in one or two glasses of red wine per day were able to fight stress more diligently. The reason for this beneficial reaction is the antioxidant activity in theoligomeric proanthocyanidin substances found in the wine.
5) Ban Sugar - It is highly beneficial to eliminate all foods containing refined sugars. These foods include cookies, cakes donuts and brownies. In addition, foods containing Equal/NutraSweet/Saccharin and Aspartame are potentially harmful and should be eliminated as well.
6) No Licorice - Although the sweet taste of licorice is a very amongst most everyone, it should be eliminated from the diet. Unfortunately, this tasty treat potentiates cortisol which then leads to compromised potassium intake which can than lead to hypokalemia.
7) Be Happy - Stress can be harmful to the body in many ways including cortisol, which mentioned above compromises potassium intake. In addition, it is very important not to inflict undue stress on the body with things such as red meat, caffeine, refined sugar, processed foods and nicotine.
No Aluminum! - Don’t cook with any materials made from aluminum. That means no pots, pans or ladles made with aluminum. There has been significant speculation that an intake of aluminum from foods, antacids, cookware or antiperspirants may play a role in contracting Alzheimers disease, a cortical type of dementia.