New data suggests a connection between gut health and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
If you aren’t already eating foods that can improve the health of your gut, then you may want to start. That’s because a new study has found a link between gut health and Alzheimer’s Disease.
1. What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. It is a progressive disease beginning with mild memory loss and possibly leading to loss of the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to the environment.
Alzheimer’s disease involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. It can seriously affect a person’s ability to carry out daily activities.
Who has Alzheimer’s Disease?
In 2020, as many as 5.8 million Americans were living with Alzheimer’s disease. Younger people may get Alzheimer’s disease, but it is less common.
The number of people living with the disease doubles every 5 years beyond age 65. This number is projected to nearly triple to 14 million people by 2060.
Symptoms of the disease can first appear after age 60, and the risk increases with age.
What is known about Alzheimer’s Disease?
Scientists do not yet fully understand what causes Alzheimer’s disease. There likely is not a single cause but rather several factors that can affect each person differently.
Age is the best known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.
Family history—researchers believe that genetics may play a role in developing Alzheimer’s disease. However, genes do not equal destiny. A healthy lifestyle may help reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Two large, long term studies indicate that adequate physical activity, a nutritious diet, limited alcohol consumption, and not smoking may help people.
Changes in the brain can begin years before the first symptoms appear.
Researchers are studying whether education, diet, and environment play a role in developing Alzheimer’s disease.
There is growing scientific evidence that healthy behaviors, which have been shown to prevent cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, may also reduce risk for subjective cognitive decline.
What are the warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. Memory problems are typically one of the first warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
In addition to memory problems, someone with symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease may experience one or more of the following:
Memory loss that disrupts daily life, such as getting lost in a familiar place or repeating questions.
Trouble handling money and paying bills.
Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure.
Decreased or poor judgment.
Misplacing things and being unable to retrace steps to find them.
Changes in mood, personality, or behavior.
Even if you or someone you know has several or even most of these signs, it doesn’t mean it’s Alzheimer’s disease.
2. The #1 best eating habit to prevent Alzheimer’s Disease
In research done by Edith Cowan University that was published in Communications Biology, results from multiple studies focused on gut disorders and Alzheimer’s Disease involved around 400,000 participants each. The findings from the ECU study that looked at the overall data showed that people with gut-related issues also face an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.
“These findings are really cool and leave me wanting more,” says Amanda Sauceda, MS, RD. Sauceda also notes, “To me, the study’s big takeaway is the importance of a gut-healthy diet even if we aren’t fully aware of the connections between the gut and Alzheimer’s.”
Sauceda explains that “it’s too early to say that good gut health can prevent Alzheimer’s Disease, but we can say that focusing on your gut can have a wide variety of benefits.”
However, Sauceda adds, “I particularly love that this study emphasizes the importance of diet when it comes to healthy cholesterol/lipids and its role with Alzheimer’s. There’s a common thread with good gut health and healthy cholesterol, and that’s fiber. This means that you can double your efforts by focusing on eating fiber-rich foods.”
If you want to adopt a gut-healthy diet, Sauceda says that “baby steps make a big difference and are better for your gut than making big changes. Your gut likes consistency, if you change things up fast it’ll throw it for a loop,” she explains. On the other hand, “small changes build momentum and give your gut more time to acclimate.”
To start, Sauceda suggests “fiber and variety,” saying, “The majority of people are lacking fiber and your gut microbiome thrives on fiber because it feeds it gut bacteria. Focusing on prebiotic foods can be especially helpful because they have been shown to give us a health benefit. Oats, asparagus, and onions are just a few prebiotic foods.”
As for variety, Sauceda says The American Gut Project has linked variety to “a more diverse gut microbiome.” That’s why you may want to “try picking up a new fruit or veggie or adding a new herb to your pantry.”
Finally, Sauceda says, “There’s no such thing as a perfect gut or one perfect way to eat for your gut. No one will have the same digestion or gut microbiome therefore your gut-friendly foods are unique to you. Listen to your gut and eat foods that feel nourishing to your body and mind.”
Source: Eatthis/CDC!