What diet is helpful in prevention from dementia?

I read just today that new research suggests that being bi-lingual helps prevent dementure as it challenges the brain into taking a different viewpoint. English/German was the best example.

I'm on a looser there, as my memory has always been too poor to retain something I don't use everyday. My best bet is another research programme testing the Omega 3 and chocolate theory. Somehow I can remember chocolate!

No it's fine Jane I probably didn't explain myself very well. Yes there are lot of things I would have done differently and I,m sure you understand where I'm coming from, I suppose for both of us it's what seemed best at the time.

Grandma60 It's very hard looking back and thinking of how we might have dealt with things differently, in the light of knowledge that has appeared subsequently.
My mum had dementia too and there are lots of things I wish I'd done, and not done. I felt at the time that I was trying to cope in a fog of ignorance.
I was only commenting on the paper Crun quoted, it wasn't meant as any criticism of what you had done for your mother

Janeainsworth Yes I see where you are coming from. It's just that when I think of the way Mum deteriorated, a lot of her early problems seemed to be linked to her sight. For instance she didn't seem to relate to what she was seeing. if she was shown a family photo to her it was just a piece of paper.I just wonder if any eye problem had been dealt with first she would have had a few more years of quality life before the dementia took hold. Still I shall never know.

Grandma60 Crun's link pointed only to an association between having poor eyesight and not visiting an optician, and an increased risk of dementia.
It could be that people who just put up with poor eyesight and didn't do anything about it, neglected themselves in other ways and perhaps a poor diet, or something else quite different, contributed to the development of their dementia, rather than the poor vision.
It didn't imply that there was a direct causative link, and I am sure that even 25 years ago, opticians did more at routine examinations than just check whether patients' glasses were ok.
I'm willing to be corrected but I don't think a diagnosis of dementia can be made from an eye test, so any intervention and medication is still going to be as a result of the tests that are carried out by GPs.

That's very interesting Crun When my Mother was diagnosed with dementia, which would be about 25 years ago, there did not seem to be testing of dementia that there is now. Her diagnosis was based on her inability to care for herself anymore, confusion about money ( being suddenly unable to count out coins etc) and losing interests in things she used to enjoy, such as knitting sewing and reading. Although she wore glasses I don't believe opticians did anymore than measure the reading strength that was needed. As we were not in a position to care for her at the time we moved her to a nearby care home where she was physically well looked after but nothing was done to stimulate her mind. As I said, this was a long time ago and hopefully things have improved since then. Since I had my Glaucoma and Cataract diagnosis, I have been thinking about this and wonder if more attention had been paid to her eyesight, her quality of life would have lasted much longer. She lived with dementia for 10 years and by the end knew no one, could not walk and was incontinent.

Everyone should try for a fairly healthy diet, but in the end most things are genetic.

A bit off topic, but it seems you might do well not to put off having your eyes tested:
Participants with poorer vision who did not visit an ophthalmologist had a 9.5-fold increased risk of Alzheimer disease

I've nursed all kinds of people with dementia, from university professors, church ministers, and leading lights in local radio to coalmen, and housewives. It is a cruel illness and respects no-one. I don't think that diet plays a very big part in developing the disease. My parents followed the same diet, but only Dad developed dementia.

They still do not know. The brain is still the unsolved mystery. I spent hours of research, and my wife's consultant, put his glasses on his head, threw down his pen, and said "We havent got a clue!". We are living longer, and more are affected because of our longevity, but it seems it is more good luck than any other reason.

Walking, not smoking , learning languages, social contact, very little alcohol.some champagne,singing etc. Or you could just have a good time and die sooner with a heart attack.

Thanks everyone for your suggestion, advice and replies.I have read your comments and they are great. Thanks again for giving your precious time.

Regard,
Alma Causey

The problem with dementia, is that, like cancer or heart disease, it is a compendium term that covers a wide range of illnesses with a shared symptom. It has elements that are genetic, environmental, associated with our chosen life style, the result of problems much earlier in life, accidents of life and many other causes.

Like cancer, doctors can only treat the symptoms, and in the case of dementia there is not much they can do. When it comes to prevention all doctors can do is tell us what we can do to reduce our chances of getting either disease. All we can do is follow their guidelines and hope for the best.

The research team that can find a way of banishing these diseases from human life as we have almost done with polio will get Nobel Prizes galore, but I am not sure that it will ever be possible.

The trouble is they have not addressed the research into Dementia in all its different forms early enough and now so many people are in the 50 -90 age group that lots show signs with whatever forms and they just don't know why yet. The support for carers of people with Demential in some parts of the country is non existent - Cornwall for example - where I have a lovely friend who is battling to care for her husband with little or no support or help - - no funding for it in their area.!

I agree with everyone who said that their relatives led healthy lifestyles and yet still succumbed to dementia it was exactly the same for my Mother. .She lived with it for 10 years from the age of 72 which I would think is relatively young, so I do find it quite worrying. However whenever yet another cause is mentioned in the press nothing they say ever relates to anything that she did or did not do.

The general rule is to eat a well balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, keep your weight within approved limits, take regular exercise and make alcohol an occasional treat.

The NHS guidelines can be found here www.nhs.uk/Conditions/dementia-guide/Pages/dementia-prevention.aspx

Following the guidelines can reduce your chances of getting dementia, but as annsixty shows it cannot ensure that you will not never get it.

I don't know if there is anything you can do to prevent it. My parents were extremely active playing golf 4 times a week into their early 80's, didn't drink, smoke and cooked everything from scratch every day. They both developed dementia in their mid 80's but with very different symptoms. I believe my mum's was eventually brought on by chronic back pain although her grandfather had obviously had it in his later years so it could be in the family. My dad was showing symptoms several years before he was finally diagnosed but we'll never know the real cause of either. Worrying for me really so I just try to stay as healthy as I can and try not to worry about it.

I'm not sure there is any concrete evidence as yet re diet but I suppose excessive alcohol intake wont be helpful and may cause alcoholic dementia. I remember reading broccoli was supposed to be beneficial but I think the official advice is just eat healthily. Its a very sad condition that can happen to anyone and as yet we don't know why.

ann sad but true. If there was anything we knew we could do I guess we would all be doing it.

My H has always eaten healthily,take aways and fast food don't figure in our life. He played sport all his life until getting on for 70 (golf by then) and a moderate drinker not really starting until early middle age.
Professional career and so healthy generally he never went to the GP until the onset of dementia so I don't know what else he could have done. He is 80 next week and still very fit. The answer is to be sensible in everything but to recognise it can happen to anyone.

I have heard that eating coconut oil is very helpful. You fry or bake with it and can even use it on bread in place of butter. It has many different benefits so do a search on it.

what to eat in routine diet can help prevent dementia.

There is evidence that people with type 2 diabetes are more prone to developing dementia, so perhaps one low in sugars and simple carbs?

just a thought