1. Supplement folic acid and vitamin B12
The occurrence of senile dementia is related to the deficiency of folic acid and vitamin B12 in the body. The content of homocysteine in the blood of patients with senile dementia is particularly high. Since folic acid and vitamin B12 can reduce the content of homocysteine in the body, supplementing folic acid and vitamin B12 helps prevent the occurrence of senile dementia. In addition to animal foods such as meat, eggs, milk, fish, and shrimp, fermented soy products can also produce a large amount of vitamin B12, especially stinky tofu which has a higher content.
1. Eat soybeans
Soybeans contain rich active substances such as isoflavones, saponins, and oligosaccharides. Soybean isoflavones have a certain brain health effect. Their chemical properties are extremely stable and their structure is not destroyed or affected by cooking methods. Therefore, regularly consuming soybean products can not only obtain sufficient plant protein, prevent dyslipidemia and arteriosclerosis, but also have anti-cancer and prevent senile dementia effects.
2. Eat fish or supplement fish oil
Healthy elderly people have much higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids (especially docosahexaenoic acid, DHA) in their blood compared to dementia patients. This fatty acid is abundant in fish and can also prevent the occurrence of heart disease. Therefore, eating more fish, especially oily fish such as salmon, trout, and squid, can effectively prevent dementia and heart disease.
Two. Increase intake of lecithin
The lack of acetylcholine is the main cause of senile dementia, and lecithin is the raw material for the conversion of acetylcholine in the brain. People can prevent senile dementia by consuming lecithin from food. In people's diets, soybeans and their products, fish brains, egg yolks, pig liver, sesame seeds, yams, mushrooms, peanuts, etc. are all natural foods rich in lecithin. After intake, they can provide beneficial nutrients to the brain, improve intelligence, and delay cognitive decline.
Three. Increase intake of unsaturated fatty acids and vitamins
A high unsaturated fatty acid, low salt, low-fat diet helps prevent cardiovascular disease, and vitamins, especially vitamin E and vitamin C, have the functions of scavenging free radicals and delaying aging. Pear, kiwi, fresh dates, strawberries, kumquats, peppers, green garlic, bok choy, spinach, and other fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamin C. Wheat germ, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, sesame oil, corn oil, peas, sweet potatoes, poultry eggs, butter, etc. are rich in vitamin E.
Four. Reduce intake of aluminum and copper
Research has found that excessive intake of aluminum and copper can easily induce senile dementia. Our food does not contain too much aluminum, but some food additives often contain aluminum, such as household yeast, pickled food fixatives, cheese, and soda crackers. Although the amount is not large, it is worth noting for the elderly and should not be consumed for a long time or in large quantities.
The aluminum content in drinking water should not be ignored either. Surface water does not contain much aluminum, but increasingly severe acid rain in recent years can dissolve aluminum into water, resulting in excessive aluminum intake. Many modern cooking utensils are made of aluminum, and storing over-acidic or over-salty foods in them for a long time can also increase aluminum intake in the body. The elderly must pay attention to avoiding these factors that cause excessive aluminum intake in their daily lives.
In addition, middle-aged and elderly people should eat more foods rich in zinc, manganese, selenium, germanium, such as seafood, shellfish, fish, dairy products, legumes, nuts, garlic, mushrooms, etc., which are very beneficial for preventing senile dementia.
