CATEGORY: HEALTH & WELLNESS
Food and lifestyles that Helps prevent Alzheimer's Disease
Foods That Help Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease
Food is an important part of our everyday life, and what we eat has a huge impact on our overall health. A healthy diet incorporates nutrients that provide the body with the fuel that it needs to function well. For individuals with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, there isn’t a specific diet to follow, but there are foods and behaviours that can help keep the brain and body strong.
At Livita Barrie retirement homes, our caregivers make sure that your loved ones are eating the foods that will keep them healthy and energized. Eating is an exciting time of day, and we
Eat the Rainbow
- Blue and Purple: This color is packed to the brim with antioxidants, which has countless health benefits. Grapes, plums, and blueberries make great snacks and purple cabbage can be incorporated into many meals
- Green: Add vegetables into your everyday diet by going green. With advantages for your bones, teeth, vision, and your brain, choose from a wide selection of green foods, such as green apples and grapes, kale, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, zucchini, and many more.
- White/Tan/Brown: From potatoes to turnips to garlic, elevate your meal by including one of these colours into your diet.
- Orange and Yellow: Feel bright and happy by including the colours of sunshine on your plate with cantaloupe, papaya, oranges, squash, lemons, or yellow peppers
- Red: Get creative by adding the following fruits and vegetables into one of your meals: beets, raspberries, tomatoes, radishes, watermelon, beets, or rhubarb.
Get Involved Cooking Your Meals
While Alzheimer’s can affect your memory, which makes caregivers want to keep your loved ones out of harm’s way, there are so many benefits to consider. Studies have shown that allowing individuals with Alzheimer’s or dementia in senior living to cook can have the following results:
- Cooking is considered a stress-relieving activity, for both caregivers and retirement residents, which improves care, living conditions, and stress levels.
- Moderate, everyday activities, such as cooking and washing up, can reduce the risk of or prevent the deepening of symptoms for Alzheimer’s.
- By staying active and continuing to use basic motor functions through cooking, people with Alzheimer’s can maintain their skills and independence for longer.
- The Montessori Method is for those suffering from Alzheimer’s and involves engaging them using all five senses, and cooking is the perfect way to do so.
Add Some Spice to Your Life
It is common for medication to impact Alzheimer’s patients’ taste, which can make eating no longer fun. To keep food engaging, and increase the chance of elderly adults eating it, our retirement community gets creative with the spices that are added to dishes. Herbs, nuts, olives, and other spices are even a healthy add-on, as they provide the body with different nutrients and fats that it needs.
Spices are also an excellent alternative to adding salt to meals, which increases the sodium content and affects blood pressure negatively. This is one of many easy substitutions that can make a difference. Put the salt down and spice it up.
Learn More About Brain Food
A happy brain is a nourished one. Making sure your loved ones are properly taken care of and fed is a priority at Livita Retirement Residences.
This Brain Food Healh Guide provides more examples of foods that are proven to be effective in keeping the brain healthier and happier for aging individuals. Check it out to learn more about portion sizes, foods to stay away from, and tips and tricks for cooking processes.
Staying Healthy with Livita
At Livita Barrie, we strive to create an environment where all our elderly residents are comfortable, taken care of, and feel at home. Home is where the heart is, and we know food is the way to someone’s heart, which is why we take pride in cooking meals that encourage a healthy mind and body for all our residents.
To learn more about our Barrie retirement community and the amenities offered, feel free to give us a call to speak with a Livita representative or visit our website. We are excited to welcome you or your loved ones to our community.
