If you’ve had a family member or friend touched by dementia, there’s likely been a couple of questions in the back of your brain, such as “Will I get it?” and “Is there anything I can do to prevent it?”
I recently attended a conference put on by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine that featured a presentation by Drs. Dean and Ayesha Serzai, both of Loma Linda University and Medical Center in California, on research and practical approaches to enhancing cognitive resilience through lifestyle. They shared how integrating lifestyle changes can drastically reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases and promote cognitive longevity. With an uncle and father-in-law who both suffered from dementia (as well as several friends), they had my attention!
First, a little about our amazing brain — it weighs three pounds, is 2% of our body weight and consumes 25% of our body’s energy. It has 87 billion neurons and 1 quadrillion connections. Dementia is the umbrella term for loss of memory and other thinking abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life.
Alzheimer’s disease falls under the dementia umbrella. Alzheimer’s disease kills more people than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2024 Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures. Some 57 million people currently live with dementia worldwide. It’s expected 153 million will live with dementia by 2050, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Risk factors include age and gender as well as cardiometabolic health (cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose metabolism) and lifestyle factors of diet, physical activity, smoking, alcohol, and cognitive and social activities.
“Every small implementation of change matters,” said Dr. Dean Serzai.
Here’s what he and his wife have found after pouring through studies and years of research: Choose a more plant-forward diet with whole foods, stop smoking if you do, exercise daily 150 minutes a week (especially your legs), minimize alcohol, use your brain and stay social.
As a dietitian, I’m always interested in how nutrition can affect not only our longevity, but quality of life.
1 – Diets, such as the Mediterranean and MIND diet that embrace more plant-based products, proteins, complex carbohydrates and fiber, and unprocessed foods lead to better brain health. In addition, consuming the right kinds of fat (omega-3s) can maintain brain health. About 57% of the brain is composed of DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, making it important to consume omega-3s. On the other hand, high amounts of saturated fat can damage neurons, said Dr. Ayesha Sherzai, neurologist and co-director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program. Data from the Chicago Health and Aging Project found that those whose diets were high in saturated fats were more likely to develop Alzheimer’s compared with those who consumed fats from plant-based foods.
Another study, the longitudinal Kaiser Permanente Northern California study, followed nearly 10,000 individuals for three decades and found those who had high cholesterol in midlife had a 57% higher risk for developing Alzheimer’s. “Addressing high LDL cholesterol during middle age is vital,” she said. “This includes using statins in high-risk individuals.”
She’s also a big fan of adding green, leafy vegetables to your daily diet.
“Green, leafy vegetables may be the closest thing to so-called superfoods,” she said citing research from investigators in the United Kingdom that determined polyphenols, or plant-based compounds known for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, contributed to brain health.
Regular exercise, particularly to strengthen the legs, also improves brain health, according to Dr. Dean Sherzai, neurologist and co-director of the of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda. Both diet and exercise are critically important for the brain, he said.
“Putting your body in motion increases vasculature of the brain that is essential for better cognitive health throughout the lifespan,” he said, adding it reduces insulin resistance and wards off depression and anxiety. He cited data from the Framingham Heart Study where participants who engaged in a brisk walk for 25 minutes a day reduced their risk for Alzheimer’s by 40%.
In a 2016 study cited by Dr. Sherzai, those who did resistance-based exercise two to three times per week for six months reduced the risk for mild cognitive impairment leading to Alzheimer’s by 47%.
“Don’t skip leg day,” he added. “Bigger legs, bigger brain.”
Here’s a plant-forward recipe to try, perfect for the holidays. It’s from Ina Garten’s “Modern Comfort Food.”
Roasted butternut squash with brown butter & sage
2 pounds butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Finely grated lemon zest
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel the butternut squash, and halve it lengthwise. Remove and discard the seeds, and slice the squash crosswise, ½-inch thick. Place the squash on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Toss together, and spread out the slices in one layer. Roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing occasionally until browned and tender.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small (8-inch) sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sage, red pepper flakes and ¼ teaspoon (each) salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, swirling often until the butter begins to brown and has a nutty aroma. Remove from heat. Place the squash on a serving plate. Gently reheat the brown butter, and spoon it over the squash. Lightly sprinkle lemon zest on top, sprinkle with salt and serve hot.
About
Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Baking/Pastry, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.
Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.