Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia among older adults, although it can often appear at a very young age as it may go unnoticed. Dementia, in particular, is a brain disorder that severely affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities.
This neurodegenerative disease begins slowly, affecting areas of the brain that control thinking, memory, and language, diminishing the intellectual capacity of the person suffering from it compared to their previous abilities.
Juebin Huang, a physician in the Department of Neurology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, emphasizes that Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive condition, characterized by an inexorable loss of mental functions, degeneration of brain tissue, accumulation of an abnormal protein called beta-amyloid, and the development of neurofibrillary tangles.
Early symptoms
In fact, an early symptom is forgetting recent events, followed by confusion, cognitive function impairment, and problems in using and understanding language and carrying out daily activities. Although the first symptoms usually appear after the age of 60, they become more pronounced as the person ages. The risk is even higher if there are family members who have had this disease.
However, although the causes of the disease are unknown, genetic factors play an important role: 5-15% of cases are hereditary. Several anomalies in specific genes are involved. Some of these anomalies are inherited, even if only one parent has the abnormal gene.
As such, there is no treatment for this disease, but it is possible to manage and prevent its subsequent ravages. When the medical condition reaches an advanced stage, in some cases it can be irreversible and can lead to more severe effects, such as dehydration or vulnerability to infections.
For this reason, specialists and health experts recommend good lifestyle habits throughout life to mitigate the early onset of this serious pathology. Ideally, one should have a healthy diet rich in vitamins and minerals, engage in frequent mental activity, and avoid smoking and alcohol consumption, among other things.
Three fruits to consume to prevent Alzheimer’s disease
The consumption of fruits and vegetables should be a necessity in a good diet, being a priority in the diet of any person, regardless of their age. This is because these foods help the body receive vitamins, minerals, fiber, and many other benefits that are fundamental in preventing diseases in the future.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly recommended consuming at least 400 grams of fruits each day, just like vegetables, which are also very healthy to include in a balanced diet, allowing the person who consumes them to lead a much healthier life and reduce the risk of suffering from various diseases, as well as to intervene in the proper functioning and care of the body.
Some options such as broccoli, cabbage, spinach, beets, eggplants, and peppers are the most suitable vegetables for improving preventive capacity. Regarding fruits, plums, blackberries, grapes, cherries, and blueberries stand out.
A portion of berries provides large amounts of flavonoids. Frequent consumption can reverse deterioration to such an extent that memory is revitalized as if the person were two years younger. Among the variety of products, berries and blueberries stand out.
