The Gerontological Society of America’s new book, Insights and Implications in Gerontology: The Critical Role of Nutrition in Brain Health, shows that nutrition can improve cognitive function and reduce the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults. Considers nutritional choices.
Eating a healthy diet is a behavioral strategy that can help prevent the onset of age-related dementia, the publication says. We also report on the role of vitamins and minerals in nutrition and brain function, and focus on how to enable person-centered conversations about the impact of diet and nutrition on overall health, including brain health.
According to Kathryn Porter Starr, Ph.D., RDN at Duke University School of Medicine and Durham VA Medical Center, using a person-centered approach that connects nutrition conversations to patient goals is an effective way to start conversations about diet and health. It’s a strategy. One of the faculty members who oversaw the development of this publication.
“Bringing up the topic of diet and nutrition can be difficult. I start by asking the patient what their goals are,” she said. “These goals can include physical goals such as maintaining muscle mass, cognitive goals such as maintaining memory, and functional goals such as being able to travel or play with grandchildren. Adult Goal Attainment Combining information about nutrition to support “inspiring the motivation to make healthy changes” is an effective strategy. ”
The Mediterranean DASH Dietary Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND diet) is an example of a dietary pattern associated with improved cognition. This eating pattern includes vegetables (especially green leafy vegetables), nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, and vegetables, while limiting red meat, processed meats, butter and margarine, regular cheese, and pastries. Emphasis is placed on the consumption of extra virgin olive oil. Sweets, fried foods, etc. It has been found that people who consume this dietary pattern become 7.5 years younger in terms of cognitive performance. This publication includes details about the MIND diet and other eating patterns that support healthy nutrition.
Ideally, individuals will be able to get all the nutrients they need from their diet. However, the risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies increases with age, so some people may benefit from taking fortified foods and nutritional supplements to improve their nutritional status.
“I hope everyone can get all their micronutrients from food,” Starr said. Unfortunately, for most older people, it is very difficult to do this due to age-related physiological changes and certain diseases that affect absorption, so we recommend multivitamins. is common. ”
Other publishing faculty include Drexel University’s Rose Ann DiMaria Galili, PhD, RN, FASPEN, FAAN, FGSA; Saleen S. Gropper, Ph.D., RDN, LDN, Florida Atlantic University; Dr. Roger A. Fielding of Tufts University School of Medicine; Support for “Insights and Implications in Gerontology: The Critical Role of Nutrition in Brain Health” was provided by Haleon.
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