Dementia is a chronic brain disorder that touches many lives at an older age.
The numbers and severity of this disease are overwhelming, especially when there is no known cure in modern medicine.
However, there may be hope.
Success stories from real people show that in some cases diet may help reverse dementia naturally; and in many cases it can prevent or slow down the progression of dementia.
It’s welcome news considering how scary the symptoms of this disease can be, namely memory loss and the inability to recognize loved ones.
Worldwide the number of dementia patients was listed at 47 million in 2017, and this number is expected to grow to 75 million by 2030 and triple by 2050, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
At age 83, Sylvia Hatzer was one of these millions of people. She diagnosed with multifactorial Alzheimer’s disease that triggered epileptic fits in 2016. Her family noticed her condition when she started to forget birthdays and important events in her family’s life, reported iHeart Radio.
At her lowest, she could not recognize her 50-year-old son Mark. She even called the police claiming she was kidnapped by him. She had to be admitted to a hospital to keep her safe from herself.
“We were both living a nightmare we couldn’t wake up from,” Mark wrote for the Alzheimer’s Society in England.
The doctors prescribed her different medications, but it just barely slowed down the disease’s progression. Mark refused to give on his mother, and this is when he decided to try something different.
“Overnight we went from being a happy family to a family in crisis. Alzheimer’s was consuming our every moment and we had to fight back before it was too late,” Mark wrote.
After researching alternative methods of treating dementia, Mark came across scientific evidence that diet can reverse dementia naturally—certain brain-boosting foods, when taken consistently, can go to work on healing the symptoms of this condition.
These healing foods are now recommended by the Alzheimer’s Society.
After changing her diet, Sylvia’s health for the first time in years showed big positive changes.
“I slowly got my mum back. Her memory is improving all the time. She is more alert and engaged. She is basically her old self again. And I am truly grateful,” Mark wrote.
Here is how he got her back.
Diet Can Reverse Dementia Naturally: Brain Foods
New research has been gently shifting focus to exploring if diet can reverse dementia naturally.
Consuming foods that promote brain health can also help prevent dementia and slow it down.
“…Eating a healthy, balanced diet can reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and stroke, so it’s likely eating healthily is a good way to look after the health of your brain too,” said Dr. Doug Brown, chief policy and research officer at the Alzheimer’s Society,
- Blueberries have been shown to boost memory with their unique anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, reported BBC. They are able to heal the parts of the brain that control memory and learning abilities. Other berries help as well, specifically blackberries and strawberries.
- Leafy green vegetables such as spinach and kale nourish the brain (although the latter two contain oxalates, so it is important not to eat them too much if you notice any brain fog or other similar effects).
- Other brain healing foods include sweet potatoes and carrots.
- In addition, many others have seen success with coconut oil, which provides the brain with medium-chain fatty acids to use as an alternate fuel source to glucose from carbs and sugar.
- Avocados, wild caught fish from a pristine source and other clean sources of healthy fat can also be helpful.
“Everyone knows about fish but there are also blueberries, strawberries, Brazil nuts and walnuts – these are apparently shaped like a brain to give us a sign that they are good for the brain,” Mark said according to Mirror.co.UK.
Avoid Health-Harming Foods to Prevent Dementia
While diet can reverse dementia naturally by consuming nourishing foods, it is equally important to eliminate foods that hurt your brain health.
- These include refined sugars and sugary drinks
- Fried food
- Fast food and processed food
- Sugary foods: cakes, candy, and more.
Engage In These Activities to Slow Down Dementia
Often people with chronic disease separate themselves from others and refuse to participate in usual activities thinking that they are too late. As we see from Sylvia’s story, that is not the case.
Diet can reverse dementia naturally, or at least slow it down, but a dementia patient need to engage in other healthy activities as well.
While results will vary case to case, making sure a dementia patient stays active both physically and mentally is vital.
- Walk regularly
- Get plenty of sleep
- Keep in contact with people, avoid isolation
- Play memory games and crossword puzzles