How to increase brain power in senior citizens?

Question

Hello doctor,

My grandfather has grown very old and his cognitive abilities have started declining over the past couple of years. He has been forgetting basic things and getting confused easily. What diet should be given to him to improve his cognitive functions? What are the brain-healthy foods?

Please help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I went through your query.

Evidence is now accumulating that supports a link between diet and brain processes such as our thinking, or cognitive, skills. Specific nutrients in food such as omega-3 fatty acids, flavonoids, vitamins B, D, and E, and choline have been associated with improved cognitive function in older people. Such dietary factors can affect the way our brain cells communicate and this may be the reason for the effects on cognitive function.

These are examples of foods that these nutrients are found in:

1. Omega-3 fatty acids are in salmon, kiwi fruit, and walnuts.

2. Flavonoids are in citrus fruit, dark chocolate, and wine.

3. Vitamin D is present in oily fish, egg yolk, and milk. Some breakfast cereals are fortified with this vitamin.

4. Vitamin E is in olive oil, nuts, seeds, and wheat germ.

5. Choline is in eggs, dairy products, nuts, cod, prawns, and canned salmon.

More recently, researchers have been interested in the effects of dietary pattern rather than specific food components and their nutrients.

One dietary pattern that has repeatedly shown positive effects on health is the Mediterranean diet, traditional in olive-growing regions of the Mediterranean. In the 1960s, people from these regions had very high life expectancy and low rates of coronary heart disease and certain cancers. The diet is characterized by:

1. High intake of fruit, vegetables, cereals, or cereal-based foods (for example wheat, oats, corn, rice) and legumes (for example peas, beans, lentils).

2. Moderate intake of alcohol (usually wine) and fish.

3. Low-to-moderate intake of dairy products.

4. Low intake of meat (red and poultry).

5. A high monounsaturated to saturated fat ratio, which can be achieved through high consumption of olive oil rather than other fats

This type of diet helps avoid high levels of saturated fat as it is not rich in components such as butter, other dairy products, palm oil, and meat.

While the general health benefits of this diet are already recognized, research is now also indicating that increased adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with better cognitive functioning in old age and lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Hope it helps.

Thank you.