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Chartered psychologist, nutritionist and former Bake Off star Kimberley Wilson shares the simple steps that we can all take to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease
Dementia can sometimes feel like a cruel, inevitable part of old age, yet we can do more to prevent it than we realise. “A Lancet commission found that 45% of dementia cases globally can be delayed or prevented by eliminating lifestyle-associated risk factors,” says chartered psychologist and nutritionist Kimberley Wilson, a former The Great British Bake Off finalist.
“It’s a condition that most people are frightened of but strangely it’s the one that most people don’t think they can do anything about,” she says. “If you ask someone on the street how they could prevent cancer, they’d say ‘I can cut down on drinking or smoking’. With dementia, people say, ‘I hope I’m lucky’.”
So what does dementia really mean? “It’s is an umbrella term for a range of conditions,” she explains. “Underneath sits Alzheimer’s which counts for 60% of dementia cases. Women have twice the risk, compared to men. The second most common, vascular dementia, occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted, which damages brain cells.
Other types include frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which affects the frontal and temporal lobes – Bruce Willis’s diagnosis helped raise awareness of this type. “There is no cure for Alzheimer’s, but there is evidence that there are things we can do to prevent it,” says Kimberley. Here she suggests some easy ways we can all start to reduce our chances of Alzheimer’s today.
Boost your B vitamins
This group of vitamins, derived from meat, dairy, legumes, leafy green vegetables, mushrooms, some whole grains and fortified breakfast cereals, is critical for brain health. “B12 and folate (vitamin B9) are important for the brain – B12 deficiency can mimic dementia,” says Kimberley.
Consuming omega-3 fatty acids may be the key to maximising the impact of vitamin B on the brain. Researchers studying 250 older people with mild cognitive impairment gave them B vitamins or a placebo for two years.
They found that people who had high levels of omega-3 in their blood who then took vitamin B performed better at thinking and memory tests compared to those who didn’t take vitamin B or had low omega-3 levels.
A Mediterranean-style diet of fresh fruit, vegetables, legumes, leafy greens and oily fish can ensure that you’re hitting your targets for B vitamins and omega-3. “Most data supports getting nutrients from whole foods because they work in synergy. Your brain needs a wide range of nutrients – B vitamins, iron, iodine and vitamin C,” Kimberley says. There is an exception for plant-based eaters. “The Vegan Society recommends supplementing with vitamin B12.”
Start doing exercise
“Exercise of any kind is good for the brain,” she says. “You’ve 400 miles of blood vessels in your brain and anything that keeps your blood vessels healthy will help your brain.
“Resistance training – any activity in which you’re using your muscles to build strength – can be particularly beneficial. A study showed that for older women – half doing stretching three times a week, half doing resistance, such as kettle bells and press ups – the resistance training group had smaller lesions and areas of damage in the brain as a result of the exercise.”
Give up smoking
Smoking can increase your risk. “It’s largely to do with the toxins in cigarette smoke that trigger inflammation and damage blood vessels,” says Kimberley. “The next one is alcohol consumption. We think 10% of dementia cases are caused by alcohol-related brain damage as it’s a neurotoxin, which means it damages nerves.”
Drink more coffee
“Coffee consumption – up to 400mg of caffeine a day – is associated with better brain ageing as caffeine upregulates an enzyme that’s protective against Alzheimer’s,” Kimberley says. “Coffee is also rich in polyphenols, antioxidant compounds that support blood vessels.”
Learn new skills
Is doing a daily crossword going to make any impact on brain health? “Things like sudoku and crosswords are fun but they’re not giving the brain the challenge it requires,” Kimberley says. “It’s learning something new that’s the challenge, such as riding a bike, learning to dance, play an instrument or a new language – anything to build new connections in the brain.”
Tackle brain fog
“M&S research found 75% of Brits suffer from brain fog. It can mean anything from finding it difficult to access a piece of information and remember something to feeling a bit cloudy in your mind,” says Kimberley. “We think it’s associated with inflammation in the body, which can trigger inflammation in the brain. Some you can’t help, caused by long-term chronic illness, for instance, but other sources of inflammation, such as smoking and excessive alcohol, we can.
“Regular exercise over time lowers inflammation, as does eating a wholefood diet rich in omega-3s, as the fatty acid becomes the switch to turn off inflammation.”
M&S Food has launched its British Nutrition Foundation-approved Brain Food range of snacks and salads, marksandspencer.com