Nutrition plays a critical role when it comes to managing dementia. In many ways, the nutrients that we take determine how well our bodies function and this is true for people with dementia as well. While eating a balanced diet is important for people with dementia, there are food items that can cause a lot of harm to people with dementia. In this article, we tell you all that you need to know about unhealthy food for dementia.
Fried Foods
While fried food can be a delicious treat, people suffering from dementia should avoid eating too much fried food. This is due to the fact that when food is fried, there are chemicals that are released during the process that can make dementia worse. While it is safe to enjoy a fried chicken every now and then, it is wise to cut down on such meals if you have dementia. If you are used to frying food, the trick is to slowly reduce the amount of fried food in your daily diet while at the same time increasing the number of veggies and other healthier food items.
Meat And Cheeses
Meat, especially the kind that is processed can be bad for your loved one if they are suffering from dementia. This is because such processed meats and cheeses contain nitrates which are used to preserve these food items. Nitrates in turn are very harmful to your loved one as they increase the levels of inflammation in the body. The best way to go around this problem is to use fresh meat when you want to make a sandwich for your loved one. Even left-over chicken is better when it comes to making sandwiches rather than using processed meats. You can also opt to use quality cheeses that are typically not preserved using nitrates.
Avoid MSG
MSG or Monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer that is added to many processed food items such as soups, frozen dinners, and many more. This compound however is thought to overstimulate the neurons in the brain, leading to a condition where the neurons do not function as they are supposed to. This in turn may make conditions such as dementia worse, especially if the patient takes too much MSG. One way to avoid this is to eliminate or drastically reduce processed food items from your loved one’s diet. Before buying any food item, read the labels carefully to ensure that the item contains no MSG.
One way to avoid processed food items is to make a proper meal plan for your loved one. This is because people tend to order processed food when they haven’t planned ahead and realize that they cannot prepare a meal for their loved ones.
Refined Carbs
These typically involve food items such as white sugar, refined flours, and much more. These not only put your loved one in danger of obesity but also have a negative impact on dementia management. Refined carbs can also put your loved one at risk of conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
