Do you worry that you are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease because of memory loss and frequent forgetfulness? Alzheimer’s has been described as “a death worse than death” and its incidence is increasing every year. So, who is more likely to develop Alzheimer’s?
A recent study suggests that people with chronic diseases are more likely to develop dementia. Scholars at the University of Paris used data from the large prospective cohort study Whitehall II, involving 10,095 people over 30 years of health data, to analyze the relationship between having a chronic disease and the incidence of dementia. The range of chronic diseases in the study included 13 conditions: coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, liver disease, depression, mental disorders, Parkinson’s disease and arthritis/rheumatoid arthritis. Those with any 2 or more of these were considered to have multiple chronic diseases. The analysis showed that having multiple chronic diseases in middle-aged and older adults (≥55 years) was associated with a 136% increased risk of dementia. In other words, the earlier the age of onset, the stronger the relationship with dementia.
This shows that to prevent dementia, it is important to prevent chronic diseases. Here is a summary of what you need to pay attention to in your diet to prevent chronic diseases, please make sure you remember these 6 groups of numbers!
12 kinds: eat the whole variety every day
Often people ask the question, “what food to eat to fight aging” “what food to eat to lower blood sugar” …… actually this is some misconceptions. The nutrients contained in various foods are not exactly the same, and it is difficult to meet the needs of the body by one or simply a few foods. Therefore, we should try to consume all kinds of food in a reasonable proportion and as widely as possible. In addition to cooking oil and condiments, dietary guidelines recommend that more than 12 types of foods per day and 25 types of foods per week should be consumed. Among the specific recommended criteria are.
The average number of food varieties of cereals, potatoes, and mixed legumes is more than 3 per day and more than 5 per week.
The average number of food varieties of vegetables, mushrooms and algae and fruits is more than 4 per day and more than 10 per week
The average number of food varieties of fish, eggs, poultry and animal meat is more than 3 per day and more than 5 per week
The average number of food varieties of milk, soy, and nuts is 2 or more per day and 5 or more per week.
25 grams: eat enough dietary fiber
Dietary fiber has a preventive effect on many chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, stroke, obesity, etc. Oats, buckwheat, mung beans, red beans and other mixed beans and coarse grains, as well as kelp, konjac and fresh vegetables are foods rich in dietary fiber.
In terms of serving size, eat 25 grams of oats for breakfast, eat mixed rice for lunch, or replace half of the staple food with a small piece of sweet potato, reduce the fine staple food for dinner, with a corn, plus 2 plates of leafy greens and a fruit throughout the day, basically to meet the amount of dietary fiber needed for the day.
300 ml: eat enough dairy products
In addition to being rich in high-quality protein and vitamins, milk is high in calcium and has a high utilization rate. Many current studies have shown that calcium has a unique role in the prevention of chronic diseases such as hypertension.
It is recommended to ensure a daily intake of 300 ml of milk and milk products.
25 grams: Eat enough soybeans
Consuming soy can help prevent many chronic diseases. Soy is the only high-protein food among plant foods that is comparable to animal foods. Soy lecithin has the effect of promoting fat metabolism in the liver and preventing the formation of fatty liver. The plant sterols in soy can inhibit the absorption of animal cholesterol, and soy isoflavones have certain antioxidant effects.
In terms of quantity, the Chinese Nutrition Society recommends eating 25 grams of soybeans (raw weight) and above per day, specifically in terms of the weight of soy products, which is 25 grams of soybeans equivalent to 72 grams of northern tofu, 140 grams of southern tofu, 365 ml of soy milk, 175 grams of lacto tofu, 55 grams of dried tofu or 40 grams of shredded tofu.
250 grams: Eat enough grains
Cereals are the basic source of dietary energy and should be the basis of our daily meals. You should consume 250-400 grams of cereals and potatoes raw weight per day, including 50-150 grams of whole grains and mixed legumes and 50-100 grams of potatoes.
One pound of vegetables and half a pound of fruits.
Recommended red, yellow and dark green fruits and vegetables
Vegetables and fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and natural antioxidants. It is recommended to use more red, yellow and dark green vegetables and fruits, guided by the principle of variety in consumption, as they are important sources of nutrients such as carotene, vitamin B2 and vitamin C. To prevent the development of chronic diseases, it is recommended that the average adult consume 1 pound of raw weight vegetables (as a main meal) and 1-2 fist-sized volumes of fruit (200-350 grams net weight, as an additional meal) daily.
