It seems that the first health concern as we age, even before cardiovascular disease and cancer, is cognitive health. Good news, studies show that prevention through healthy lifestyle habits has a very big impact on reducing the risk of nerve degeneration.

A recent study, published on August 21, 2018, shows a perfect correlation between cardiovascular health levels and reduced risk of dementia. This means that the better your cardiovascular health, the lower your risk of dementia as you get older. This study by the University of Bordeaux involved 6,626 people with an average age of 73.7 years which lasted 16 years. Study participants were followed for seven (7) indicators of good cardiovascular health: no smoking, having optimal body weight, physical activity, diet, cholesterol and blood glucose, as well as blood pressure. The study shows that for each indicator present at an optimal level, the risk of dementia was reduced by 10%. If all the indicators were at an optimal level, the risk reduction was 70%. In other words, every facet of health that improves cardiovascular health also reduces the risk of dementia as we age.

More specifically for food, a study has shown a reduction in the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 54%: the MIND diet (for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay). This diet favors foods already recognized for their high nutritional quality (leafy green vegetables, whole grains, berries, nuts and fish).

Here are the main recommendations:

  • Leafy green vegetables: at least 6 servings/week;
  • Whole grains: at least 3 servings/day;
  • Nuts: at least 5 servings/week;
  • Berries: at least 2 servings/week;
  • Legumes: at least 3 servings/week;
  • Fish: at least 1 portion/week;
  • Poultry: at least 2 servings/week;
  • Wine: 1 drink/day.

It is also advisable to reduce the consumption of red meat, butter, margarine, cheese, desserts and processed foods as much as possible.

As for Vitoli products, as with many facets of health, it is important to consider the quality of your sleep (Vitoli Sleep), your health in general (Vitoli Healthy Aging) and more precisely Vitoli Memory and Cognitive Health.

Here are the health claims authorized by Health Canada for this product:

  • Helps improve cognitive functions in adults.
  • Helps improve memory in adults.
  • Helps prevent vitamin B12 or vitamin D deficiency
  • Provides antioxidants.

Let us know if you have any questions, it’s always a pleasure to chat with you.

 

Relevant references :

  • Samieri et al, 2018. Association of Cardiovascular Health Level in Older Age With Cognitive Decline and Incident Dementia, JAMA. 2018; 320(7):657-664.
  • Morris, et al, 2015. MIND diet slows cognitive decline with aging. Alzheimers Dement. 2015 Sep;11(9):1015-22.
  • Michael Nehls, 2016. Unified theory of Alzheimer’s disease (UTAD): implications for prevention and curative therapy. J Mol Psychiatry. 2016 Jul 15;4:3.