New Delhi: Alzheimer’s disease is unfortunately becoming more common than it once was. This condition, which is the most common form of dementia, is characterised by loss of memory and an inability to carry out everyday tasks. This condition affects mental health and is likely to cause a great deal of distress as well on a daily basis. And to make matters worse, doctors note that there is no cure for the condition; and despite years of research, the root cause remains unknown. However, prevention is always said to be better than cure; and researchers have noted that there is a simple solution to this as well – turns out, that eating only half a spoon of olive oil can cut Alzheimer’s disease risk by 28%.
How does eating olive oil fight Alzheimer’s risk?
According to a study, eating more than half a tablespoon of olive oil in a day can cut Alzheimer’s disease risk by 28%. This effect is not prominent in people who do not include the source of healthy fats in their diet. The study also found that switching mayonnaise or margarine with a spoon of olive oil can help reduce the death risk due to dementia by 8%. The results are consistent irrespective of genetics and diet.
The study tracked 92383 adults with an average age of 56 years for 28 years. Every four years, they were asked how often and how much olive oil they included in their diet. Apart from the overall risk, the study found that the link was more prominent in women than in men. Olive oil is known to have several health benefits because of its inherent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and heart-friendly fats. Therefore, this food item is nothing short of medicine that can be relied upon for protecting the mind and body against chronic and acute health problems.
What are the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease?
Researchers have found that Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are the leading causes of death in UK women in 2023. In men, coronary heart disease was a leading cause of death. The symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are:
- Loss of memory
- Forgetting familiar people and routes
- Difficulty in finding the right words in a conversation
- Poor judgement
- Mood swings
- Time management difficulties
- Sleep problems
- Seizures
