Can drinking orange juice every day prevent dementia? Doctors clarify: Unless you do "6 things", the effect will be limited
Drinking orange juice can prevent dementia? The doctor clarified: If you don’t do “these things”, it may be ineffective!
According to reports, drinking a glass of “orange juice” every day is associated with a significantly lower risk of developing dementia. Dr. You Shijie, deputy director of the Department of Neurology at Guangtian General Hospital, said in an exclusive interview that the study was published by Harvard University in the journal “Neurology” in 2018. It conducted a 20-year questionnaire survey on people over 50 years old and found that drinking orange juice every day or drinking orange juice regularly Those who consume fruits and vegetables significantly reduce the risk of dementia by 25-47%.
Dr. You Shijie believes that the research does have its theoretical basis. Consuming more fruits, vegetables or citrus foods has the effect of maintaining good health. However, this news is easily taken out of context, and people easily misunderstand that “just drinking orange juice can prevent dementia.” In fact, without proper work and rest and unhealthy diet, even drinking orange juice every day will be in vain to help brain health. .
Dr. You Shijie explained that there are many causes of dementia, and the common dementia groups in Taiwan can be roughly divided into two categories: degenerative dementia and vascular dementia. The former is caused by Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, etc., while the latter is caused by cerebrovascular diseases. Degenerative dementia can be prevented through correct living habits, especially deep sleep and the development of exercise habits, which have a significant effect on awakening the protective mechanism of the lymphatic system in the brain and removing metabolic waste “β-amyloid” from the brain. . In addition, controlling blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood lipids in patients with three high blood pressure is also crucial to avoid vascular dementia.
How to avoid the risk of brain age decline? “6 Things” to Help Prevent Dementia
Dr. You Shijie further pointed out that people can prevent dementia through six major aspects:
Eat more fruits and vegetables. Citrus fruits mentioned in the above study are rich in vitamin C, nobiletin, flavonoids and other nutrients, which have certain effects on antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and elimination of β-amyloid protein. In addition, you should eat enough 5 kinds of fruits and vegetables every day, mainly in different colors, to ensure the intake of multiple sources of nutrients.
Mediterranean diet. Dr. You Shijie suggests that the usual diet can be changed to a “Mediterranean diet” based on low-temperature cooking and prototype foods. The Mediterranean diet mainly consists of vegetable oils (such as olive oil and vegetable oil) and deep-sea fish rich in Omega-3 (such as mackerel and salmon).
Drink tea/coffee in moderation. According to past research, the flavonoids rich in green tea have a protective effect on cognitive decline, vascular dementia, and various cardiovascular diseases. In addition, some studies believe that drinking coffee and tea together can reduce the chances of stroke and dementia by 32% and 28% respectively. However, coffee and tea contain caffeine, so it is recommended to drink them in moderation to avoid affecting sleep or even causing heart palpitations.
Develop exercise habits. Dr. You Shijie pointed out that there is scientific evidence that more exercise can reduce the occurrence of dementia. However, older middle-aged and elderly people are reminded to avoid taking too strenuous exercise. Follow the “333 principle” for a week (exercise 3 times a week, 30 minutes each time, and the heart rate reaches 130 beats per minute), such as walking, climbing, and Tai Chi. Boxing, gymnastics, and yoga are all possible sports.
Develop cognitive functions. Dr. You Shijie encourages middle-aged and elderly people to play moderately educational games, such as playing mahjong and chess, or learning new knowledge through audio books and radio. In addition, participating in social activities or community classes and making friends can also help improve cognitive function. At present, certain hospitals have also established dementia centers and regularly hold activities or courses, and middle-aged and elderly people can actively participate.
Improve living habits. Those who have the habit of smoking should quit smoking, and those who have three highs should be properly controlled. In addition, exposing yourself to more sunlight when you get up in the morning and getting more than 7 hours of deep sleep at night can not only develop a regular circadian rhythm, but also help remove waste from the brain and reduce the risk of dementia. Middle-aged and elderly people can also supplement vitamin D3 appropriately to maintain the nutrients needed in the body.
Finally, Dr. You Shijie appealed to young people. In recent years, due to Westernized diet and sedentary office workers, the probability of developing dementia among young people may indeed increase. It is recommended that those who have bad habits such as smoking, alcoholism, excessive intake of processed food, reversed day and night, and abnormal work and rest should improve their living habits as soon as possible. Otherwise, the brain age may accelerate and lead to the risk of dementia or vascular diseases.
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