Dementia Prevention Naturally by Felix Veloso

Author:Felix Veloso
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781459341142
Publisher: Your Nickel's Worth Publishing
Published: 2014-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

• Drink coffee or tea with a whole grain breakfast.

• Drink tea or eat fruit with a plant-based lunch.

• Drink wine or tea with a leisurely Mediterranean diet dinner.

• Eat fruits and vegetables as snacks.

Mindful Micronutrients

“When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.”

~ ANCIENT AYURVEDIC PROVERB

“Diet cures more than the doctor.”

~ MAXIM

Nutritionists differentiate food into broad categories of macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients, further subdivided into carbohydrates, proteins, fats and water, are required in large (macro) amounts to supply the organism with energy and tissue-building substances.

Micronutrients are essential nutrients—predominantly vitamins and trace metals—that are needed in very small (micro) quantities by the body to maintain optimal physiological functions, and by the brain to provide antioxidants to neutralize toxic free radicals produced during normal physiological oxidative activities and from exposure to sunlight, irradiation and environmental pollutants, such as cigarette smoke.

Micronutrients—including microminerals or trace elements such as zinc, magnesium, and selenium, and vitamins like C and E, which are organic compounds not or insufficiently synthesized by the body and therefore must be obtained from diet—possess diverse physiological functions, but most are antioxidants.

A third class of micronutrients is the bioactive compounds found in almost every known plant: phytochemicals. Phytochemicals, particularly polyphenols, are present in most fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and certain edible oils. All are potent antioxidants.

“What are antioxidants?” Sophie puzzled.

“Antioxidants, or anti-oxidation agents, are molecules that inhibit the oxidation—the loss of electrons—of other molecules by binding with free radicals,” I explained.

“What are free radicals?” Sophie asked.

“Free radicals are atoms that have at least one unpaired electron, which makes them highly reactive. Free radicals, when derived from oxygen, are called oxygen-free radicals or reactive oxygen species (ROS), and are the products of normal cellular metabolism. They have both negative and positive health properties. In low or moderate concentrations, ROS combats invading infectious agents, but when there are too many free radicals, the antioxidants in the body are overwhelmed, causing oxidative stress that leads to aging, neurodegeneration and malignancies,” I replied.

“What is oxidation and why is it harmful?” Sophie wondered.

I took my time with my answer, summarizing the following information.

Oxidation is the chemical interaction between oxygen molecules and other substances. Technically, oxidation is defined as the loss of at least one electron when two or more substances interact. Those substances may or may not include oxygen. The opposite of oxidation is reduction—the addition of at least one electron when substances come into contact with each other. In a chemical reaction, the molecule that loses the electron is oxidized and the element that gains the electron is reduced. Oxidation is almost always destructive to both inorganic entities and animate organisms. Corrosion, which is the oxidation of iron, changes the strong metal into weak rust. Oxidation turns fresh colourful produce, like apples and bananas, into unappetizing brownish discolored spoilage after slicing. This harmful oxidative reaction can be inhibited by natural antioxidants like lemon and pineapple juices.

In live organisms, the normal activities of daily living produce free

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