Ways we can fight Obesity and Alzheimers in every day Life

Fighting Alzheimers and Dementia

It is distressing to admit that most of us know someone, or the family member of somene we know, who is suffering from Alzheimers. I know at least two people, possibly a third also in this category, and of two people who had the disease but have since died.

Partly because of this, but also because I want to do as much as I can to prevent myself succumbing to this, I have been and continue to do research on ways we can ALL prevent, minimise and even possibly reverse according to at least one specialist doctor, this major fear for so many today.I would recommend the book Memory Makeover by Doctor Wes Youngberg, who's various talks on the subject have impressed me.

You may recall that I mentioned a couple of articles ago that I was determined to seek out and research positive information and reports. And immediately the response I found from the simple question "Foods to aid halting or reversing dementia" were absolutely amazing. So sit back, hold onto your hats and join me for the ride.

As happens most days, I was thinking about this question this morning and I couldn't help remembering how, when I was growing up, my uncle and his wife had my aunt's father staying with them.

He was a lovely man, very gentle and kind and from a pre-teen's point of view pretty normal. Except that every now and again he would be back in the war, the first big one I think. Never bad memories on the occcasions when I was there, but funny tales he loved to talk about. But back then it was called Senile Dementia.

He was the only person I knew, or even know of, with this kind of disease until I was an adult. Then it was someone I heard of who would wander off forgetting who they were, where they were, often being brought home by a neighbour.

What I am trying to illustrate here is that it seems to be a very modern illness. 

And I can't help but wonder WHY?

Why is it so prevalent today? 

The research I have become pretty much addicted to, is telling be that a lot of it is due to LIFESTYLE. And I hate that as it basically means that I am my own worst enemy healthwise.

Until the last 20-30 years most of us shopped every week, or day, went home weighed down with veggies, fruit, pulses, with meat and dairy to make our food appetising and to add interest. For me, and many others, we walked or caught the bus, or train. We didn't really exercise as such, unless in training for something. 

But that all changed so gradually we didn't really notice until it was much too late. We were gradually introduced to fast foods, convenience foods, ultra processed foods. 

I certainly hadn't put all this together when I made my decision to change my own lifestyle and my eating regime. But after several weeks of research into why I seemed unable to reduce the amount of extra weight I was carrying; my conclusions had solidified in my mind. One of my new favourite sources of knowledge are the many recipes online, in almost every category you can think of, that have helped me find ways to stop overeating. Little things like buying a very pretty, smaller plate for my meals ($2 at my local church trading table). 

Thinking about this, as it seems to be working, (81.3kg today, another 1.2kg since last month), I have decided it is because, even though it has to do with us telling ourselves we will eat smaller meals; if we keep using the same plate, even good intentions don't work, as I think most of us eat what is on our plate and we tend to fill plates when we are dishing up. We are half way through winter here, so I bought some seedlings of my fave veggies, so that I can, when they are grown, freeze them without the additives used by our food manufacturers. This fills my freezer with food that hasn't cost me the horrrendous increases in price we are all facing today. Two pluses, lower costs and lower additives in my diet.

I found a great recipe this morning which I will be cooking today, Chicken Thighs with Israeli Couscous and Kale. (thanks to 24-30 minute meals to combat Alzheimers). 

Ingredients

1 1/2 tsp dried Thyme 1 1/2 tsp ground Cumin 1/4 tsp each salt & pepper 4 Large Chicken Thighs (I'm using two to give me two meals) 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil (I don't have any so am using vegetable oil) 1 med onion sliced 1 cup Israeli Couscous 2 cloves garlic, minced (I am using mashed garlic in a jar 4 cups thinly sliced Kale 2 cups Chicken stock/broth

Method

Combine thyme, cumin s&p in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of thighs with half the spice. Heat oil in heavy skillet over med, high heat, add chicken, cook till golden brown, transfer to plate. Add remaining oil & onion to saucepan, cook, stirring, till beginning to soften, 2-4 min. Stir in Couscous and garlic and cook till lightly toasted, 1-2 min. Add Kale & remaining spices. cook, stirring till kale wilts, 1-2 mins. Pour in broth/stock and juices from chicken, then nestle chicken into couscous. Reduce heat to med low, cover and cook till chicken cooked through and couscous tender, 10-12 mins. Serve.

If you use the four chicken thighs you can easily feed a family of four, and if you add some fresh veggies (or frozen if cheaper this week) your meal will be ready in just a half hour, also if you can manage an ice cream or similar for the littlies, you will have a family with full tummies.

Not exactly a takeaway, but something most of us can enjoy, and cook when we get home from work without spending the whole evening in the kitchen.

I will be adding cauliflower, broccoli, carrots cut in small cubes and peas to mine as I love these veggies.

By the way, I just found another recipe, Chickpea and coconut curry, which I will be sampling in a day or two, having bought chickpeas this week.

Enjoy your progress and keep the battle going.