Eat to beat dementiaPage

Purple food. Turmeric. Even coffee...the VERY surprising secrets of nutritionist Jane Clarke’s memory-boosting diet

TeN years ago, I was contacted by a family whose elderly mum was fading away before their eyes. This wonderful lady had dementia, which was causing her difficulties with swallowing that made it hard for her to eat.

The family had been advised to puree her dinners in a blender, but, understandably, their mum didn’t want to eat the grey mush this produced. I’ve been a dietitian for 25 years (and a trained Cordon Bleu chef), with a client list that includes top sports people, actors and singers, so I knew there was a better way to give her the nourishment she needed.

I showed them how to make delicious, savoury custards to provide their mum with protein and energy. I pointed them to foods such as oily fish, which may slow down the progression of dementia. And I showed how simple changes in her mealtime routine could make eating enjoyable again. It worked. The family felt empowered and their mum thrived.

That lady and her family helped me, too, because they changed my career. Now I run a specialist practice supporting people with cancer and dementia, and I’ve just launched a website (nourishbyjaneclarke.com) to support people with dementia and other serious health conditions with expert nutritional advice, practical tips and delicious recipes, free for all.

Dementia is an umbrella term for one of the biggest health crises of our times — a range of disorders that prevent brain cells working properly and cause symptoms that include memory loss, confusion, poor communication and, less well known, but as significant, eating problems such as loss of or a hugely increased appetite, chewing and swallowing difficulties that may cause choking and infection, and dehydration.

There are 850,000 people in Britain with the condition; a number set to rise to more than one million by 2025 and more than two million by 2050, says Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Sixty-two per cent of people with dementia are female, the condition is the leading cause of death among women in the UK.

It’s not just the person with dementia that’s affected. There are 700,000 informal carers who look after loved ones with the condition and that figure is projected to reach 1.7 million by 2050.

These are sobering figures, but it’s important to know there are steps we can take to reduce significantly our risk of developing dementia — and to stave off the effects of the condition if we do begin to experience symptoms.

It starts with a varied diet full of nutrient-rich wholegrains, fruits and vegetables that are associated with reduced incidence of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cancer and stroke — all illnesses that increase our risk of developing dementia.

In addition, we should eat brainfriendly foods and avoid foods linked to an increased risk of dementia.

When dementia is diagnosed, eating a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids may slow down the progression of the disease by helping to maintain the nerve cells in a part of the brain called the hippocampus, a key player when it comes to our memory.

It’s why dietitians and nutritionists recommend eating a couple of portions of oily fish — such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines — each week. High levels of the naturally occurring amino acid homocysteine have been linked to risks of Alzheimer’s.

Folic acid and vitamin B12, found in green leafy vegetables, have been shown to lower homocysteine levels and reduce brain shrinkage in people with early memory problems, but their potential to reduce dementia symptoms is still being investigated.

Anthocyanins — the antioxidants found in berries (left) — were shown in one study to improve memory and brain function in a group of people with mild cognitive impairment.

A recent trial found that a Mediterranean diet including olive oil and nuts helped to maintain memory and thinking skills, compared with a low-fat diet. Curcumin, an extract of turmeric, is raising interest among dementia researchers because it appears to break down amyloid-beta plaques, a signifier of Alzheimer’s. Knowing what we should eat ourselves, or give to a loved one with dementia, is one thing — but it can be difficult to translate that into meals that are tempting, nourishing and easy to get down if one has a swallowing difficulty or similar issue. Caring for someone who is poorly can also be physically exhausting and emotionally demanding — something my family and I know all too well.

I worked with Jamie Oliver on his campaign to improve school food for our children, and I want my Nourish website to be just as revolutionary.

It’s a basic human right to have access to the nutrition and sustenance we need, but too many people with dementia are given the wrong thing to eat and may suffer a worsening of their condition, and even malnutrition, as a result. No one deserves that.

With the support of Prue Leith as patron, and the campaigning power of