WHY WHAT YOU EAT IS SO IMPORTANT

THOUGH the brain is very small and comprises only 2 per cent of the body by weight, it is incredibly greedy and uses up to 25 per cent of the body’s energy.

This means our brains are especially affected by the balance of goodness and toxins in the food we eat.

All the studies show that years of poor nutrition will damage your brain — in fact, many experts believe that Alzheimer’s is essentially a rubbish-disposal problem characterised by the brain’s inability to cope with what we feed it over a lifetime.

But no matter how many takeaways, kebabs, or burgers you have eaten in the past, and how many packets of crisps or tubs of ice cream you have quietly scoffed in the evenings, we are

convinced the right changes to your diet now can have a swift impact on your brain health.

So many of our patients have been trying to find a solution to Alzheimer’s through vitamins; they spend a small fortune on braintraining games, join elaborate exercise programmes or consult with neurologists, when the solution is in their fridge.

Scientific studies have shown that certain foods raise the risk of heart disease, cancers and stroke and others reduce that risk. Crucially, we have found that what is good for the heart and kidneys also appears to be beneficial for the brain.

Through our clinical trials we can now offer a clear, science-based approach to brain-healthy eating that has helped our patients prevent and reverse the debilitating symptoms of cognitive decline.

It has become quite clear that our very typical Western diet of salty, sugary, fatty processed food puts us at risk of obesity and diabetes, both of which hugely increase our risk of dementia.

Studies show obesity in mid-life increases dementia risk by as much as 40per cent, and poor blood-sugar control in the elderly accounts for as much as 39 per cent of Alzheimer’s cases.

Again and again, wholefood, plant-based meals come up as the best dietary pattern for fighting chronic disease and protecting the brain against decline.

Our studies show a plant-based diet is enough to reduce your risk of cognitive impairment by 28 per cent.

We urge our dementia patients to add as many vegetables and fruit of all kinds as they can to every meal, and to try to cut back on all forms of meat.

You can try the delicious brain-boosting recipes you’ll find on the back page of the special pullouts every day this week.