Tea, coffee, walnuts help prevent Alzheimer's

AUSTIN: It could be the perfect combination for keeping Alzheimer’s at bay. Scientists say that drinking tea or coffee, eating walnuts, taking regular exercise and spending time in the sun could all help prevent the disease. Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia afflict more than 800,000 Britons, but the number is expected to double within a generation because of the ageing population. But a daily cup of tea or coffee could help protect against the disease. Both drinks have been shown to reduce memory loss by 40 per cent, according to research presented at the International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease, in Hawaii. Scientists from the University of California said that over-65s who regularly drank tea showed up to 37 per cent fewer signs of dementia than those who didn’t drink any. Those who had coffee at least five times a week reduced their memory loss by up to 20 per cent compared to those who didn’t drink it at all. Eating walnuts could also ward off the disease, separate research has found. Mice, which had a diet rich in the nuts, were found to drastically improve their learning and memory abilities, according to a study carried out at New York’s Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities. Scientists say the results suggest walnuts could have similar benefits on humans, but will need to carry out further work. ‘Our results suggest that dietary supplementation of walnuts may have beneficial effect in reducing the risk, delaying the onset or slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease,’ they concluded in their study, which was presented at the same conference. But it’s not just what you eat - research has also found that your lifestyle could cut the risk of dementia. Elderly people who do ‘moderate’ levels of exercise such as golf or jogging could be at up to 40 per cent less risk of Alzheimer’s, a study at the Boston University School of Medicine, in Massachusetts, found. Researchers looked at 1,200 people whose average age was 76 and concluded that physical activity had a major impact on reducing memory loss, particularly among men. Professor Clive Ballard, from the Alzheimer’s Society, said: ‘This robust and influential study provides strong support to the already comprehensive evidence that exercise is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of dementia. It is the old adage: What is good for your heart is good for you. ‘Whether it be a round of golf, a brisk walk or a session on the treadmill, 30 minutes of exercise five times a week can be beneficial at any age.’ Spending time in the sun could also reduce the risk of getting the disease. Those who do not have enough vitamin D - which is produced by the body when sunlight hits the skin - could be more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Scientists from Exeter University looked at more than 3,300 people over the age of 65 and found that those deficient in the vitamin were nearly five times more at risk. Although vitamin D is found in some foods such as oily fish and eggs, most of it is produced via sunlight. Figures suggest that half of Britons are deficient in it by the time winter ends. Alzheimer’s progressively attacks the brain, causing people to lose their memory, become confused and experience mood swings. Sufferers in the final stages of the disease lose the ability to walk, talk and swallow.