Is there any way to prevent or cure dementia?
Unfortunately, no: there's no cure for dementia. And there's no sure fire way to prevent it, either. But scientists suspect that some types of foods may help the brain stay healthy longer.
Bring On The Beet Juice!
For example, a study looked at the brain health properties of beet juice. Scientists have known that beet juice helps lower blood pressure.
That's because it's high in nitrates chemicals that help open blood vessels and increase blood flow throughout the body.
Inside The Study
The study looked specifically at how drinking beet juice may also increase blood flow to the brain.
Researchers studied the brains of fourteen older adults, all age 70 or older, who alternated between trying diets with and without beet juice.
Using MRI scans, the researchers found that drinking beet juice did indeed increase blood flow to the brain.
Degeneration Slowed
Not only that, but it sent more blood rushing to the white matter of the frontal lobes, which are areas typically associated with dementia.
The idea is that more blood and oxygen flowing to those brain parts might keep them healthy for longer.
And it could make them better able to withstand the type of degeneration that can lead to dementia.
The study was relatively small, so more research is necessary to determine if in fact beet juice helps fortify the brain against dementia, and how much you'd need to drink, exactly, to have the desired effect.