Eating Right May Reduce Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease

Bobbie Purcell did not know it, but the food she eats has been protecting her from Alzheimer's disease.

"I mostly try to eat green leaf vegetables at least two or three times a week," she said.

A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds even more evidence that vitamin E can reduce your risk of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers followed more than 800 people ages 65 and older. They filled out questionnaires asking them how often they ate different foods.

Researchers discovered that the more vitamin E people consumed in their diets, the lower their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

"Those participants who were in the top fifth percentile of intake for vitamin E had a 70 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared with those in the lowest fifth," internist Dr. Martha Clare Morris said.

Foods rich in vitamin E include fortified cereals, green leafy vegetables, cantaloupe, nuts, vegetable and olive oils, and whole grain products. Researchers recommend eating a variety of these foods to help protect against Alzheimer's.

"The results of this study provide the most direct evidence to date of a link between dietary vitamin E and Alzheimer's disease," Morris said.

Researchers also say more studies need to be done to see if vitamin E supplements offer the same protection.