Diet vs. Dementia

How Antioxidants & the Mediterranean Diet
Can Slow & Reduce Alzheimer's Disease

Could Alzheimer's Disease, cognitive impairment and other forms of slowly progressing dementia be set in motion by common dietary patterns?

This 8 hour online course examines evidence supporting the idea that many of the same dietary habits now under suspicion as possible contributors to Syndrome X may also contribute to Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. Syndrome X is the combination of high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity that's been sweeping industrialized nations for the last two generations. A growing body of scientific evidence is increasingly linking Syndrome X to the overconsumption of highly processed, industrialized foods.

Five peer-reviewed published studies are supplied in .pdf format along with short online videos highlighting each study's main points. This course segment looks at evidence supporting the use of Vitamins C and E, an adherence to Mediterannean Diet principles, and the use of a few other botanicals as preventive treatments for Alzheimer's Disease.

Watch the video to learn more:

Relevance to
MFT/LCSW/LEP Scope of Practice

CB&P Code §4980(c) states that BBS licensees must complete "36 hours of approved continuing education in or relevant to the field of marriage and family therapy in the preceding two years..."

This course is relevant to the scope of practice of BBS licensees as set forth in CB&P Code §4980.54(h)(3): "Training, education, and coursework ... shall incorporate ... (3)Aspects of other disciplines that enhance the understanding or the practice of marriage and family therapy."

The provision of nourishment is a basic family function, and, as the studies cited in these courses and elsewhere on this website make clear, there is a substantial body of published, peer-reviewed evidence supporting the idea that diet and nutrition can have a substantial impact on mental health status. This course is not intended to encourage BBS licensees to prescribe outside their scope of practice. But it is important for mental health professionals to:

• understand the full range of referral options available to their clients, especially those that are oriented toward Complementary and Alternative Medicine (about 40% of the US population) ...
• ... in order to be in a position to respect the cultural values of their clients,
• and in a time when large segments of the population are unable to access conventional care, it's important for mental health professionals to be at least as conversant in the use of non-conventional methods as their clients ... if only to be capable of noticing signs of abuse or misuse and avoid being perceived as less than fully informed.

Course Objectives

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

• explain three ways diet can be manipulated to slow or avoid cognitive decline
• explain how chronic low-level inflammation can contribute to cognitive decline
• apply the principles of this course to their own lives to improve their ability to perform professionally.

"It reminded me of connections between dietary practices by both reinforcing information I had previously been introduced to and presenting much information that was new and useful.

The articles were well written. As the foundation of the course there is nothing I would change."

- ST, MFT 

"Very informative. Appreciated learning about natural approaches."

- TM, MFT