Can Chocolate Be a Cure for Dementia?

Don’t you love it when something you love is also good for you?   That may just be the case with chocolate.

A new pill released in the UK is made entirely out of chocolate.  It contains flavanols extracted from cocoa that lower cholesterol and improve blood flow.   Research has demonstrated that flavanols assist in the manufacture of nitric oxide, which in turn, encourages the walls of the arteries to relax.   This means better flow of oxygen and nutrients to the body which helps keep your brain healthy, reducing your chance for dementia.

The big downside is that to get these health benefits, you’d need to eat 400g of dark chocolate a day.  That’s more than 2400 calories!

The new pill condenses the flavanols in their purest form.  It may not be quite the same as eating a chocolate bar, but it’s a natural product that’s good for you.  And if you happen to be among the lucky few who do not worry about calories, go for it!

About the Author:


Lorenzo Mejia and his wife, Mary Lynn Ryerson, are the owners of Acorn, a caregiver registry located in Chapel Hill.

They founded Acorn based on their experiences caring for his mom, who suffered with Alzheimer’s Disease.  In 2013, he became a Qualified Dementia Care Specialist.  In 2014, the Alzheimer’s Foundation named him the Dementia Care Professional of the Year in the United States.

Lorenzo is the founder of Dementia Friendly Orange County an effort to make local businesses more accommodating to people with dementia.

Lorenzo speaks often on dementia and the challenges associated with caring for loved ones.  He has been interviewed by ABC News and National Public Radio.  He is an advisor to Orange County’s OC-CARES Dementia Capable Community Project.

Click here for a listing of other articles from ‘The Caring Corner’ on Chapelboro.com

Acorn provides screened and vetted in-home caregivers for clients with dementia, Alzheimer’s, ALS and other similar conditions. Options include 24/7, live-in, weekly, weekend or hourly care. Acorn serves Chapel Hill, Durham, Hillsborough, Pittsboro and surrounding areas in Orange, Chatham, Durham and Wake counties.

 

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