Skip to content

Food

Why diet’s important if you think you have dementia

Get into the habit of planning and enjoying nutritious meals now – it will stand you in good stead

We all know that eating well is vital for staying well, but if you think you might be living with dementia it can be difficult to prioritise good nutrition.

Building good habits around meal planning and getting into a routine of eating well is a great idea because being dehydrated and ill-nourished can have negative effects on us all.

That’s why it’s a good idea to put a good routine in place and include planning for meals and reminders for when it’s time to eat and drink.

Not eating well or staying hydrated can:

  • Lead to headaches

  • Cause low blood pressure which can lead to dizziness and fainting

  • Make you feel low and anxious

  • Affect your sleep quality

  • Cause hair loss and skin problems

  • Lead to osteoporosis – weak bones mean you’re more likely to be hospitalised with a broken bone if you fall

  • Make you more likely to pick up every day viruses like coughs and colds

  • Lead to you feeling weak and lethargic

  • Cause anaemia

Ways to eat well

Get into the habit of writing down what kind of food you prefer, what time you like to eat, your favourite meals etc because this will mean you’ll be more likely to continue these habits long term. The best way to do this is with a meal planner like our downloadable version here

Also try:

  • Taking a look at our tips for eating well because we’ve included suggestions on how to get organised as well as healthy snack ideas.

  • Reading our ideas for creating a routine which will help you to start building a daily plan that includes meals.

  • Trying using technology as a tool to help remind you of when you need to shop, or take something out of the freezer or pop the oven on to start heating up a meal.

  • Finding ideas for using tech at home to help you with day-to-day living here