Low Fat Diet Linked with Cognitive Decline

Surely by now most people know that low-fat diets are not the panacea that the medical establishment claimed they were for a generation. In fact, nutritional research clearly demonstrates that low-fat diets can lead to cognitive decline since they are missing essential brain nutrients.

It`s estimated that between 10 and 20% of people over the age of 65 suffer from mild cognitive impairment or have been diagnosed with Alzheimer`s disease. By the age of 80 more than half have some loss of memory or functional decline and the trend continues to escalate as the number of baby boomers turn senior citizen explodes. Forward thinking nutritional researchers believe that some of the blame for this trend can be placed firmly on the fat-phobic diet pushed by many physicians and dieticians for the past half century that deprives delicate brain cells of essential nutrients. It`s important to include a healthy source of serine and choline; these nutrients nourish the brain and improve memory and mental cognition to prevent brain aging.

Low Fat Diet Linked With Cognitive Decline
Many people have been led to believe that a diet void of fat is ideal for heart health. Essential sources of cholesterol and saturated fats are eliminated and health begins to slowly decline as critical nutrients necessary for cellular repair and regeneration are deprived. Nutritional research clearly demonstrates that a low fat diet is dangerously high in carbohydrates and sugar leading to metabolic dysfunction, diabetes, heart disease and brain aging. Read more

Walking Six Miles Weekly May Reduce Chance of Getting Alzheimer's

Can't remember where you left your keys? Walking just six miles a week can ward off cognitive decline, says Jenny Hope.

Walking is the best medicine to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s – and cut your risk of getting it, claim researchers.

They prescribe five miles of walking a week to reduce the chances of the disease getting worse.

Healthy people should walk six miles to reduce their chances of developing it, says a new US study.

It found regular daily walking strengthens the brain’s memory circuits and also helps people who are starting to become forgetful. Read more

Vitamin K Helps Prevent Strokes, Alzheimer's, Atherosclerosis

Margaret Durst explains the wonders of Vitamin K.

Vitamin K is much more than a blood clotting agent. Vitamin K improves bone density, aids in preventing hardening of the arteries, and is a stronger antioxidant than vitamin E or coenzyme Q10.

There are 3 known forms of vitamin K. K1 is found in dark green leafy vegetables. K2 is synthesized in the body by the healthy bacteria in the gut and is found in naturally fermented foods. K3 is synthetic and tends to generate excess free radicals and should be avoided. Read more

Cellphones May Protect Brain from Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease may be eliminated by the time today's teenagers reach old age. New research suggests that cellphones may protect the brain from Alzheimer's.

A study in mice suggests using cellphones may help prevent some of the brain-wasting effects of Alzheimer's disease, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

After long-term exposure to electromagnetic waves such as those used in cell phones, mice genetically altered to develop Alzheimer's performed as well on memory and thinking skill tests as healthy mice, the researchers wrote in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

The results were a major surprise and open the possibility of developing a noninvasive, drug-free treatment for Alzheimer's, said lead author Gary Arendash of the University of South Florida. Read more

More Strength Means Lower Alzheimer's Risk

Greater muscle strength has been linked to a decreased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment.

Older people with stronger muscles are at reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared to their weaker peers, a new study shows.

Dr. Patricia A. Boyle of Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center in Chicago and her colleagues found that the greater a person's muscle strength, the lower their likelihood of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's over a four-year period. The same was true for the loss of mental function that often precedes full-blown Alzheimer's.

Studies have linked grip strength to Alzheimer's, while a person's weight and level of physical activity also influence risk of the disease. To date, however, no one has studied whether muscle strength in and of itself might play a role in dementia risk, Boyle and her team note in November's Annals of Neurology. Read more

Turmeric and Vitamin D May Reverse of Alzheimer's Disease

Can something as simple as a regular sprinkling of turmeric in our meals and regular doses of sunshine ward off Alzheimer`s disease?

Research into methods of preventing or reversing the damaging effects on the brain caused by Alzheimer's disease is heating up -- namely with a common spice, turmeric, and something so simple, the sun. A new study by UCLA scientists and colleagues from UC Riverside and the Human BioMolecular Research Institute, cited in the July issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, reports findings suggesting the possibility that Vitamin D3 and a chemical, curcumin, found in the spice turmeric, might possibly not only prevent, but may help reverse damage done by the typical plaques and tangles which are characteristics of Alzheimer's disease. Read more

Coffee May Reverse Alzheimer's

Five cups of coffee daily may reverse Alzheimer's, and it's the caffeine that does the trick.

Drinking five cups of coffee a day could reverse memory problems seen in Alzheimer's disease, US scientists say.

The Florida research, carried out on mice, also suggested caffeine hampered the production of the protein plaques which are the hallmark of the disease.

Previous research has also suggested a protective effect from caffeine. Read more

Eating Curry Weekly Could Prevent Dementia

Eating a curry once or twice a week could help prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. The magic ingredient in curry is curcumin, a component of the spice turmeric.

Eating a curry once or twice a week could help prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, a US researcher suggests.

The key ingredient is curcumin, a component of the spice turmeric.

Curcumin appears to prevent the spread of amyloid protein plaques - thought to cause dementia - in the brain. Read more

Milk Could Help Prevent Alzheimer's Disease

For those lactose-intolerant people reading this, I have some bad news: milk could help prevent Alzheimer's Disease.

Drinking two glasses of milk every day could help protect against memory loss and Alzheimer's disease in old age, according to research.

Scientists working at the University of Oxford have discovered that milk is one of the best sources of a key vitamin thought to reduce the neurological damage to the brain that can lead to forms of dementia. Read more

Knitting Can Delay Memory Loss

Knitting or playing computer games can delay the memory loss associated with aging, but watching television accelerates it, says a recent study.

Engaging in a hobby like reading a book, making a patchwork quilt or even playing computer games can delay the onset of dementia, a US study suggests.

Watching TV however does not count - and indeed spending significant periods of time in front of the box may speed up memory loss, researchers found. Read more

Age-Related Changes in the Brain Slowed with Fitness

Need another reason to exercise? Researchers from the University of Kansas Medical Center say age-related changes in the brain appear to be slowed in physically fit individuals.

Being more physically fit appears to slow down damage to the brain's memory centers in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Kansas Medical Center and presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease in Chicago.
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Marijuana for Memory

Is there anything that marijuana isn't good for? scientists are finding new evidence that specific elements in marijuana can be good for the aging brain by reducing inflammation and possibly even stimulating the formation of new brain cells.

It's not as dangerous as scientists think it should be, and it can even be considered medicine. Also, it may affect different people in different ways.

The more researchers study the effects of marijuana, the more evidence scientists find that specific elements in it can be good for the aging brain by reducing inflammation and possibly even stimulating the formation of new brain cells. Development of a legal drug that contains certain properties similar to those in marijuana might help prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Though the exact cause of Alzheimer’s remains unknown, chronic inflammation in the brain is believed to contribute to memory impairment. Read more

Can a Cup of Coffee a Day Keep Alzheimer's Away?

Drinking coffee has many benefits for our health and well being, and now we can add Alzheimer's disease prevention to the list.

A cup of coffee a day could keep Alzheimer's disease at bay, research suggests.

Scientists have shown a daily dose of caffeine helps protect the brain from the harmful effects of cholesterol, which is linked to the disease. Read more