Do I Have To? Yes, You Have To!

Eat your vegetables, that is. OK, as promised, some writing on Alzheimer’s disease. There is so much research that I could have read and read and still not have any definitive article. But as you might guess, I was extremely interested in nutritional approaches. In fact I found an article that was just published today (8-21-08) that was about overall diet, more on that later.

The general consensus is that this is an inherited disease. At least a person's chances of getting the disease seems to be related to ancestors with the disease. Something that has this kind of gene transfer, seems to be ameliorated by earlier lifestyle and habits. So… eat healthy, get your rest, and avoid stress, yada, yada, yada. You know the drill. But it really is important and not just for Alzheimer’s. Hopefully, I can explain it clearly and make sense of it all.

So far there is no cure, but scientists are finding ways to lower risk and the progression of the disease. So, let’s break this down into 3 areas and then I’ll talk about the article that I referred to above.

First it’s the “Use it or lose it” approach. Scientists found after a 4 1/2 year study on 800 elderly participants that those who kept their brains active with mind stimulating activities were half as likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those who did not. Doing crossword puzzles, reading, and playing cards are more than activities to pass the time. They keep the signals firing in your brain and improve the odds that your brain will work for you all the days of your life.(1)

Second there seems to be a connection between one of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s. It is suspected that homocysteine levels are culprits in both. The Framingham Heart Study found that as homocysteine levels increased, the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease almost doubled. So, we’re back to targeted nutrients and functional foods. Research has found that supplementation with folic acid can keep homocysteine levels in the blood from rising. Eating foods with folic acid or taking a food supplement with folic acid along with B6 and B12 may help to reduce the risk of developing either of these two diseases.(2)

Third…Nurtition. While nutrition alone will not prevent or cure Alzheimer’s it has been shown to delay onset and slow progression. Antioxidants and B vitamins, as discussed above, have shown some promise, especially vitamins C, B6, E, D, folic acid and minerals such as iron, zinc, and selenium. Also omega 3 fatty acids (especially DHA from fish oil) flaxseed oil and the herb ginkgo biloba. The research suggests that food supplements can improve mental functioning and therefore the quality of life of older people.(3)

Now for that article I referred to. It’s titled “Einstein Researchers Get Rid of Damaged Proteins.” These researchers found that as a person ages their cells become less efficient at removing waste proteins from a person’s cells. In other words, our wastes become a logjam within our cells preventing optimal cellular functioning, hence ageing and disease. If they can find a way to prevent this decline in protein clearance, they may be able to keep people free of symptoms and healthy for a longer time. But meanwhile, they say, evidence is mounting that two dietary interventions---low-fat and calorie-restricted diets--help cells to maintain efficient protein clearance.(4)

There were other things that were stressed in my readings. A person should eat a diet high in vegetables and fruits and low in saturated fats. An anti–inflammatory diet is highly recommended. That means no sugar, no refined foods, and all allergy producing foods eliminated from one’s diet. There’s more but you’ll need to look it up for yourself. Also, have regular exercise which keeps the blood flowing to the brain and all areas of the body. There was also a very strong recommendation to stay away from smoking and other tobacco products.

And of course, my favorite, take a quality multivitamin-multimineral supplement. The RDI for folic acid is 400mcgs per day. My assumption is that this is the amount to just barely prevent disease as are the other RDI’s. (My opinion) Optimal cellular nutrition needs more. Nutrilite’s Double X supplies 800mcgs. This, of course, is well researched as a safe and viable amount of folic acid for daily consumption. It is also documented that alcohol is an enemy of folic acid absorption.

Bottom line…To lessen chances of getting an inherited disease or lessen it’s severity or prolong onset of a disease… diet, supplements, and lifestyle will make a difference(STILL MY OPINION) I’m living proof. I am the picture of health. I just have a little Multiple Sclerosis. Diet and supplements have made a huge difference in my progression or lack of progression.

As Always, Healthy Days to You, Your Smiling Maven

References:
1. Wilson, RS, et al. Participation in Cognitively Stimulating Activities and Risk of incident Alzheimer Disease. JAMA 2002;287:742-748
2. Seshadri S, et al. Plasma homocysteine as a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. N Engl J Med 2002. 346(7);476-83
3. Chandra, R K, Dr. Memorial University of Newfoundland, Wellness Letter, UC B
Berkley
4. Asa Andrew, “Empowering Your Health,” (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson,
2007)