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The OP presents an interesting observation about diet & Alzheimer's dis. There are other studies that support this, and others that don't. Dietary studies are for the most part useless: they're not double blind, controlled studies. We can't use prisoners as volunteers anymore to scientifically study diet. (That's why our prisons are so full now, I guess--no one can earn time off for volunteering .
The other problem we see is how routine, senile dementia is now all called "Alzheimer's" without the tissue diagnosis (needs biopsy or autopsy) to prove it. If you're old & forgetful, it now MUST be Alzheimer's.
BTW- Alzheimer's is now defined as deposition of amyloid protein & neurofibrillary tangles in brain tissue under the microscope. Those changes are probably caused by a pathological change in the normal immune/healing reaction. That doesn't mean it's a response to some virus or auto-immune in nature. It's just a change in normal function-- just like we get wrinkles & arthritis as we age-- things just don't work as well as when we were young.
The microglial impairment in Alzheimer’s is virally immune mediated, in the same manner as the microglial impairment in Autism; is virally immune-mediated.
I know a Herpes virus has been suspected in Autism as well but not confirmed. There are several potential viral triggers for Autism being studied but I suspect that they will need to look at a prior immune response that renders the brain more susceptible to these viral triggers; for both Alzheimer’s & Autism.
Once the regressions have started, I doubt there is anything that can stop it, much less reverse it but I think it’s possible that dietary changes could help with the symptoms. It’s the day-in, day-out, hands on, all night caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s who will provide the expert testimony to this occurrence.
No one said he's incorrect. Even broken clocks are right twice a day.
And your argument about sugar is a red herring. No one's talking about sugar, directly, and no one ever said that sugar is healthy, certainly not within the boundaries of this discussion, and not even really in the broader discussion of our history of dietary advice. The closes you got was the "Fat is evil, Carbs Good" which sounds similar but isn't. Even the original USDA food Pyramid, that said we should eat 6-11 servings of carbs a day, said sweets should be eaten "sparingly."
People keep getting fatter because they eat more calories than they consume. Sugar/Carbs vs Fat vs Protein and making sure the right vitamins and minerals are there are all important, but ultimately going sugar or carb free vs fat free is simply a means of reducing calories.
Sugar was just an "easy" example I used. Fact is ALL carbs are made up of glucose molecules. Different types of molecules, but still glucose none the less. That's not to say they are all equal, some are simple, some complex. But yes, the excess is the problem and I go back to my OP. When close to 90% of calories are from carbs (as in the study), THAT is excess as in "too much". It should be more balanced and by balanced, I don't mean the stupid food pyramid. I quit taking my dietary advice from the government a LONG time ago. When politicians and government agencies quit being influenced by lobbies, things may change but as it is now, no way. A calorie IS NOT a calorie, so save your breath on that one.
No, the man is wickedly intelligent, but that doesn't mean he's correct, or that he doesn't come with the baggage of conflicts of interest. The man has published half a dozen books he'd like you to buy that promote his gluten free, low carb approach.
I still agree that Americans eat too many carbs.
I don't stress myself eating only gluten free but I do a lot and feel overall mentally for sure better about less gluten. Lots of information today and one has to choose what they "feel" is right in their minds and bodies. I know I've lived long and a body full of aches and pains and lots of carbs and gluten for decades, so who knows...huh? Things could be different with decades of less/no gluten but I'll never know.
Last edited by jaminhealth; 12-04-2018 at 11:00 AM..
Sugar was just an "easy" example I used. Fact is ALL carbs are made up of glucose molecules. Different types of molecules, but still glucose none the less. That's not to say they are all equal, some are simple, some complex. But yes, the excess is the problem and I go back to my OP. When close to 90% of calories are from carbs (as in the study), THAT is excess as in "too much". It should be more balanced and by balanced, I don't mean the stupid food pyramid. I quit taking my dietary advice from the government a LONG time ago. When politicians and government agencies quit being influenced by lobbies, things may change but as it is now, no way. A calorie IS NOT a calorie, so save your breath on that one.
90% is too much...but who in the study ate 90% of cals from carbs? The highest percentage category was much lower than that - 58% was the cutpoint for the highest quartile.
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This kind of reinforces what I think about diet and Alzheimer's & Dementia.
Along with the increase in obesity and related conditions such as diabetes, we have seen a significant increase in Alzheimer's and Dementia. IMO, this correlates with an increased consumption of refined carbohydrates as in the SAD (Standard American Diet).
One of the studies he linked to concluded that "the results suggest that higher glucose levels may be a risk factor for dementia, even among persons without diabetes." The study is from 2013 and this has been a concern for some time. Many researchers think that Alzheimer's should be reclassified as type 3 diabetes.
Elderly people often have poor diets after they become less able to shop or to prepare healthful meals. They often resort to packaged factory foods, more simple carbs and higher amounts of sugar. Some always ate that way. Studies have shown that some Alz patients improved measurably when their diets were changed to include good animal protein, essential fatty acids, etc.
The other study he cited found that persons taking Alz drugs had greater cognitive decline than those not taking it.
"The study was conducted Dr. Dale Bredesen of the UCLA Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research and the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. It is the first to suggest that memory loss in patients may be reversed — and improvement sustained — using a complex, 36-point therapeutic program that involves comprehensive diet changes, brain stimulation, exercise, sleep optimization, specific pharmaceuticals and vitamins, and multiple additional steps that affect brain chemistry.
The findings are published in the current online edition of the journal Aging."
Many traumatic brain injury patients have a growth hormone deficiency, exhibiting greater deficits in attention, executive functioning, memory, and emotion than patients with normal levels.20 Growth hormone binds to brain receptors that are especially dense in regions responsible for learning and memory21,22—perhaps explaining why declining levels are associated with poorer cognition.
Critically, growth hormone increases survival of damaged nerve cells and promotes nerve tissue regeneration.23,24 It increases body-wide receptors for other hormones, helping overcome the effects of their deficiencies.25-27
Growth hormone levels fall with age and are especially low in Alzheimer’s disease,28-31 the symptoms of which often mirror traumatic brain injury symptoms.
Would love a visit with these two...but very costly. So, I just follow their research info, blogs, youtubes, etc. I truly want to be proactive with my health - especially my brain.
SunnySam: The growth hormone issue is important and those who do not sleep well are missing out on a lot of GH production which is highest I've read from 10PM to 2AM. I worked long and hard to get a sleep combo that gives me good quality sleep and my brain I believe is helped by this hormone production. I'm 80.
Yes! I have been researching blue lights for quite a bit now. I own orange glasses that I don after dusk and many of my lamps have the yellow bulbs. I try to get enough good sleep and so far it is working! My chamomile tincture is helping too.
The room I sleep in has no electricity at night. NO light coming in at all other than the yellow night light I leave on for dog.
I also did a little reading up on emfs/rfs and all that so I eliminated unnecessary metal/electrical items as much as possible.
Finding I am Apoe 3/4 I have become OBSESSED over my health. And scared to freeking death alzheimer's or dementia is gonna get me.
Oh, my computer also dims with my time of dusk. But I limit blue lights at night/tv/etc. Or, just wear the silly orange color glasses over my readers. I am 62.
ETA: Made an appt to see a doc about hormones and dementia that was over five weeks waiting for.
I forgot! She is out of my insurance network and I was self pay. Need to reschedule.
Last edited by SunnySam16; 12-04-2018 at 01:53 PM..
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Thanks!
She is out of my insurance network and I was self pay. Need to reschedule.
