{"id":87877,"date":"2013-10-12T03:18:54","date_gmt":"2013-10-12T02:18:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.realnatural.org\/?p=7119"},"modified":"2013-10-12T03:18:54","modified_gmt":"2013-10-12T02:18:54","slug":"can-your-diet-reduce-your-chances-of-alzheimers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/editorials\/can-your-diet-reduce-your-chances-of-alzheimers\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Your Diet Reduce Your Chances of Alzheimer\u2019s?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\t\"alzheimers<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

By Case Adams, Naturopath<\/a><\/h5>\n

After a fifteen year study of 1,006 elderly persons, Japanese University researchers say yes, ones diet can dramatically reduce our chances of Alzheimer\u2019s disease and dementia.<\/p>\n

The researchers, from Japan\u2019s Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, followed 1,006 people who were between 60 and 80 years old. They tracked their diets, and tracked whether they contracted vascular dementia and\/or Alzheimer\u2019s disease during that period.<\/p>\n

The researchers grouped the diets among the subjects into seven general categories. These included western diet patterns, traditional Japanese diets and more or less vegetable intake, more or less soy intake, more or less rice intake, more or less dairy intake and more or less algae (seaweed) intake \u2014 part of the traditional Japanese diet.<\/p>\n

Among the total population, after an average of fifteen years 144 people developed Alzheimer\u2019s disease and 88 developed vascular dementia \u2014 the second-leading type of dementia after Alzheimer\u2019s disease. (Research has estimated that 20-30% of dementia cases are vascular, and vascular dementia can also produce Alzheimer\u2019s symptoms.)<\/p>\n

The researchers found that those whose diets had the highest intakes of vegetables, soybeans, algae, milk and dairy products, and low in rice had a 65% reduced incidence of Alzheimer\u2019s disease, 66% less incidence of any dementia, and 45% less incidence of vascular dementia.<\/p>\n

What’s wrong with rice?<\/span><\/h2>\n

It should be pointed out that white polished rice is the primary rice being eaten among the Japanese today. We discuss the problems with white rice and why brown rice is healthier for a myriad of reasons in this article<\/a>. This article discusses research that shows that white rice increases the risk of metabolic diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, while brown rice has the opposite effects.<\/p>\n

Diets high in vegetables proven to reduce Alzheimer’s risk in other studies<\/span><\/h2>\n

Other research has found that diets rich in fruits and vegetables \u2014 notably the Mediterranean Diet \u2014 decrease the risk of Alzheimer\u2019s disease and other forms of dementia. In a study from Australia\u2019s Edith Cowan University, it was found that diets that most closely adhere to the Mediterranean Diet reduce the risk of Alzheimer\u2019s disease and mild cognitive impairment. This study followed 970 people – including 149 with Alzheimer\u2019s and 98 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).<\/p>\n

Learn about the diet that prevents Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/a><\/p>\n

Seaweeds proven to reverse neurogenerative disorders<\/span><\/h2>\n

As to the effect of seaweed (the primary algae eaten in the Japanese diet), a recent study from Russia has concluded that seaweed contains compounds that prevent and possibly reverse oxidative damage to brain and nerve cells. The primary group of nutrients in seaweeds having these effects are called sulfated polysaccharides. These have been shown in laboratory and animal studies to reverse degeneration of nerve cells among the brain and central nervous system. According to the researchers:<\/p>\n

\u201cSulfated polysaccharides can arrest a number of secondary pathological effects observed in neurodegenerative diseases (oxidative stress, inflammation, the phenomenon of increased neuronal apoptosis, toxic effects etc.).\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

They also suggested that \u201csulfated polysaccharides may be the basis for the creation of next-generation drugs for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Or, we can simply include seaweeds in our diet. What a novel idea.<\/p>\n

What about the dairy and soybeans? Aren’t they bad for you?<\/span><\/h2>\n

As to milk and dairy products, these have been found to contain certain long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that nourish nerve cells. Studies with infants have found that these type of fatty acids promote brain and nerve cell development. And assuming the dairy product is fermented, there is a reduction of casein and lactose – as casein has been linked in other research with increased cancer incidence.<\/p>\n

As to soybeans, numerous studies have shown soy is heart-healthy, reduces the risk of cancer and its phytoestrogens help balance hormone levels among the aging. Soy provides all the essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Non-GMO, organic soybeans are not only nutritious, but they have a solid scientific basis for being healthy. This is especially true for fermented soy products, such as tofu, natto and tempeh. (Read the phytic acid section of this article<\/a> for information about phytate).<\/p>\n

This and other studies give us a mature view of how our dietary habits today will effect our future. Diets that produce high levels of oxidative free radicals have been shown to produce a higher risk of not just cardiovascular disease, but also dementia, because what damages the heart and blood vessels can also damage brain and nerve cells. And when it comes to blood flow, brain cells will suffer first when arteries become clogged.<\/p>\n

Plant and seaweed compounds \u2014 phytonutrients \u2014 provide the opposite effect. They not only neutralize free radicals. They also provide an array of nutrients that protect the brain and blood vessels.<\/p>\n

REFERENCES:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ozawa M, Ninomiya T, Ohara T, Doi Y, Uchida K, Shirota T, Yonemoto K, Kitazono T, Kiyohara Y. Dietary patterns and risk of dementia in an elderly Japanese population: the Hisayama Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 May;97(5):1076-82. doi: 10.3945\/ajcn.112.045575.<\/p>\n

Besednova NN, Somova LM, Guliaev SA, Zaporozhets TS. [Neuroprotective effects of sulfated polysaccharides from seaweed]. Vestn Ross Akad Med Nauk. 2013;(5):52-9.<\/p>\n

Kelsey NA, Wilkins HM, Linseman DA. Nutraceutical antioxidants as novel neuroprotective agents. Molecules. 2010 Nov 3;15(11):7792-814. doi: 10.3390\/molecules15117792.<\/p>\n

Koletzko B, Sauerwald U, Keicher U, Saule H, Wawatschek S, B\u00c3\u00b6hles H, Bervoets K, Fleith M, Crozier-Willi G. Fatty acid profiles, antioxidant status, and growth of preterm infants fed diets without or with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. A randomized clinical trial. Eur J Nutr. 2003 Oct;42(5):243-53.<\/p>\n

Gardener S, Gu Y, Rainey-Smith SR, Keogh JB, Clifton PM, Mathieson SL, Taddei K, Mondal A, Ward VK, Scarmeas N, Barnes M, Ellis KA, Head R, Masters CL, Ames D, Macaulay SL, Rowe CC, Szoeke C, Martins RN; AIBL Research Group. Adherence to a Mediterranean diet and Alzheimer’s disease risk in an Australian population. Transl Psychiatry. 2012 Oct 2;2:e164. doi: 10.1038\/tp.2012.91.<\/p>\n

Adams C. The Living Food Diet: The Ultimate Diet for Increasing Vitality, Losing Weight and Preventing Disease.<\/a> Logical Books, 2012.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\n\t\t\"alzheimers<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n

\n\t\tAfter a fifteen year study of 1,006 elderly persons, Japanese University researchers say yes, ones diet can dramatically reduce our chances of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1229,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[461],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-87877","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-editorials"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87877","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1229"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=87877"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87877\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=87877"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=87877"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=87877"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}