Staying Sharp-Lifestyle & Food
The battle against age-related-dementia and Alzheimer’s is on. Since much of the research is in its infancy, we can only offer advice that - even if it doesn’t help your mind—should lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer or other illness. Thanks to NUTRITION ACTION Health Letter, we have progress reports on the latest research addressing this devastating disease.
More research supports the idea of eating two or three servings of fatty fish each week. This month (middle of May to middle of June) is especially best for access to one of the highest polyunsaturated omega-3 fish: Sockeye Salmon. It is pricey, but well worth it when you consider the advantages to your health. Know your supplier because the temptation to sell colored fish that is from the Atlantic Ocean and is farm raised can result in tremendous profits. Sockeye Salmon from the Northwest is solid red in color, whereas the Atlantic Salmon is dyed with a red color that doesn’t penetrate the white fat lines of the grey salmon. The white lines are a dead give-away and supermarkets will lower the price from that charged by reputable sources. We found a range from $12.99/lb. to $21.99/lb. Our supplier is Hayes Fish Company and we enjoyed our wild-caught Sockeye Salmon on June 1st, 2007. The salmon is fresh - never sold frozen, but can be frozen if you want to have a supply for later consumption.
The omega-3 fats in fish oil—DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)—seems to protect the heart. And there’s growing evidence that they may also protect the brain. "EPA is anti-inflammatory, and inflammation is part of the Alzheimer’s disease syndrome," says William Connor, a heart disease expert at the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland. But the evidence for DHA is even more compelling.
It’s the most prominent fat in the brain, especially in the nerve cells in the cerebral cortex. "People with Alzheimer’s have less DHA in their cerebral phosphor-lipid cell membranes than normal people," explains Connor. "When researchers feed DHA to adult monkeys who have been on DHA-deficient diets, the DHA gets into their brain phospholipids." "The DHA crosses the blood-brain barrier and enters the brain. We think there’s wear and tear on polyunsaturated fats in the brain all the time, and that they’re constantly getting replaced," says Connor. So far, only a handful of studies have tried to see if fish or omega-3 fats are linked to cognitive decline, but they’re promising.
In the Framingham Heart Study, which tracked nearly 900 healthy older men and women living in the Boston suburb for roughly nine years, people with the highest levels of DHA—they ate about three servings of fish per week—had about half the risk of dementia compared to those with lower levels.
In the Zuphen Elderly Study in the Netherlands, which followed 210 older men for an average of five years, those who ate no fish had more cognitive decline than fish eaters.
In the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARC) Study of more that 2200 older residents in Minneapolis suburbs, scores on a verbal fluency test ("write as many words as you can in one minute that start with F,A, or S") were less likely to decline in those who had higher blood levels of omega-3 fats. Omega-3s only appeared to protect people who had high blood pressure or a combination of low HDL ("good") cholesterol and high triglycerides.
In the Chicago Health and Aging Project, cognitive decline was 10 percent slower among people who ate fish at least once a week than among those who ate fish less often.
The preponderance of studies shows an association between fish consumption or DHA and cognitive decline, but it’s only as association, so it may be time for a more definitive clinical trial.
Fresh fish is the best way to absorb the omega-3. Supplements vary in quality and contaminants and are not as beneficial because many don’t even dissolve in the digestive tract and some contain chemicals and bonding agents which are not helpful.
In April, 2007, the ARC study reported significantly more cognitive decline in people with higher blood levels of palmitic acid, which is found in saturated fats. "The only gene that’s been linked to late-life Alzheimer’s is apoE E4,which encodes a cholesterol-transport gene," notes Martha Clare Morris from the Chicago Health and Aging Project study which tracked 815 healthy people for nearly four years, and then searched for clues about the 131 who were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
When Harvard researchers gave tests measuring verbal memory, working memory, and other cognitive skills by phone to 13,000 nurses twice, between 1995 and 2001, those who reported eating the most vegetables had a slower cognitive decline than those who ate the least. "But the relationship was strongest with green, leafy vegetables, says Francine Grodstein of the Harvard School of Public Health, who adds that the researchers found nothing with fruits.
"The literature is fairly consistent that vitamin supplements don’t have cognitive benefits," Grodstein concludes. Martha Clare Morris hasn’t given up on vitamin E from foods. "We found a lower risk of cognitive decline in people who consumed more vitamin E from food," she says. The best sources: vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, and whole grains. Why might vitamin E foods help when vitamin E supplements can’t? Among the possibilities: the trials gave people huge doses (2,000 IU was typical) of the alpha-tocopherol form of vitamin E, while foods contain lower doses (closer to 20 IU) of alpha-tocopherol. And foods also contain the gamma-tocopherol form.
"In our study, the association with gamma-tocopherols was strongest," Morris points out. "And a couple of studies show that high doses of alpha-tocopherol decrease the absorption of gamma-tocopherol, which is a powerful anti-inflammatory."
The bottom line whether or not vitamin E helps protect the brain-- it can’t hurt to eat healthy foods like leafy greens, vegetable oils, nuts and whole grains.
Seven warning signs of Alzheimer’s Disease: 1. Asking the same question over and over again. 2. Repeating the same story, word for word, again and again. 3. Forgetting how to cook, how to make repairs, how to play cards, or other activities that were previously done with ease. 4. Losing the ability to pay bills or balance a checkbook. 5. Getting lost in familiar surroundings or misplacing household objects. 6. Neglecting to bathe, or wearing the same clothes over and over again, while insisting that they have taken a bath or that their clothes are still clean. 7. Relying on a spouse or others to make decisions or answer questions they previously would have handled themselves.
Source: www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/sevensigns.htm.
Diabetes may take a toll by harming small blood vessels in the brain. "It’s possible that diabetes causes vascular damage that leads to small strokes. "Diabetes has an adverse effect on memory," says Grodstein. She adds, "having diabetes is like being 10 - 15 years older."
"We know how to prevent diabetes," says Grodstein. "If you keep your weight down, stay physically active, and eat a healthy diet, that’s a good place to start."
How might exercise help preserve the brain? For starters, it boosts the odds of having healthy arteries, lower blood pressure, and less insulin resistance. Clearly, high blood pressure raises the risk of mini-strokes, which can cause cognitive decline.
When researchers in Finland tracked roughly 1,450 middle-aged men and women for 21 years, those with highest blood pressures had twice the risk of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia.
Robert Wilson, senior neuropsychologist at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago says, "Your life experiences have a big impact on your brain’s structure, function and organization." "If its wiring is more elaborate and flexible, it’s less vulnerable to the age-related pathological changes that assault the brain."
"Evidence suggests that depression is either a risk factor or a precursor for dementia," says the University of California’s Kristine Yaffe. "It shows up over and over."
TIP ON SALAD DRESSING: For a week’s worth of almost-salt-free salad dressing, combine 2/3 cup of olive oil with 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. Honey and a spritz of fresh lemon. Shake well--save money, and enjoy more leafy lettuce without the high sodium, mayonnaise and fat.
More research supports the idea of eating two or three servings of fatty fish each week. This month (middle of May to middle of June) is especially best for access to one of the highest polyunsaturated omega-3 fish: Sockeye Salmon. It is pricey, but well worth it when you consider the advantages to your health. Know your supplier because the temptation to sell colored fish that is from the Atlantic Ocean and is farm raised can result in tremendous profits. Sockeye Salmon from the Northwest is solid red in color, whereas the Atlantic Salmon is dyed with a red color that doesn’t penetrate the white fat lines of the grey salmon. The white lines are a dead give-away and supermarkets will lower the price from that charged by reputable sources. We found a range from $12.99/lb. to $21.99/lb. Our supplier is Hayes Fish Company and we enjoyed our wild-caught Sockeye Salmon on June 1st, 2007. The salmon is fresh - never sold frozen, but can be frozen if you want to have a supply for later consumption.
The omega-3 fats in fish oil—DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)—seems to protect the heart. And there’s growing evidence that they may also protect the brain. "EPA is anti-inflammatory, and inflammation is part of the Alzheimer’s disease syndrome," says William Connor, a heart disease expert at the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland. But the evidence for DHA is even more compelling.
It’s the most prominent fat in the brain, especially in the nerve cells in the cerebral cortex. "People with Alzheimer’s have less DHA in their cerebral phosphor-lipid cell membranes than normal people," explains Connor. "When researchers feed DHA to adult monkeys who have been on DHA-deficient diets, the DHA gets into their brain phospholipids." "The DHA crosses the blood-brain barrier and enters the brain. We think there’s wear and tear on polyunsaturated fats in the brain all the time, and that they’re constantly getting replaced," says Connor. So far, only a handful of studies have tried to see if fish or omega-3 fats are linked to cognitive decline, but they’re promising.
In the Framingham Heart Study, which tracked nearly 900 healthy older men and women living in the Boston suburb for roughly nine years, people with the highest levels of DHA—they ate about three servings of fish per week—had about half the risk of dementia compared to those with lower levels.
In the Zuphen Elderly Study in the Netherlands, which followed 210 older men for an average of five years, those who ate no fish had more cognitive decline than fish eaters.
In the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARC) Study of more that 2200 older residents in Minneapolis suburbs, scores on a verbal fluency test ("write as many words as you can in one minute that start with F,A, or S") were less likely to decline in those who had higher blood levels of omega-3 fats. Omega-3s only appeared to protect people who had high blood pressure or a combination of low HDL ("good") cholesterol and high triglycerides.
In the Chicago Health and Aging Project, cognitive decline was 10 percent slower among people who ate fish at least once a week than among those who ate fish less often.
The preponderance of studies shows an association between fish consumption or DHA and cognitive decline, but it’s only as association, so it may be time for a more definitive clinical trial.
Fresh fish is the best way to absorb the omega-3. Supplements vary in quality and contaminants and are not as beneficial because many don’t even dissolve in the digestive tract and some contain chemicals and bonding agents which are not helpful.
In April, 2007, the ARC study reported significantly more cognitive decline in people with higher blood levels of palmitic acid, which is found in saturated fats. "The only gene that’s been linked to late-life Alzheimer’s is apoE E4,which encodes a cholesterol-transport gene," notes Martha Clare Morris from the Chicago Health and Aging Project study which tracked 815 healthy people for nearly four years, and then searched for clues about the 131 who were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
When Harvard researchers gave tests measuring verbal memory, working memory, and other cognitive skills by phone to 13,000 nurses twice, between 1995 and 2001, those who reported eating the most vegetables had a slower cognitive decline than those who ate the least. "But the relationship was strongest with green, leafy vegetables, says Francine Grodstein of the Harvard School of Public Health, who adds that the researchers found nothing with fruits.
"The literature is fairly consistent that vitamin supplements don’t have cognitive benefits," Grodstein concludes. Martha Clare Morris hasn’t given up on vitamin E from foods. "We found a lower risk of cognitive decline in people who consumed more vitamin E from food," she says. The best sources: vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, and whole grains. Why might vitamin E foods help when vitamin E supplements can’t? Among the possibilities: the trials gave people huge doses (2,000 IU was typical) of the alpha-tocopherol form of vitamin E, while foods contain lower doses (closer to 20 IU) of alpha-tocopherol. And foods also contain the gamma-tocopherol form.
"In our study, the association with gamma-tocopherols was strongest," Morris points out. "And a couple of studies show that high doses of alpha-tocopherol decrease the absorption of gamma-tocopherol, which is a powerful anti-inflammatory."
The bottom line whether or not vitamin E helps protect the brain-- it can’t hurt to eat healthy foods like leafy greens, vegetable oils, nuts and whole grains.
Seven warning signs of Alzheimer’s Disease: 1. Asking the same question over and over again. 2. Repeating the same story, word for word, again and again. 3. Forgetting how to cook, how to make repairs, how to play cards, or other activities that were previously done with ease. 4. Losing the ability to pay bills or balance a checkbook. 5. Getting lost in familiar surroundings or misplacing household objects. 6. Neglecting to bathe, or wearing the same clothes over and over again, while insisting that they have taken a bath or that their clothes are still clean. 7. Relying on a spouse or others to make decisions or answer questions they previously would have handled themselves.
Source: www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/sevensigns.htm.
Diabetes may take a toll by harming small blood vessels in the brain. "It’s possible that diabetes causes vascular damage that leads to small strokes. "Diabetes has an adverse effect on memory," says Grodstein. She adds, "having diabetes is like being 10 - 15 years older."
"We know how to prevent diabetes," says Grodstein. "If you keep your weight down, stay physically active, and eat a healthy diet, that’s a good place to start."
How might exercise help preserve the brain? For starters, it boosts the odds of having healthy arteries, lower blood pressure, and less insulin resistance. Clearly, high blood pressure raises the risk of mini-strokes, which can cause cognitive decline.
When researchers in Finland tracked roughly 1,450 middle-aged men and women for 21 years, those with highest blood pressures had twice the risk of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia.
Robert Wilson, senior neuropsychologist at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago says, "Your life experiences have a big impact on your brain’s structure, function and organization." "If its wiring is more elaborate and flexible, it’s less vulnerable to the age-related pathological changes that assault the brain."
"Evidence suggests that depression is either a risk factor or a precursor for dementia," says the University of California’s Kristine Yaffe. "It shows up over and over."
TIP ON SALAD DRESSING: For a week’s worth of almost-salt-free salad dressing, combine 2/3 cup of olive oil with 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. Honey and a spritz of fresh lemon. Shake well--save money, and enjoy more leafy lettuce without the high sodium, mayonnaise and fat.
posted by Stan Kent at
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