Brain Food: Is There Hope for Preventing Alzheimer's?

When Grandma said that I should eat fish because fish is brain food, she was closer to the truth than I ever realized.   Scientists and doctors have also been telling us for years that diet and exercise play a huge part in our overall health.  It just makes sense that a healthier lifestyle including an abundance of fruits and vegetables with plenty of exercise results in a longer and more active life on into retirement. 

But testing this theory has proven difficult.  In the past, studies on healthy lifestyle choices as related to diseases including Alzheimer’s  have always been large epidemiological studies based on surveys and, ironically, memory of previous diet and exercise patterns. 

Dr. Cotman’s studies on diet in dogs and exercise in mice (see video) have removed some of the difficult variables that happen when studying lifestyle choices and disease prevention.  A new study, published Dec 28, 2011 in Neurology [1], led by Dr. Gene Bowman of  Oregon Health and Science University, takes research a significant step further.

The blood of elderly participants ( mean age 87 years) was tested for 30 specific biomarkers of nutrients including B vitamins (B1, B2, B6, folate and B12), and vit C, D, E.  Participants who had high levels of these vitamins and marine omega-3 fatty acids   in their blood performed significantly better on cognitive and mental alertness tests. (there’s that brain food) MRI measurements also showed reduced brain shrinkage in the same participants.

On the flip side, it seems that we’ve been right all along about avoiding those trans-fats in processed foods:

“High trans fat was associated with less favorable cognitive function and less total cerebral brain volume.”  ~ G. Bowman

This study is one of the first to specifically measure a wide variety of blood nutrient levels rather than basing it’s findings on inexact food intake questionaires.  We’ve long known that a healthy lifestyle improves cardiovascular health, and there are indications that it also decreases our risk for certain cancers.  Now we are beginning to have evidence that ensuring a high nutrient intake through a diet rich in a full spectrum of antioxidants, is the best brain food we can have.   

Eat smart, take high quality supplements, exercise, and stay mentally active.  

It’s all about living well, with passion and purpose! 

Robin

Click on this link www.hbo.com/alzheimers/index.html [2] for “THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT,” a presentation of HBO Documentary Films and the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health in association with the Alzheimer’s Association, The Fidelity® Charitable Gift Fund and Geoffrey Beene Gives Back® Alzheimer’s Initiative. I recommend taking the time to learn with the excellent videos at the core of this site.

 Further Sources:

Bowman,G.L. et al, Nutrient Biomarker Patterns, Cognitive Function, and MRI Measures of Brain Aging, Oregon Health and Science University, Dec 2011. [1]

 Alzheimers Association:  Prevention [3]

I found the following information both helpful and fascinating:

Alzheimers Association/research center/braintour [4]

Comments

Sun, 01/08/2012 - 8:26pm

#1 [10]

Mardy Ross

Title: LumiGRATE Poster - Top of the Totem Pole

Joined: Feb 16 2009

Posts: 2032

Very Helpful, Robin, thank you.

That about summarizes it --  "Eat smart, take high quality supplements, exercise, and stay mentally active."

Nice sources you included as well -- I really appreciate not that you take the time to post to Lumigrate for our guests to learn from, but the way your pieces have substance and depth in a way that our following can ... well, follow what's being said!  Again, thank you! Mardy 

__________________

Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [11] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!

Top [12]

• Login [13] or register [14] to post comments