Originally Posted by brainz01
(Post 12489196)
This has been a huge area of interest for me since losing my otherwise healthy father to Alzheimers in 2016. He was only 70 years old, but his mental health had declined rapidly over the prior 10 years. His Alzheimers was essentially unexplained and doctors offered no solutions or recommendations at the time. It's a nasty, lonely, expensive disease that opens one's eyes to the reality that relationships are at the brain level, hence caring for a demtia patient can feel like tending to the living dead. It sucks.
It was published after my father died, but Dale Bredesen's "The end of Alzheimers" provides an insightful theory about the many causes of dementia. The book uses a metaphor of "holes in a roof" to describe how dementia is generally a cumulative failure rather than a single point failure, which is partly why pharmaceutical interventions which target a single mode of damage are typically ineffective treatments. A single hole in your roof will cause your house to deteriorate over time, but multiple holes will quickly destroy it. The book addresses the likely "holes" in our brain health. Bredesen breaks the holes into groupings including metabolic issues (insulin resistance), nutrient deficiencies, and toxic exposures.
As for what's the best prevention for dementia, I'll summarize my personal findings:
1) Reduce your sugar and carbohydrate intake. Too much sugar creates insulin resistance, the inability for the body to efficiently process sugar over time. This reduction in metabolic activity essentially starves your brain and contributes to the build up of toxic waste products and misfolded proteins that are hallmarks of dementia. A1C is a good (cheap) measure of your sugar levels. Try to be 5.0 or less. 5.5+ is pre diabetic and not good. There's a reason some call dementia diabetes of the brain. High sugar levels are bad in general and to be avoided.
2) Get regular exercise. Both muscle mass and cardio vascular health are associated with improved insulin resistance and greater tolerance of sugar. Exercise also benefits sleep quality. HIIT exercises are also great because of how they provide temporary excess stress that seems to benefit health by challenging the body's dynamic response.
3) Get quality sleep, typically 7+ hours a night. As noted, exercise really helps with sleep. But so does eating earlier in the evening, having a set bed time, sound and light-free environments, and no alcohol before bed.
4) Eat healthy, real food. This gets contentious fsst, but IMO a whole foods, ketogenic or carnivore diet is likely best for brain and overall health. Carnivores are the smartest of the mammals, and while humans can eat a variety of foods and stay alive, it's very clear that we are anatomically preferentially carnivorous given our short guts, highly acidic stomachs, and forward facing eyes.
Grass fed red meat, eggs, and butter are king. Pork and chicken are OK. Green leafy veggies and/or broccoi/cauliflower tend to be pretty healthy. Some colorful berries have benefits in moderation, but in general, most fruits aren't especially good for regular consumption. Starchy veggies can have a place in moderation depending on your caloric needs, but for most adults are unnecessary. Grains (wheat, corn, rice) are usually not great for you for multiple reasons, and for some (including me) are disastrous for body inflammation and allergies. Avoid food that come in a box or a plastic bag and is shelf stable - these are typically grain-based processed foods. Also avoid seed oils. Olive and avacado oils are OK. Tallow, lard, coconut oil, and butter are preferred cooking fats.
5) Key supplements:
- Vitamin D (with K2). Few people get enough sun these days. D is fundamental to hundreds of body processes inclusing metabolism and immune response. The K2 helps with calcium regulation and plaque formation and helps prevent haleart attacks. D also helps with testosterone and other hormone balance.
- Magnesium (glycinate) . Our soils are generally depleted and veggies no longer have this in the amounts we need. This will synergize with Vit D and also help with blood pressure and heart arthymias which increase with age.
- Zinc (with copper). Same idea as Magnesium. Also boosts testosterone and hormone balance.
- Boron. For testosterone and bone health.
6) : Avoid these things
- Heavy metals and molds. Toxic.
- Smoking. Just don't.
- Chronic stress. And if you have unavoidable stress, find a healthy outlet for de-stress like exercise, yoga/meditation, friends, therapists, religion, etc.
- Alcohol. Not great for sleep. Not good for liver and metabolic health. Consume sparingly and preferably not every day.
- Seed oils. These are not natural parts of the human diet and should be avoided as they are inflammatory.
- Many Pharmaceuticals. This is a long and complex topic but many drugs have side effects and should be used as a last resort if diet and lifestyle can't manage the underlying issue. I'll throw rocks at statins in particular - - I think they are poison and contributed to my father's rapid decline which started within a year or two of him being prescribed such. Cholesterol has been unfairly demonized over the past 50 years on the back of very poor science and researcher bias. Cholesterol is required by the body for many important processes, and especially brain function - - statistically speaking, taking a statin will not extend your life, but it will come with side effects. Choose carefully. Flame suit on...
Anyway, after thousands of hours of research and years of [ongoing] personal testing and experiments, I am an advocate of the above. I've never felt better or more mentally sharp. Physically stronger and leaner. And my chronic health issues including allergies and anxiety went away. No meds.
It's not easy making lifestyle changes, or choices that some experts will tell you are unhealthy or unethical (eg eating red meat and saturated fat). But there is abundant research and anecdotal support for the benefits of the above measures. And the results are tangible. There are too many of us with similar success stories.
Good luck with your journey and be well.
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