The MIND Diet: Cutting the Risk of Alzheimer’s by 50%

Here’s a link to an article by Carolyn Gregoire of the Huffington Post which reports that the “MIND diet” (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) “…is effective even if it is not followed rigorously, according to a new study from Rush University.

Researchers found that people who followed the diet closely had a 53 percent lower chance of developing Alzheimer's, and those who only moderately adhered to the diet still lowered their risk of developing the devastating brain disease by 35 percent.”

So why the bit about those who followed the diet “closely” versus those “who only moderately” adhered to the diet?

Because people cheat on diets, that’s why! I know a zillion people on diets and almost everybody cheats, cheats, cheats. They mostly cheat because the food on the diet tastes like cardboard or they just can’t give up that pint of ice cream after dinner every evening. 

Whatever the case, I like the idea of measuring what “normal” dieters actually do.

The original research was developed at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and published in the online edition of The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

I particularly like Ms.Gregoire’s article because it gives you more than just the headline and reworded press releasee. You can read it here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/21/diet-alzheimers-_n_6896760.html

And here’s a link to the write up that Ms. Gregoire refers to: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-03-mind-diet-significantly-alzheimer-disease.html

B12 or Be Forgetful

According to an AARP article, new study links vitamin B12 deficiency to brain shrinkage and memory problems in older adults.

Brain shrinkage? That can’t be good. I need all the brainpower I can get.

Christine C. Tangney, PhD, associate professor in the department of clinical nutrition at Rush University Medical Center, was the lead author of the study. .According to the AARP, the study “…found those who had the markers linked to vitamin B12 deficiency were more likely to have the smallest brains and the lowest scores on tests measuring short-term memory, concentration and other thinking processes.”

Foods rich in B-12 include fish, meat, especially liver, milk, eggs and poultry are usual sources of vitamin B12.

Yes, you read that right: liver and onions. I guess my Mom was right when she made us eat liver and onions as kids.

Here’s a link to the Rush University Medical Center press release: http://www.rush.edu/webapps/MEDREL/servlet/NewsRelease?id=1531

And here’s a synopsis of the research from AARP: http://www.aarp.org/health/brain-health/info-10-2011/b12-level-affects-brain-size-health-discovery.html

And, as an added bonus, should you be inspired by this mouth-watering picture, here’s a link to Emeril Lagasse recipe for Calf's Liver with Bacon, Caramelized Onions and Sherry (shown above): http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/calfs-liver-with-bacon-caramelized-onions-and-sherry-recipe/index.html  

PS – No, I didn’t think about the Beetlejuice movie scene in which his head gets shrunk.