DROP this habit to DEMOLISH dementia risk

Dementia costs our healthcare system billions of dollars.

And it costs many seniors their independence… livelihood… and, of course, precious memories.

In fact, of all chronic diseases associated with aging, dementia is one of the most dreaded.

But what if I told you there was something YOU could do, starting TODAY, to lessen your risk up to 50 percent?

Here’s everything you need to know…

Jaw-droppingly HIGHER risk

I just love a good headline like this: “Fast Food Linked to Increased Dementia Risk.”

How is that a shock to anyone?

Researchers pulled data from more than 70,000 older adults from the U.K. Biobank, all of whom were dementia-free.

After a decade, over 500 developed dementia (and a little over half of those developed Alzheimer’s). And while that may not seem like a lot on the surface, there’s one thing that seemed to skyrocket risk…

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs).

In fact, for every 10 percent increase in UPF consumption, the odds of developing any kind of dementia rose by 25 percent!

Let’s break this down a little further…

In the study, UPFs comprised, on average, nine percent of the daily diet in the lowest consumption group. And in the HIGHEST consumption group, they made up nearly 30 percent of one’s daily diet.

Among those who consumed the most, dementia risk increased by 50 percent!

Not only that, but the risk of developing vascular dementia—changes to memory, thinking, and behavior resulting from conditions that affect the blood vessels in the brain—jumped 119 percent, compared to those who consumed the least amount of UPFs.

Even half an apple could help

In this prospective cohort study, soft drinks and sodas were the main “food group” contributing to a person’s overall intake of UPFs.

And, well, you already know how I feel about those unhealthy choices. (I’ve reported time and time again on the health dangers of these beverages.)

But as a whole, UPFs are high in sugar, fat, and salt… and low in protein and fiber.

They include basically anything in the center aisles of the grocery store. Like chips, ice cream, packaged breads, cereals, condiments, and more—as well as fast food options like burgers and fried chicken.

(Even if you talk yourself into a “healthier” option at a fast food joint, remember there are many food additives, chemicals from packaging, and toxins produced during heating or frying that also have links to health issues like dementia.)

But do you know what helps minimize this risk? Healthy, whole food choices.

In fact, researchers also found that even a 50-gram substitution (think half an apple) for 50 grams of an UPF could start decreasing dementia risk by three percent.

Remember that next time you reach for a snack or go grocery shopping!

Until next time,
Dr. Fred

P.S. Learn how the healthy, Mediterranean-style diet can help shave SIX YEARS off your brain’s age in the May 2021 issue of my monthly newsletter, Logical Health Alternatives (“The ultimate price of ‘cheating’ on your diet”). Not yet a subscriber? Click here to become one!

Source:
“Fast Food Linked to Increased Dementia Risk.” Medscape, 07/27/2022. (medscape.com/viewarticle/978125)