Alzheimer’s disease, a condition that progressively destroys a person’s memory and ability to communicate, affects an estimated 4.5 million Americans. However, researchers may have discovered a way to lower this shocking statistic: Studies indicate eating a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids--found in fish--may fend off Alzheimer’s.
To arrive at this conclusion, researchers studied older mice genetically engineered to develop the disease. The mice were divided into two groups:
One group was fed a diet rich in docosahexanoic acid, or DHA, the omega-3 fatty acid found in various types of coldwater fish
The other group was fed a low-DHA diet; such diets have been associated with impaired mental functioning
Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Within five months of the study, a 70 percent less buildup of amyloid protein--which makes up the plaques in the brain famously attributed to Alzheimer’s--was detected in mice that were fed a diet rich in DHA-fortified foods. These results coordinate with the team’s previous findings that DHA was responsible for protecting the brains of mice from synaptic damage, enabling them to perform better on memory tests.
Additionally, it is recommended by the American Heart Association that healthy adults eat a minimum of two servings of fish (i.e. mackerel, sardines, albacore tuna, salmon, lake trout herring) a week, as omega-3 fatty acids have also been found to be beneficial to human hearts.
The Journal of Neuroscience March 23, 2005 25(12): 3032-40
ABC News March 22, 2005
The number of people with Alzheimer's is expected to triple over the next 30 to 40 years. Aside from the great emotional and physical toll the disease can take, an Alzheimer's epidemic will have devastating consequences for the health care economy. Already, United States businesses spend $61 billion on Alzheimer's each year for medical expenses and loss of productivity. Economic studies estimate that Medicare spending on Alzheimer's will rise 54 percent to $49 billion, and Medicaid costs will rise 80 percent to $33 billion by 2010.
As the above article implies, omega-3 fats have quite a bit to do with whether or not you will come down with this devastating disease.
One of the crucial balancing acts on the course to optimal health is getting a better handle on the ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fats in your daily diet. While both of these fats are essential for human health; most of us don’t appreciate that we have a serious surplus of omega-6 fats in our diet that pushes the omega-6:3 ratio in the wrong direction. The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats should be 1:1, though most Americans today have a ratio around 20:1 to 50:1!
At the end of the 19th century Americans consumed less that one pound of liquid vegetable oil a year. At the turn of the 20th century that amount had increased to 75 pounds per year. Nearly all vegetables oils are loaded with omega-6 fats. We were simply never designed to eat so many processed vegetable oil fats. When one combines this with a decline in the intake of fish and fish oils we have a prescription for disaster. Many experts now believe this is one of the primary reasons for the impending Alzheimer’s epidemic.
The easiest way to balance your ratio is to consume more omega-3 fats from good sources while reducing your intake of omega-6 fats (foods containing corn, soy, canola, safflower and sunflower oils).
And it’s true, the best omega-3 fats are those found in fish. That's because the omega-3 in fish is high in two fatty acids crucial to human health, DHA and EPA. The above article recommends coldwater fish, but unfortunately, eating most fresh fish is no longer a good strategy as the mercury levels in nearly all fish have now hit dangerously high levels around the world. It appears the risks of toxicity from eating fish now outweigh many of the benefits the omega-3 fats offer. Remember that the mercury in the fish is a strong contributor to the development of Alzheimer’s.
So make certain you increase the amount of healthy fish fat in your diet with a high quality supplement that is free of mercury and PCBs. Many of you know that I'm a fan of the Carlson's brand of fish oil and cod liver oil, as I have seen clear and often substantial improvements in my patients who use it and it is one of the cleanest fish oils on the market. You can find the Carlson's fish oil or cod liver oil at your local health food store, or, for your convenience, in our store.
Additionally, because fish would otherwise be immensely healthy, I had been searching for a safe source of fish for some time and finally discovered one: Vital Choice Alaskan Wild Red Salmon. I had the salmon, which are harvested in Alaskan waters, tested through an independent lab and it was found to be free of toxins. I also tasted it in a variety of recipes, and I can now confidently and enthusiastically recommend this source to you!
Consider these guidelines that will protect your body from the ravages of Alzheimer's without taking a drug:
Follow the nutrition plan paying special attention to avoiding sugar.
Eat plenty of high-quality omega-3 fish oil.
Avoid most fish and remove mercury.
Avoid aluminum, such as in antiperspirants, cookware, etc.
Eat plenty of vegetables according to your metabolic type.
Avoid flu vaccinations.
Try Wild Blueberry IQ, an all-natural, whole fruit softgel made from wild blueberries, which have high anthocyanin and antioxidant content that are known to guard against Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases.
Eat a nutritious diet based on your body's unique nutritional type.
Get your body in gear today!
Keep your mind active.
Since worry accelerates your risk of Alzheimer's, learn an effective energy psychology tool like the Emotional Freedom Technique.
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