Preventing Dementia with Diet and Lifestyle

Dementia reached epidemic proportions as of 2006, when an estimated 4.6 million new cases were being diagnosed worldwide each year (Smith, 2006). It’s estimated that by the year 2050 the elderly population (aged 65 or older) will be double the population of children for the first time in history (Lau et al., 2007). At the same time, it’s expected that 114 million people worldwide will suffer from some form of dementia (Smith, 2006).

Research has suggested that dietary patterns practiced during adulthood are important contributors to ARCD and dementia risk (Parrott & Greenwood, 2007). Diets high in fat, especially trans and saturated fats, negatively affect cognition, while diets high in fruits, vegetables, and fish are associated with better cognitive function and lower risk of dementia (Parrott & Greenwood, 2007).

Healthy diets, antioxidant supplements, and the prevention of nutritional deficiencies or exposure to foods and water with high content of metals appear to be first line of defense against the development and progression of cognitive decline. While the precise mechanisms underlying these influences are complex, modulation of brain insulin activity and neuroinflammation are considered likely problems (Lau et al, 2007).

Inflammation and oxidative stress play important roles in brain aging. Inflammatory markers, as well as cellular and molecular oxidative damage, increase during normal brain aging (Lau et al, 2007). This increase is accompanied by the related decline in cognitive and motor performance in the elderly population, even in the absence of neurodegenerative diseases. One emerging theory regarding the development of dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease is that neuroinflammation hastens the onset.

Excitotoxins: Aspartame and MSG

The role of neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases has been well established (McGeer et al, 2002; Walter et al., 2997; Whitehead et al., 2007). One of the primary exacerbatory sources of neuroinflammation is diet. Certain food additives are particularly problematic in this regard. Aspartame, the sweetener in NutraSweet, Equal, and thousands of consumer products, is a controversial food additive used to sweeten "diet" products artificially. The product has a long history of causing severe health problems. Along with MSG (monosodium glutamate) and MSG-like food additives, aspartame is in a class of compounds known as "excitotoxins." These excitotoxins excite brain cells until they die. In other words, each serving of MSG or aspartame has the potential to cause a little bit of brain damage, which becomes cumulative and may eventually lead to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, or other neurological diseases

In his book Excitotoxins; The Taste that Kills, neurosurgeon Russell L. Blaylock explains how excitotoxins destroy brain cells and are linked to autism, ADHD, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's (Blaylock, 1997). How do you protect yourself from damage from excitotoxins? Avoid food additives like aspartame and MSG.

The outlook for those with cognitive decline or dementia depends on the cause and varies for each individual. For example, early treatment of dementia caused by a vitamin deficiency can-in some cases-lead to full recovery of memory. If stroke is the cause, the person's memory loss can remain stable for years with preventative health care. There is convincing evidence that dietary patterns and lifestyle changes are important contributors to age-related cognitive decline and dementia risk. Moreoever, the earlier you start in life, the better.

References
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