Mediterranean diet may help prevent dementia, study says

Eating a diet rich in healthy fats and limiting dairy and meat could do more than keep your heart healthier. It could also help keep you thinking clearly.

New research shows that sticking to the Mediterranean diet, previously shown to reduce heart and other health issues, also may help lower the risk of having small areas of dead tissue linked to thinking problems. Known as brain infarcts, they're involved in vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia, after Alzheimer's disease.

"We've got these diseases of aging that cause disability, cost a ton of money to treat and manage, and wreck people's lives," said Dr. Gregory Cole, a professor of medicine and neurology at the University of California, Los Angeles, who was not involved in this new study. "You've got to get in there and figure out what actually works for prevention, and not have people guessing."

A Mediterranean diet includes a lot of fruit, vegetables and fish, olive oil, legumes and cereals, and fewer dishes containing dairy, meat, poultry, and saturated fatty acids than other diets. It also involves small to moderate amounts of alcohol. CNN.com

Great study, Dave. Michelle told me the two of you and your family have been cutting down on meat and dairy. I'm glad to hear it.

Considering that I came from family that ate a fatty meat-based diet with lots of rich milk/meat based gravies, fried foods, simple carbs (white rice, potatoes, and white breads), with some vegetables as a distant third on the plate, this is a big change. We did mix it up with shellfish, molluscs, crustaceans, and fresh and saltwater fish, but that was more of a treat, and it was never prepared "healthily". As a result of that diet, most of my family was very overweight and had very high, bad cholesterol levels.

However, now my dad, mom, and brother are on a Weight-Watchers plan that emphasizes vegetables and high-fiber fruits, good fats such as olive oil, much lower intake of milk based products, whole grains and high fiber options over simple carbs foods, and poultry and fish over red meats. They are also switching the portions around so that vegetables play a larger role in their diet while meat intake has been drastically reduced. The other thing they have learned is portion control and which foods are more filling without loading them up with empty calories.

On this plan, they have all lost a tremendous amount of weight, dropped several sizes, and are getting much better health reports. Both of my parents were having to take statins, but they have been pulled off of them because their cholesterol and blood pressure are now in check.

Of course, this is all anecdotal...

And in the spirit...

This has always been one of my favorites.

Awesome! Thanks Dave and good luck the diet.

Now I won't feel so guilty the next time I eat half a pound of bacon with my eggs. :)

Hooray for vegans!

Thanks Jack! The world is moving in that direction, like it or not. Oh but wait, should I be concerned about that B.S.-filled Lierre Keith book that three people have read? Hmm, probably not.

Dave, I just got some new cookbooks you and Michelle should take a look at. I'll bring them on Saturday. Annette recommended two of them-- the girl knows her cookbooks. They've put Miguel and me into ridiculous cook-mode this week.

Thanks Jack! The world is moving in that direction, like it or not. Oh but wait, should I be concerned about that B.S.-filled Lierre Keith book that three people have read? Hmm, probably not.

Sweeeeeeeet. Keep that brave new world moving on. I love it. More vegans means more meat and eggs for me. ;)

Mmmmmmm, bacon.

Jack: You are obnoxious, my dear.

Avery: Have you actually read said B.S.-filled book?

Dave: Obviously, we all have to experiment to find what works for us, but if you're concerned about dementia, there's a growing body of research that supports the theory that dementia and Alzheimer's Disease are actually a third type of diabetes (Type 3 Diabetes), caused by elevated blood sugar and excess sugar/starch consumption. (and yes, whole grain flour absolutely falls into the "sugar" category - in the end, they're all metabolized the same). Additionally, therapeutic treatment with coconut oil (one of those evil saturated fats! ) is showing a lot of promise in delaying and even reversing the symptoms of dementia.

http://www.pnas.org/c...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.n...

http://www.sciencedai...

Avery doesn't need to read the book to know it's full of B.S. Ain't that right, Avery?