Dementia and Diet

I noted with alarm a recent alarming news article on the World Alzheimer Report and other recent studies, which predict that the incidence of Alzheimer's and related dementias, once rare but now appearing in epidemic proportions, will double every two decades. Right now over 35 million humans suffer from dementia. Why?

Many experts still cling to the belief that Alzheimer's and other dementias are directly related to one's life span--i.e., the older you are, the more likely you will develop mental impairment (if you're 65 or over, you have about a 15% chance of getting dementia, and if you're over 85, a 50% chance). But they seem to trivialize the importance of diet in mental health.

In fact, the article de-emphasizes the significance of poor nutrition in dementia except for one comment in passing (" . . . some of the same factors that trigger heart disease-obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes-seem to increase the risk of dementia"). However, I believe that the key reason Alzheimer's is spreading by leaps and bounds is the industrialization of the world. For example, former developing countries like India and China have enthusiastically adopted the western high-animal-product/junk-food diet along with corporatism because they view eating meat as a sign of prosperity and higher social status. They're also adopting western medical practices and treatments instead of using more traditional, less toxic methods. Sadly, in India, the home of between 20% and 40% of the world's vegetarians, more and more consumers are becoming addicted to a western animal-based diet resulting in skyrocketing diabetes and cardiovascular disease rates, while they are led to believe wrongly that dementia in old age is virtually inevitable.

I've had experience in my own family with dementia, and I can tell you that it's very challenging and painful to deal with. So I'm not waiting for the definitive report on the importance of good nutrition from the Alzheimer's experts. I think the best offense is to eat healthy right now, with a strong emphasis on plant-based, unrefined foods. Living a long time is no fun if you're in a perpetual mental fog and you need to swallow 87 pharmaceuticals a day to keep going.

http://www.alz.org/national/documents/report_summary_2009worldalzheimerreport.pdf

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090921/ap_on_he_me/us_med_more_alzheimer_s;_ylt=AhI5vwdmeYlrFCM1XefjzqR0fNdF