Heart risk factors cause dementia too….

Today's Post: Friday, 8-7-2009

Dharma Khalsa, MD, a doctor who specializes in preventing and treating Alzheimer’s disease has long said that what is good for your heart is good for your brain.

There is ample evidence he is correct. Impaired circulation to the brain, whether caused by the same factors that cause heart disease or by a poorly pumping heart that has been harmed by heart disease, has been implicated strongly as the main cause for age related mental degeneration or decline. And, more recent studies indicate that impaired circulation is often a contributing cause of Alzheimer’s disease. These factors also can cause strokes that can directly destroy large parts of your brain.

(So, if you eat right, exercise regularly, and take the supplements (or drugs in some cases) that help you have high levels of HDL & low levels of LDL and triglycerides, you’ll both protect your heart AND protect your brain and prevent dementia.

Avoiding excessive amounts of fatty meat and full fat dairy, eating a lot of vegetables and some whole fruit, eating foods high in soluble fiber such as beans, apples, and oatmeal AND making a point to never ingest trans fats or hydrogenated oils all help.

Avoiding foods and drinks made with refined grains, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, getting vigorous exercise most days every week, and taking certain supplements (or the drug metformin) that improve insulin resistance if needed all help.

Taking purified fish oil or omega 3 oil supplements and eating wild caught fish and seafood high in omega 3 oils AND cutting out oils high in omega 6 oils such as corn oil and soy oil lowers your triglycerides and is also protective.

And, when using oil, using avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil helps to do that last set of things, lowers your LDL cholesterol and leaves alone or boosts your HDL and lowers insulin levels.)

This weeks news is that even low levels of excess LDL are directly correlated with increases in senility.

Last Tuesday, HealthDay News online had this headline.:

“Midlife Heart Risk Factors Linked to Later Dementia”

It’s been found that even total cholesterol readings between 200 to 240, let alone higher readings, increase the risk of senility significantly.

(The real culprit of course is that such total cholesterol readings indicate LDL over about 130 -- - because the HDL is actually good for your heart & circulation. So I’d be happier if the researchers had looked at LDL levels instead.)

The set of things listed above can help you get such readings. And taking even as little as 600 mg of niacin a day and sterol supplements in addition can bring your LDL down to safe levels.