walnuts

Brain Disease

In about 90 percent of strokes, blood flow to part of the brain gets cut off, depriving it of oxygen and killing off the part fed by the clogged artery. That’s called an Ischemic stroke (from the Latin Ischemia, meaning “stopping blood)”. A small minority of strokes are hemorrhagic strokes, which are caused by bleeding into the brain when a blood vessel bursts. A healthy diet can reduce stroke risk by reducing cholestrol and blood pressure while improving blood flow and antioxidant capacity.

Alzheimers is more like a mind attack. It is one of the most physically and emotionally burdensome diseases, for both sufferers and caregivers. Unlike stroke, which can kill instantly and without any warning, Alzheimer’s involves a slower, more subtle decline over months or years. Instead of cholestrol-filled plaques in your arteries, plaques made of a substance called amyloid develop in the brain tissue itself, associated with the loss of memory and, eventually, loss of life. Despite the billions of dollars spent on medical research, there is still neither a cure nor an effective treatment for the disease.

Nearly forty thousand Americans take their lives each year, and depression appears to be the leading cause. In 1946, the World Health Organization defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” In other words, you can be in excellent physical shape-enjoying low cholestrol, a healthy body weight, and good overall physical fitness- but that doesn’t necessarily mean you are healthy. Mental health can be just as important as physical health. Major depression is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental illnesses. An estimated 7 percent of American adults suffer from serious depression-that’s about sixteen million people who have at least one depressive episode each year.

1. Kills nearly 130,000 Americans each year
2. The best available science suggests you can drastically minimize stroke risk by eating a minimum of 25 grams a day of soluble fiber (fiber that dissolves in water, typically found in beans, oats, nuts and berries) and 47 daily grams of insoluble fiber (fiber that does not dissolve in water, primarily in whole grains, such as brown rice and whole wheat (Ref2)
3. In a recent study of more than 150,000 Americans, higher stroke rates were found among individuals sleeping 6 hours or less, or 9 hours or more. Those at lowest risk got around 7 or 8 hours of sleep at night (Ref3)
4. A review of all the best studies on the relationship between potassium and our top 2 killers, heart disease and stroke, determined that a 1640 mg increase per day in potassium intake was associated with a 21 percent reduction in stroke risk (Ref4)
5. Swedish researchers followed more than thirty thousand older women over a period of a dozen years and found that those who ate the most antioxidant rich foods had the lowest stroke risk (Ref5)
6. Antioxidant rich diets appear to protect against stroke by preventing the circulation of oxidized fats in the bloodstream that can damage the sensitive walls of small blood vessels in the brain. They can also help decrease artery stiffness, prevent blood clots from forming, and lower blood pressure and inflammation (Ref6, Ref6.1, Ref6.2, Ref6.3)

1. Kills nearly 85,000 Americans each year

2. The Alzheimer’s Foundation estimates fifteen million friends and family members supply more than fifteen billion unpaid hours annually caring for loved ones who may not even recognize them – care valued at approximately 200 billion dollars a year (Ref2)

3. Alzheimer’s disease is incurable but preventable and there is an emerging consensus that “what is good for our hearts is good  for our heads”, because clogging of the arteries with atherosclerotic plaque is thought to play a pivotal role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease (Ref3, Ref3.1)

4. The dietary centerpiece of the 2014 “Dietary and Lifestyle Guidelines for the Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease,” published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging, was: “Vegetables, Legumes(beans, peas, and lentils), fruits and whole grains should replace meats and dairy products as primary staples of the diet.” (Ref4)

5. Too much cholestrol in your blood is not only considered the primary risk factor for heart disease but is also unanimously recognized as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Autopsies have revealed that Alzheimer’s brains have significantly more cholestrol buildup than normal brains (Ref5)

6. The closest correlation researchers found between diet and Dementia was animal fat consumption; animal fat consumption shot up nearly 600 percent between 1961 and 2008 (Ref6)

7. Diet can trump Genetics – Back in the 1990s, Scientist discovered a gene variant called apolipoprotein E4, or ApoE4, that makes one more susceptible to getting Alzheimer’s. The highest frequency of the ApoE4 variant occurs in Nigerians, who surprisingly also have some of the lowest rates of Alzheimers’s!! This contradiction may be explained by Nigerians’ extremely low blood cholestrol levels, thanks to a diet low in animal fat and consisting mainly of grains and vegetables (Ref7, Ref7.1)

8. Women with the highest saturated fat intake had a 60-70 percent greater chance of cognitive deterioration over time. Women with the lowest saturated fat intake had the brain function, on average, of women SIX years younger (Ref8)

9. In 2012, Harvard University researchers found that Women who consumed at least one serving of blueberries and two servings of strawberries each week had slower rates of cognitive decline-by as much as two and a half years- compared with those who didn’t eat berries. The researchers suspect the active ingredient may be a class of powerful brain-accessing antioxidants called polyphenols(Particularly Flavonoids from berries) (Ref9)

10. A 22 week double-blind study (meaning that neither the researchers nor the subjects knew who was on the drug and who was on the spice until the study’s conclusion) found that saffron appears just as effective at treating Alzheimer’s symptoms as the leading drug, donepezil commonly marketed under the brand name Aricept. Some of the known side effects of donepezil includes nausea, vomitting, and diarrhea (Ref10)

11. Older adults with high level of AGEs (Advanced glycation end products) appear to suffer an accelerated loss of cognitive function over time. AGEs are formed primarily when fat and protein rich foods such as meat and meat derived products are exposed to high temperatures (Ref11)

12. In a 2010 study published in the Archives of Neurology, researchers found that aerobic exercise can actually reverse age-related shrinkage in the memory centers of the brain in a group of people with mild cognitive impairment. No such effect was found in the stretching and toning control groups or a non aerobic strength training group. Aerobic exercise can help improve cerebral blood flow, improve memory performance, and help preserve brain tissue (Ref12)

1. Increased positive emotions are associated with decreased verified illness rates. Happier people, it seems, are less likely to get sick (Ref1)

2. Studies on the emotional health and mood states of those eating plant-based diets suggest that eating less meat isn’t just good for us physically; it’s good for us emotionally too. Subjects eating plant-based diets appeared to experience significantly fewer negative emotions than omnivores. Those eating better also reported feeling more “vigor.” The researchers suggested that the proinflammatory compound arachidonic acid found in animal products may “adversely impact mental health via a cascade of neuroinflammation.” (Ref2)

3. There are data suggesting people with higher levels of arachidonic acid in their blood may end up at significantly higher risk of suicide and episodes of major depression (Ref3)

4. The top 5 sources of arachidonic acid in the American diet are chicken, eggs, beef, pork, and fish, although chicken and eggs alone contribute more than the other top sources combined. Just a single egg’s worth of arachidonic acid a day may significantly raise arachidonic acid levels in the blood. Overall, Omnivores appear to consume about nine times more arachidonic acid than those eating plant-based diets (Ref4, Ref4.1, Ref4.2)

5. After cutting out eggs and chicken, along with other meats, the study subjects experienced a significant improvement in measures of their mood states(POMS and DASS) in as little as two weeks. The researchers concluded: “Perhaps eating less meat can help protect mood in omnivores, particularly important in those susceptible to affective disorders such as depression.” (Ref5)

6. A research team decided to put a healthy diet to the test in a workplace setting, where healthy bodies and minds could potentially translate into improved productivity. Over the course of five months, the plant-eating group reported greater diet satisfaction than the control group. The plant based group experienced improved digestion, increased energy, and better sleep, as well as significant improvement in their physical functioning, general health, vitality, and mental health and as a result showed measurable improvements in work productivity too (Ref6)

7. Higher consumption of vegetables may cut the odds of developing depression by as much as 62 percent (Ref7)

8. A review in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience concluded that, in general, eating lots of fruits and vegetables may present “a non invasive, natural, and inexpensive therapeutic means to support a healthy brain.” (Ref8)

9. Many plant foods including apples, berries, grapes, onions and green tea, contain phytonutrients that appear to naturally inhibit the MAO(monoamine oxidase enzyme that breaks down monoamine neurotransmitters contributing to depression), as do such spices as cloves, oregano, cinnamon and nutmeg. This may help explain why those eating plant-rich diets with at least 7-8 servings of fruits or vegetables have lower rates of depression (Ref9, Ref9.1, Ref9.2)

10. Consumption of even a single carb-rich (like whole grains such as oats and beans), protein-poor meal has been shown to improve depression, tension, anger, confusion, sadness, fatigue, alertness, and calmness scores among women with PMS (Ref10)

11. In a year long study, about one hundred men and women were randomly assigned to eat either a low-carb or a high-carb diet. By the end of the year, the subjects eating the high-carb diets experienced significantly less depression, hostility, and mood disturbance than those in the low-carb group. This result is consistent with studies finding better moods and less anxiety among populations eating diets higher in carbohydrates and lower in fats and protein (Ref11)

12. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of butternut squash seeds for social anxiety disorder reported a significant improvement in an objective measurement in anxiety within an hour of consumption (Ref12)

13. Exercise appears to work about as well as drugs at bringing depression into remission (Ref13)

14. A nationwide American study measured the level of carotenoid phytonutrients in people’s bloodstreams. These phytonutrients include some of the yellow, orange, and red antioxidant pigments found naturally in some of our healthiest foods, including sweet potatoes and green leafy vegetables. Not only did people with heigher levels of these nutrients in their bloodstreams have a lower risk of depression symptoms but there was also an apparent “dose-response relationship”, meaning that the higher the level of phytonutrients, the better people seemed to feel (Ref14)

15. Among th carotenoids, lycopene (the red pigment in tomatoes) has the highest antioxidant activity. Indeed, a study of nearly one thousand elderly men and women found that people who ate tomatoes or tomato products daily had just half the odds of depression compared with those who ate them once a week or less (Ref15)

16. Only food surces of antioxidants appear to be protectively associated with depression. The same can’t be said for dietary supplements.This finding may indicate that the form and delivery of the antioxidants we consume are crucial to ensure their best effects (Ref16)

17. More recent studies following people overtime suggest that low dietary folate (A B vitamin concentrated in Beans and Greens) intake may indeed increase the risk of severe depression by as much as threefold. However, once again, folate supplements (folic acid) do not appear to help (Ref17, Ref17.1)

18. Antidepressants fail to show a clinically significant advantage over placebo sugar pills and cause sexual dysfunction in upto three quarters of users. Other problems may include long-term weight gain and insomnia. And about one in five people have withdrawal symptoms when they try to quit (Ref18, Ref18.1)

19. Studies show that patients are more likely to become depressed again after treatment with antidepressants than after treatment by other means, including placebos (Ref19)