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Diet and Brain Function

One of the most devastating issues facing many people in the U.S. as they age is cognitive decline. The older we get, the more importance we might attach to our ability to think and make decisions.   Some in the medical profession and drug companies have portrayed cognitive decline (or Alzheimer’s Disease, which is the catch-all term to describe all forms of cognitive decline) as something that many are just destined to endure; they often blame bad luck and heredity as the causes, and drugs and genetic research hold the clues to addressing it, the experts say.

As it turns out, diet is a major culprit in cognitive decline, just as it is in almost all other conditions. The reason is that blood flow to the brain is impacted by diet, particularly all of the animal food and dietary fat consumed by most Americans.   Blood viscosity means the thickness and stickiness of the blood.  Higher blood viscosity is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and cognitive decline.  There are many factors that influence blood viscosity. One is hydration, which affects blood volume, and the other is diet. Many people think that dietary fat is the primary culprit, but actually protein has been shown to increase blood viscosity too.¹

Blood should flow easily through the vessels, but viscous blood does not. A combination of constriction and increased blood viscosity causes damage to the endothelial tissue lining the blood vessels, and results in increased blood pressure. Thickening of the blood vessels follows, and the most common locations for this thickening are the curves and branching off of the vessels. Thickening of the carotid artery layers precedes plaque formation, and this in turn results in reduced blood flow to the brain.

Viscosity also directly affects the brain due to thickening of the capillaries in the brain, which then results in reduced oxygen and nutrients being delivered to the brain.   Researchers with The Edinburgh Artery Study reported that in 452 elderly subjects, blood viscosity was a predictor of many types of cognitive decline, including Alzheimer’s Disease.²

How do you know if you have viscous blood? Keep a food journal for a few days. People consuming a Standard American Diet will likely have blood which is thicker and stickier than it should be. The more you are deviating from optimal eating, the more viscous your blood is likely to be. Optimal eating consists of a low-fat, high-carbohydrate, high fiber, densely nutritious diet with lots of clean water; that is your best opportunity to stay mentally sharp as you age.  To learn more about eating optimally, contact me at www.cydnotter.com  to receive our newsletter and class schedules.

(Sources: The Wellness Forum; ¹ Dickson C, Maneshi S, Imbeault P, Harnan F. “Dietary Protein May Affect Acute Changes in Blood Pressure during High Stress Situations.” J. Nutr. December 2007 vol. 137 no. 12 2814   ² Rafnsson D, Deary I et al. “Haemmorhealogical predictors of cognitive decline: The Edinburgh Artery Study.” Age Aging 2010;39(2):217-222)

Written by Cape Coral resident Cyd Notter

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