In evolutionary terms, human beings have just recently started consuming highly industrialized food and the most obvious consequences of a diet high in sugar, salt, fat and all kinds of artificial ingredients are excess weight, obesity and all associated conditions. But what about mental health? Could there be some kind of link?
Mental health is a sensitive topic because fear, ignorance, apprehension and shame often accompany mental illness. But to address and treat the growing number of people with diseases like Alzheimer’s it is important to stop and analyze what could be the causes behind its excessive growth.
Alzheimer’s disease is by far the most common form of dementia. Currently it affects 5.4 million Americans and has become the third leading cause of death in this country. It is estimated that the number will double in the next 15 years, with women being at most risk. What few people know is that today, women have a bigger chance of getting Alzheimer’s disease than breast cancer and to this day there is no effective treatment against the disease.
While genes play a very important role in the development of mental illness, experts recognize that there must be other important factors that account for the sudden and seemingly unstoppable increase in Alzheimer’s disease.
The prestigious Mayo Clinic published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease the results of their research on the relationship between Alzheimer’s disease and diet. The study followed the diet of 2,000 elderly people and the results were very interesting: the risk of dementia in those who had a diet high in carbohydrates was higher by about 90%; those whose diet was high in healthy fats showed 44% less risk of developing dementia and an increased consumption of protein indicated a reduction in the risk of dementia by 22%.
In the part of the study that includes comments from researchers, they make reference to other research that relates this type of nutritional parameters with the health of the brain and the results describe that a low-carbohydrate diet is associated with a lower risk of mental impairment.
These types of findings are no doubt controversial, because the food market is full of products high in refined carbohydrates and their almost addictive nature makes people reluctant to stop eating them. But faced with a reality that indicates that by 85 years of age our risk of Alzheimer’s is 50/50, it becomes important to consider everything.
In general, experts agree that the following factors are important for mental health:
– Limit calories and choose nutritionally dense foods.
– Supplement diet with omega-3.
– Make your diet rich in antioxidants by eating fruits and vegetables.
– Balance protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates.
– Drink enough water.
If being slender and keeping diseases like diabetes at a distance are not enough motivation for you to adopt a healthy diet, think about your mental health; on the type of senior you wish to be and in what condition you want to spend your golden years. Although the evidence is early and considered controversial by some, it is better to err on the side of prevention than risk the most valuable thing we have: our health and our mind.
If this information has motivated you to address your weight issues please contact us; our team is at your service and we can help. For a free evaluation please call LIMARP International Center of Excellence for Obesity at (664) 686 2542 or fill out a contact form at LIMARP.