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Dementia To Double By 2060: Diet And Exercise Key Factors

Researchers say the annual number of dementia diagnoses in the US will double by 2060. And many of the specific causes cited can be traced directly back to diet and exercise. But there’s still time to turn that metaphorical steamship…

Vegetarian Feast - © isha.sadhguru orgIt’s literally about diverting our attention – and hard-earned cash –
away from the junk food aisle toward the produce department.

There are two classic metaphorical expressions describing how difficult it is to counter ultra-powerful human or natural forces: “It’s like trying turn an ocean liner…” or “It’s like trying to stop a speeding freight train…”

An age of discovery?

What ever you call it, we’re up against such a force in climate change. And it appeared, until recently, that we were also facing similar seemingly impossible challenges dealing with heart disease, diabe-tes and obesity. But research published in just the past 12 tom18 months indicates we may, in fact be on the doorstep of an age of discovery, leading to controls or even cures for the world’s most serious ills.

Now, another new study suggests that the current rate of dementia diagnoses in the US – an esti-mated 500,000 per year – will double by 2026, if steps are not taken to stem the tide. It also traces the cause of this troubling trend back to the basics: diet, exercise and

What they did

The researchers analysed data, “gathered from the ongoing Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS), , which, since 1987, has closely tracked the vascular health and cognitive function of nearly 16,000 participants as they age.”

What they found

The official news release announcing the findings encapsulates them thus; “Dementia involves progressive declines in memory, concentration, and judgment. The increasing number of cases is directly tied to the aging of the U.S. population.”

“Beyond aging, a high risk of dementia is linked to genetic factors, as well as high rates of hyper-tension and diabetes, obesity, unhealthy diets, lack of exercise, and poor mental health.”

The takeaway, for me, at least, is that all the causal factors cited – except, arguably, poor mental health – can be traced back direectly to unhealthy diets and lack of exercise!

The takeaway

Given those key findings, there’s no reason we can’t get off our duffs and start doing something about dementia today. The question appears to be… Are we sufficiently motivated to do that? Or will we, collectively, do what human nature dictates? That is, wait until… the ship has already sailed?

The underlying message is, we all need more fresh foods – produce – in our diets. And the best way to get that is to shop wisely and prepare our own food at home, as much as possible.

As beloved celeb chef Jamie Oliver recently remarked, in a interview with the Toronto STAR, “The data say we’ve never cooked less than now. Cooking skills are dying, but never have we had more choices in food.”

But he also noted, it’s never been easier to avoid cooking. Contributing factors he points out include the proliferation of food delivery services and the uncontrolled growth of packaged and prepared foods. The most-recent tallies show that more than 70 percent of the food sold in US supermarkets is processed or ultra-processed. Not surprisingly, processed foods make up more than 70 percent of what Americans are eating.

My take

This new study just underlines what the Fab Food Blog is all about: Making better food choices, and preparing our own food as much as possible to control what goes into out bodies. Avoiding the collective threats posed by processed foods. And paving the way to a heathier, happier future.

The truth is, eating well need not be more difficult or more expensive than eating poorly. It’s literally about diverting our attention – and hard-earned cash – away from the junk food aisle toward the produce department. We can do it. We should do it. In the end, we must do it…

~ Maggie J.

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