Alzheimer’s Prevention Through Diet

Sunday, September 19th, 2004

The fat found in cold-water fish is high in two essential fatty acids: EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). These are also known as omega-3 fatty acids.

EPA and DHA have been shown to reduce the risk of virtually every major chronic disease suffered in society: heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders, depression and many others. It has also been recognized by the federal health institutions that DHA is vital for the neurological development of infants, making it an essential component in the diet of breastfeeding mothers or in formula.

A new study published in the journal Neuron by a team at UCLA found that dietary DHA prevents the breakdown in cellular communication found in Alzheimer’s patients. As one researcher put it, “We saw that a diet rich in DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, dramatically reduces the impact of the Alzheimer’s gene.”

This study used mice, but the research team believes that the results have very direct bearing on the potential for DHA in human diets to both prevent and to slow progression of Alzheimer’s Disease.

DHA is present in fish such as salmon and sardines. However, there is growing concern about the presence of heavy metals, antibiotics and other toxins found in the fat of fish. This risk is especially high in farmed salmon. It is important to know that if the salmon is not explicitly labeled as “wild,” it is farmed, and all Atlantic salmon is now farmed, without exception.

For more information on the safety of various kinds of fish, you can download a helpful pocket guide compiled by Physicians for Social Responsibility from here. You can also read more about the risks of farm-raised salmon here.

DHA and EPA can both be taken as liquid or capsule supplements. While many retail fish oil supplements do not remove heavy metals or other contaminants, the oils sold by Nature Cures Clinic are pharmaceutical-grade oils, meeting the strictest standards of purity.

About 70% of your brain is made of fat, and about 25% of that fat is in the form of DHA. DHA is essential for the development of the eye, for mood regulation, for communication between brain cells, and many other essential functions. And with Alzheimer’s Disease now a growing epidemic, there is yet another reason to make DHA a part of your daily diet.

If you would like to learn more about a comprehensive nutritional program that supplies you with DHA, EPA and all the other essential nutrients, contact our clinic by sending a note to info@naturecuresclinic.com.

Tags: Alzheimer's disease, Diet
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