Do this once a week to prevent Alzheimer’s disease
It might be February, but I’m already looking ahead to spring.
Some folks can’t wait for the flowers to bloom or spring training, while others just want warmer weather.
Me? I’m making dinner plans!
When fresh Alaska salmon hits the market, I’m ready – and not just because nothing tastes better than a filet fresh off the grill or out of the broiler.
Wild-caught salmon is also one of nature’s best sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and new research reels in one more reason to make sure you put fish on the menu at least once a week: These brain-boosting fats could slash your risk of dementia!
If you’re one of the 75 million Americans who carry a copy of the APOE4 gene, you’re already facing a higher risk of dementia whether you know it or not. Some 7 million of us even carry TWO copies of the gene, further increasing that risk.
But what’s written in your genes isn’t written in stone. You can overcome it with good choices and clean living – such as a diet rich in the healthy omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon and other fish.
What makes this study so unique is that researchers didn’t just ask folks about their fish consumption and track their risk.
They actually tracked 286 seniors right up until the day they died – with many of them living into their 90s – then examined their brains for the telltale signs of Alzheimer’s damage such as beta amyloid plaques and tangles.
Folks who carried that APOE4 gene and ate fish at least once a week had lower levels of those plaques and tangles and fewer signs of other forms of brain damage linked to cognitive decline, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
They didn’t find a benefit in seniors without the APOE4 gene, but the researchers wouldn’t rule it out, either, saying the study may not have been big enough to go that far.
Since we already know that seniors who follow a Mediterranean diet rich in fatty fish tend to have a lower risk of dementia, it would make sense that putting fish on the menu can help just about everyone.
The study also finds that exposure to mercury from fish won’t boost your risk of dementia, but I wouldn’t take comfort in that. There’s just too much research linking memory loss and other brain damage to mercury and other heavy metals, so make your best effort to avoid them by choosing low-risk fish such as wild-caught salmon from Alaska.
For more on how to choose safer fish, read this free report from my House Calls archives.