Hello Everybody,
We now know that fewer calories may reduce the risk of dementia as well as improving older person’s memories.
Scientists have found that after three months on a low calorie diet volunteers performed memory tests significantly better than before.
It is thought that there may be a link between the food we eat and the possibility of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Over 700,000 people in the UK suffer from dementia of various types and with this number sure to increase, due to an ageing population, a cure is desperately needed.
The study followed 50 healthy persons of an average age of 60 years who were either of normal weight or overweight. They were split into three groups. One was asked to eat a low calorie diet, reducing its calorie intake by 30 per cent. One to increase its intake by 20 per cent and one to keep its diet the same.
After 12 weeks those who reduced their calorie intake performed 20 per cent better on the memory tests than they had at the start of the tests. There were no changes in the abilities of the other two groups.
The researchers from the University of Munster in Germany believe that the results could be caused by the lowering of insulin created when the body processes food. Insulin may harm the nerves of the brain thus contributing to loss of memory. This is an early sign of dementia.
Of course a poor diet is not the only cause of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and a poor memory not necessarily a sign that they are developing. But the present results seem significant and once again support the benefits of a low calorie diet.
See you soon,
Peter Stockwell.
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