I recently came across a disturbing, new study that looked at the link between eating artificial, trans fats and Alzheimer’s disease (AD)/dementia.
Now, you may wonder why I’m writing about trans fats, as the U.S. banned the use of them back in 2015. But here’s the thing…
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave manufacturers three years to phase out the use of trans fats, which are also known as partially hydrogenated fats. And before being phased out, they were found in all sorts of popular, processed products…from cakes and chips to popcorn and French fries.
So, in my view, these new findings are still pertinent for many Americans. (Especially if you haven’t always followed a healthy, balanced, Mediterranean-type diet filled with fresh, wholesome foods—including dairy, eggs, and meat.) They’re also important for those living in the U.K. or any other country that still allows manufacturers to put trans fats into their food products.
The long-lasting dangers of trans fat
Unlike saturated fats, which occur naturally in healthy foods like dairy, meat, and eggs, trans fats are highly artificial, toxic, processed, added ingredients.
In fact, manufacturers added them primarily to extend the shelf life of processed foods.
The FDA finally decided to ban trans fats back in 2015 after an overwhelming number of studies showed that eating them increases your risks of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. In fact, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), diets high in trans fats increase heart disease risk by 21 percent and increase your risk of death by 28 percent.
And now—a new study shows we should add AD and dementia to that list…
Up to a 75 percent higher AD and dementia risk
At the outset of the new study, Japanese researchers measured the amount of trans fats in blood samples taken from 1,600 older men and women. (This method is much more accurate than relying on dietary assessments.) Then, they followed the participants over the next 10 years.
During that time, 377 of them developed dementia.
It turns out, those with the highest levels of trans fats in their blood at the beginning of the study had a 50 to 75 percent higher risk of developing AD or dementia compared to those with the lowest levels.
Dr. Toshiharu Ninomiya, the lead author of the research report, stated, “These results give us even more reason to avoid trans fats. These public health efforts have the potential to help prevent dementia cases around the world, not to mention decreasing heart disease and other conditions related to trans fats.”
So, while the mainstream continues to chase down old, flawed theories about what causes AD…one huge culprit had been right in the American food supply chain all along!
It’s also a scandal that the mainstream medical mandarins…and their co-dependents at the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, and the American Diabetes Association…continue to harp about cholesterol and saturated fats, when the real problem has always been the toxic, artificial ingredients in processed, hyperpalatable foods!
As I always say, the only way to achieve optimal health is to cut out the processed junk—usually with sugars and carbs—and instead, follow a healthy, balanced Mediterranean-type diet filled with nourishing and satisfying foods, including full-fat, organic dairy (like eggs, butter, cheese, and yogurt), grass-fed and -finished, free-range meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, wild-caught fish and seafood, seeds and nuts, beans (legumes), olives and olive oil, and alcohol in moderation.
In addition to avoiding trans fats and processed foods, you have many safe and effective approaches to prevent and even reverse AD and dementia. And you can learn all about them in my comprehensive, online learning tool, my Complete Alzheimer’s Prevention and Repair Protocol. To learn more, or enroll today, simply click here.
Source:
“Serum elaidic acid concentration and risk of dementia.” Neurology November 26, 2019. 93(22): e2053-e2064. doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000008464