Low fat diets and lack of crucial omega-3 fats from the foods we eat are a significant concern, as the brain is then deprived of the proper building blocks to support effective chemical and electrical signaling between neurons.Forward thinking researchers believe that by starving the body of essential monounsaturated medium and long chain fats may contribute to the growing numbers of people suffering from diseases of brain aging. Natural Dietary Fats Provide a Constant Source of Fuel that Halt Brain Aging Illnesses In an effort to better understand the cause of effect, scientists from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and the National Institute of Health have constructed a study using a mouse model that explains how a proper supply of fat macronutrients can help to slow brain aging and delay of prevent the onset of certain disease pathologies that impact the brain. Publishing in the journal, Cell Metabolism, researchers reviewed how damage to DNA, currently linked with Alzheimer’s and Cockayne syndrome, a premature aging disorder that results in death by the age of 10 to 12, may be altered by a diet high in fat. Researchers found that medium-chain fatty acids from coconut oil in the diet help to provide a constant supply of energy required by the brain to perform DNA repair processes and the critical function of protein folding as new protein structures are manufactured in the brain. Lead study author, Dr. Vilhelm Bohr noted that “a diet high in fat also seems to postpone the aging of the brain. The findings, therefore, potentially imply that patients with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease in the long term may benefit from the new knowledge.” A Regular Diet of Cold Pressed, Monounsaturated Fats is Shown to Improve Brain Function After analyzing the results of a diet high in natural, unheated or hydrogenated fats, the study authors concluded, “we have previously demonstrated that aging is a result of the cell repair mechanism being constantly active… It eats into the resources and causes the cell to age very quickly… we therefore hope that a diet with a high content of coconut oil or similar fats will have a beneficial effect, because the brain cells are given extra fuel and thus the strength to repair the damage.” Prior research has shown that the current ‘fat-phobic’ lifestyle promoted by physicians and dietitians alike does more to promote life-shortening illnesses, as it tends to ignore our critical need for denatured fats and emphasizes excess refined carbohydrates and sugars, now confirmed to shorten lifespan and promote brain aging diseases. Diseases that affect the brain and overall quality of life, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease are on the rise as millions of afflicted individuals struggle to cope with a devastating diagnosis that can threaten lifespan. The brain is well protected from external influences, as the blood-brain barrier prevents most chemical compounds and pathogens from travelling to this most delicate organ. Medical researchers and physicians are well aware that critical cell structures allowing for the normal flow of oxygen and chemical neurotransmitters in the brain are controlled by the type of fats that are available to construct cell walls and neurons. Sources for this article include: cell/cell-metabolism/abstract/S1550-4131(14)00452-5 sciencetimes/articles/1154/20141112/high-fat-diet-may-slow-down-alzheimers-parkinsons-and-premature-aging.htm medicalnewstoday/articles/285067.php eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-11/uoc-hdp110514.php John Phillip is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and diet, health and nutrition researcher and author with a passion for understanding weight loss challenges and encouraging health modification through natural diet, lifestyle and targeted supplementation. John’s passion is to research and write about the cutting edge alternative health technologies that affect our lives. Discover the latest alternative health news concerning diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia and weight loss at My Optimal Health Resource
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 22:39:13 +0000
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