Carbs linked to elderly with cognitive issues comes as no surprise. Though recently it has been mentioned in the mainstream media, researchers thinking outside the box have long been studying the effects of sugar…that means carbs as all carbs break down to sugar…and their relationship to the inflammatory process. Research is now focused on inflammation as the cause or a contributing factor in Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease, to name but a few. Cognitive problems certainly fits in.
This is such a no-brainer. But the media refuses to report properly about all the effects of sugar in the body. They can’t equate the sugar in a vegetable, fruit, bread, rice or potatoes to anything being bad. And they aren’t bad…except when eaten in a diet that is too high in carbohydrates.
Sugar in sweets, desserts and 32 ounce soft drinks make sense when we are told they are not good for you. How does a bugs bunny carrot fit in? It does when you take away all the sweets and soft drinks, but eat too many meals full of pasta, rice, potatoes, fruit juice, bread and for the health nut…too much juicing.
So, let’s not pick on carrots or any one food. The take away from this study is that there is a certain amount of carbs (sugar) per day that is safe to eat when eaten along with higher levels of fat and protein. A low carb diet is what we are talking about.
Please click here to learn about how to eat low carb
From the Huffington Post:
In a world filled with nonstop ideas on what people should and should not eat comes a new study highlighting even more dangers associated with carbs and sugar.
A Mayo Clinic study of 1,230 people between the ages of 70 and 89 found that those who eat food high in carbohydrates have nearly four times the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment. The danger also rises with a heavy-sugar diet.
At the same time, the study also found that people who consume a lot of protein and fat relative to carbohydrates are less likely to become cognitively impaired.
The research makes clear the importance of a well-rounded diet, says lead author Rosebud Roberts, a Mayo Clinic epidemiologist. “We think it’s important that you eat a healthy balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat because each of these nutrients has an important role in the body,” Roberts noted in a statement.
Researchers tracking the eating habits of 1,230 older people found that those reporting the highest carbohydrate intake at the beginning of the study were 1.9 times likelier to develop mild cognitive impairment than those with the lowest intake. Participants with the highest sugar intake were 1.5 times likelier to experience mild cognitive impairment than those with the lowest levels.
Surprisingly, people whose diets were highest in fat — compared to the lowest — were 42 percent less likely to face cognitive impairment; and those who had the highest intake of protein had a reduced risk of 21 percent.
When total fat and protein intake were taken into account, people with the highest carbohydrate intake were 3.6 times likelier to develop mild cognitive impairment.
“A high carbohydrate intake could be bad for you because carbohydrates impact your glucose and insulin metabolism,” Roberts stated in a press release. “Sugar fuels the brain — so moderate intake is good. However, high levels of sugar may actually prevent the brain from using the sugar — similar to what we see with type 2 diabetes.”
Sugar and carbs have long been associated with a variety of health issues, everything from cancer to diabetes to depression.
This isn’t the first study that’s examined the possible causes of cognitive impairment. Researchers from the Karolinska Institute and Karlstad University recently found an association between problems chewing hard foods, like apples, and increased risk of cognitive impairment.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/17/carbs-cognitive-impairment_n_1970905.html
