Could a simple cup of coffee be your immunization against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases? It might be possible, as new research found that a group of compounds known as “phenylindanes,” which emerge after roasting coffee beans, can inhibit the clumping of protein fragments responsible for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
According to Metro, however, the study’s investigators said this doesn’t mean coffee is a cure for either; it just means they may be closer to finding a clue to how the two dreaded diseases might be stopped.
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It seems like we’re always looking for the perfect elixir to cure whatever ill comes along in our lives — and the more serious the illness, the harder we look for that elixir. Alzheimer’s is certainly is one of the most feared afflictions connected to aging, with Parkinson’s right up there with the fear of cancer and heart disease. Fortunately, one “elixir” we have at our fingertips doesn’t come in a pill — or cup — and it doesn’t cost a thing.
That elixir is exercise. Just making it a point to get up out of your seat and move more, goes a long way toward helping your brain operate better. But, if you can increase your movement to include cardiovascular exercise and fitness, you actually can slash your risk for dementia-related problems.
One note, though: It's important to realize that while exercise can be viewed as a "drug" of sorts to lower your risk of dementia and chronic disease, it's possible to overdo it, which can make your health worse instead of better. In other words, more is not always better when it comes to exercise.
Particularly in the case of high-intensity interval training, very short workouts done just two or three times a week is all it takes to reap the benefits.
Going hand in hand with exercise, diet is a vitally important key to preventing any major illness, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. In this case, the elixir key comes in the form of ditching processed foods — which tend to be nearly devoid of healthy fat while being excessive in refined sugars — along with refined sugars of any kind.
In fact, one of the most striking studies on carbohydrates and brain health revealed that high-carb diets increase your risk of dementia by a whopping 89 percent, while high-fat diets lower it by 44 percent. That alone should be an incentive to get off the high-sugar diet we’re so addicted to.
If you need help learning how to abandon sugar and incorporate high quality fats in your diet instead, my book, “Fat for Fuel,” explains how burning fat for fuel not only can energize your brain and body, but get you healthier overall. My sequel to “Fat for Fuel,” “Superfuel,” explains all about fats, what’s good, what’s not, and how to tell the difference — and offers all the natural “elixirs” you need to live a quality, healthy life.