🧠 The link of Alzheimer's disease and forgetfulness with vessel clogging due to cholesterol and fat
"What is good for the heart is good for the brain" - Michael Greger
The main idea is that Alzheimer's disease is closely linked to atherosclerosis — clogging of arteries with cholesterol plaques, which is usually associated with heart disease. Clogging of brain vessels leads to the death of its sections.
On traditional nutrition, clogging of brain vessels begins already in childhood and proceeds progressively, first something trivial is forgotten, and then constant forgetfulness begins. The peak is reached at 50-70 years, when a person begins to forget only the moments that have occurred and has to constantly be reminded of them, and even forgets what his name is, who his children and parents are. The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and other diseases related to this is not always made, but the fact of brain damage is obvious and many do not even suspect it.
It is precisely the death of neuron connections that leads to forgetfulness. Therefore, the brain cannot read information about an event that occurred, since the record of it is physically absent due to damage to the section of the brain where this information is recorded. So senile sclerosis is not from old age as such.
At autopsy of patients with Alzheimer's disease it is often found that the arteries feeding the brain (especially the memory centers) are clogged with the same atherosclerotic plaques as the coronary arteries in heart attack. This reduces blood flow and oxygen supply to brain neurons, gradually killing it in parts.
🧈 The role of cholesterol
High blood cholesterol levels, especially oxidized cholesterol (oxysterols), is a risk factor. Oxidized cholesterol can overcome the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in the brain, contributing to inflammation and the formation of amyloid plaques. Studies show that high cholesterol levels in middle age (about 40 years) is associated with an increased risk of dementia decades later.
🥩 The effect of saturated fats
A diet high in saturated fats (meat, cheese, butter) raises the level of "bad" cholesterol (LDL) in the blood, which contributes to vessel clogging. In addition, such food can cause metabolic endotoxemia — the entry of inflammatory toxins from the intestine into the blood, which also harms the brain.
Based on this, the prevention of cardiovascular diseases through diet automatically protects the brain too.
The main principle is to minimize the consumption of animal products (meat, eggs, dairy products), which are sources of saturated fats and cholesterol, and increase the share of whole plant products (vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains).
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia (50–70% of cases)
Dementia is not a separate disease but a general syndrome (a complex of symptoms) characterized by acquired decline in memory, thinking, behavior, and the ability to perform everyday tasks. This condition is serious enough to disrupt a person's daily life and independence.
In Nigeria there is a very high proportion of carriers of the ApoE4 gene (genetic risk of Alzheimer's), but an extremely low incidence of dementia. Scientists link this to the traditional low-fat plant diet, which supports a very low blood cholesterol level. A similar situation is observed in rural India.
The growth of animal product consumption in Japan after World War II correlated with a sharp rise in the incidence of dementia — this is an argument in favor of the dietary factor.
Alzheimer's disease is not only an inevitable consequence of aging or "bad genes." This is a disease that is largely provoked by the same lifestyle as heart attacks. The consumption of products that raise cholesterol (meat, cheese, eggs) leads to clogging of vessels, including brain vessels, which creates the basis for cognitive decline. Therefore, it is recommended to consider a plant-based diet low in saturated fats as a key prevention tool.
📝 Conclusion
So we figured out that senile sclerosis does not appear for nothing, but it is a physiological process of destruction that can be prevented and even removed. And old age does not come for nothing either, it is a process of wear of the body, in particular telomeres responsible for the renewal of cells in the body. In the previous article it was analyzed that one can even begin to look younger: ⏳ Is it possible to start looking younger and turn back the biological clock?
For cleansing vessels, this helps very well: 🌿 Fasting with stages according to Malakhov and 📚 "Healing with Hydrogen Peroxide" - Gennady Petrovich Malakhov
Source: 📚 "How Not to Die: Food in the Fight for Life" - Michael Greger