02/27/2024
Too much cholesterol in our blood is unanimously recognized to be a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Those with a total cholesterol of 225 (mg/dL) or more may have nearly 25 times the odds of ending up with amyloid plaques in their brain 10 to 15 years later.
LDL cholesterol levels average 40 points higher in those with bad gene variants of APOE, but after switching to a diet lower in animal fat, that cholesterol difference can effectively be smoothed out. So, diet can trump genetics.
This may explain the so-called Nigerian paradox: They have among the highest rates of the Alzheimer’s gene, but some of the lowest rates of Alzheimer’s disease. The paradox may be explained by their low cholesterol levels, probably because of their diets low in animal fat.
In terms of dietary guidelines for the prevention of Alzheimer’s, we should center our diets around whole, plant-based foods, such as whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.
To drastically lower LDL cholesterol levels, we need to drastically reduce our intake of trans fat (found in processed foods and naturally in meat and dairy), saturated fat (found mainly in animal products and junk foods), and dietary cholesterol (found exclusively in animal products, especially eggs).
Watch the video “How Not to Age – Live Presentation” at https://see.nf/45P50wv to learn more.
How Not to Age is out now! Borrow a copy from your local library or order one today: https://see.nf/HNTABook
