Of mice and men
Consider the apple—and I don’t mean the computer brand.
There’s a study that looked at improving memory by drinking apple juice. Evidently, it staves off the decline of acetylcholine—a big word for a little neurotransmitter in your brain. It’s an important one, though, with the big job of keeping your brain and your memory healthy. (For more on acetylcholine, see this month’s issue of my newsletter, Health Revelations.)
This particular study found that eating antioxidant-rich foods such as apples and apple juice could help reduce memory loss by promoting acetylcholine.
The researchers did this study using genetically engineered mice designed to have human Alzheimer’s, and compared them with normal adult mice and normal “aged” mice. All were given one of two diets: Normal, and nutrient-poor.
The normal adult mice and the genetically engineered mice that were on normal diets had similar acetylcholine levels. (The normal mice that were given nutrient-poor diets also had the same levels.)
But when they looked at the genetically engineered mice on the nutrient-poor diet, they found lower acetylcholine levels. But by giving them apple juice, the drop in levels was prevented. Future studies are planned for humans.
Now for the kicker: The amount of apple juice that the mice drank was comparable to 16 ounces, which would be about two glasses, or eating two to three apples a day.
You’ve heard me talk a lot lately about Alzheimer’s disease. That’s I’ve made an executive decision to not sit idly by and wonder if I’ll be stricken with Alzheimer’s, or if my patients will be stricken. And sadly, for those who are stricken, they’ll be the last to know. It’s a sad ending for many who once enjoyed a vibrant life.
Let’s be clear: There are ways to prevent, slow down, and even reverse dementia, and it is my pleasure to bring you any information I come across in my ongoing research that will help you.
In the meantime, pick up some apples at the store or local farmer’s market, and have one—or more—every day. I prefer actual apples to juice, as they provide fiber. It’s always better to eat your foods as close to their natural state as possible.
I won’t argue with you, though, if you decide to have a glass of apple juice along with an apple. Better yet, play it smart and approach prevention on many fronts for the best outcome—daily exercise, adequate sleep, a meal of fish several times a week, brain exercises such as crossword puzzles, chess, or learning a new language, as well as that apple or two a day. Just as long as you’re taking some sort of action to keep Alzheimer’s from knocking, that’s really all that counts.
Your conscious decisions and actions today impact your health for tomorrow.
