4MV #272 This neurologist held off dementia ✔ Here's how he did it


⭑ Keeping dementia at bay ✔ How to enjoy years of good living
⭑ Natural sugars help you maintain or lose weight ✔ Added sugars don't
⭑ Why and how natural sugar in fruit and vegetables is good for you ✔
⭑ A twist or wobble board is a fun way to improve your core and balance ✔

All strength to Ukraine 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦

Hello,

I trust you're well and keeping active.

Xmas is upon us! I'll be taking a break and then back with your next newsletter 3 weeks from now. Wishing you and your loved ones a safe and happy festive season.

Item #1 is my take on an article in the Washington Post on how a doctor coped with his own dementia. It's a positive story and raises hope for how to get the most out of life while living with Alzheimer's.

I'm always disturbed when doctors and dietitians cast doubt on the value of fruit because of its "sugar" content - as you may have noticed. The food matrix in which natural sugar is bound is the fundamental reason it has excellent nutritional value, unlike industrially processed sugar - see item #2.

In item #3 I continue my advice about eating fruit with practical suggestions and the scientific support for my recommendations.

I have a "shopping channel"-type blue plastic "yoga balance board" which I use daily. It's a good investment of a small amount of time for a great return - a stronger lower body and better balance - see item #4.

Your podcast of this newsletter is here (17 min).

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01 A Neurologist's Personal Dementia Advice

This article (Washington Post subscription required) caught my eye because it narrates the progression of Alzheimer’s from the first-person experience of a neurologist. It's a positive story.

We tend to regard Alzheimer's as a rapidly progressive condition, but Daniel Gibbs, a retired neurologist, offers a different perspective based on his personal experience. After discovering he carries two copies of the APOE-4 allele, he faced the daunting reality of potentially developing Alzheimer’s. However, his journey has revealed that the disease may be more manageable than we think.

Gibbs’ noticed his first symptom—a gradual loss of smell—years before any cognitive impairment, highlighting that Alzheimer's can develop silently over decades. With beta-amyloid plaques appearing up to 20 years before cognitive changes, understanding this timeline is one part of understanding that we should and can take early steps to mitigate the decline.

Gibb's other point is that, one noticed, you can take positive action to slow down the progression of the disease.

⇒ The most unexpected insight from his experience is that mild cognitive impairment can be held in check for many years, allowing us to maintain our daily activities and even work (if we allow for the fact that we might not be as sharp as when younger).

What this means for you: If you or someone you know is at risk or experiencing mild cognitive symptoms, here are the proactive steps that worked for Daniel Gibbs:

  • Regular Aerobic Exercise: Aim for at least 150 minutes per week to potentially reduce the risk of Alzheimer's by up to 50%.
  • Adopt a Plant-Based Diet: Explore a variant of the Mediterranean diet, such as the MIND diet, which emphasizes foods rich in flavonols, like nuts and green leafy vegetables.
  • Stay Mentally Active: Incorporate daily brain exercises, such as reading, puzzles, or learning a language on Duolingo, for stimulation.
  • Prioritise Social Engagement: Connect with friends or family (in smaller settings) to maintain social connections, rather than avoid them.
  • Ensure Adequate Sleep: Aim for at least 7½ hours of sleep each night.

By addressing lifestyle factors early, there’s potential to slow down cognitive decline and enhance quality of life.

It's very easy to go into denial about early signs of dementia, despite us logically knowing that we would better off to take action. Seek help to get you through the emotional journey and on the path to action.

Related: The Surprising Benefits of Black Tea Daily​​​

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02 How Sugars Ain't Sugars - Don't Be Fooled

This article from WebMD "12 Ways Too Much Sugar Harms Your Body" surprised me because it did not group all sugars as bad sugars. Whereas 99% of doctors and dieticians giving advice to diabetics do, resulting in poor nutritional advice.

I smiled when I read the opening paragraph as I thought "finally, some common sense":

"Sugar is sweet, but too much of it can sour your health. Whole foods like fruits, veggies, dairy, and grains have natural sugars. Your body digests those carbs slowly so your cells get a steady supply of energy. Added sugars, on the other hand, come in packaged foods and drinks. Your body does not need any added sugars."

The article did not further explain why sugar in real foods is different, in the way your body processes it, from industrial sugar. Dieticians and doctors often justify their poor advice by referring to the ultimate molecular structure of sugars. The ultimate structure is the same, but the journey to releasing the structure into our bloodstream is different.

The difference is the FOOD MATRIX within which natural sugars are bound. The food matrix refers to the structural organisation of nutrients and bioactive compounds within a food, influencing how these components are digested, absorbed, and metabolised in our body.

⇒ This concept is vital for understanding the health impact of whole foods compared to isolated nutrients or processed foods.

What this means for you: Understanding the role of the food matrix within which natural sugars are bound will help you make better food choices in general, e.g. adding fresh mango to your ice cream dessert will slow down the sugar absorption not accelerate it, and in particular if you are looking to lose weight or are diabetic.

Here's what you need to know. In natural foods like fruits, sugars are embedded in a complex food matrix that includes:

  1. Fibre: Slows digestion and glucose absorption, gradually increasing blood sugar levels, e.g. as in fresh mango.
  2. Water Content: Contributes to bulk, diluting sugar and slowing its release into the bloodstream e.g. as in watermelon.
  3. Micronutrients and Phytochemicals: Modulate glucose metabolism and offer additional health benefits, such as reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.
  4. Natural Proteins and Fats: Found in some fruits and nuts, they further slow sugar absorption and promote satiety e.g. as in paw paw.

⇒ Rather than avoiding fruits, diabetics should focus on portion control and measuring their individual response to different fruit as part of a balanced diet.

See Part 2, next item.

Related: ​Why I Eat The Whole Orange - Here's Why You Should Too

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03 Practical Advice About Fruit And Sugar

Following on from Item 2 above, let's review fruit sugar versus processed sugar, scientific support, and practical examples. This will equip you to make informed choices.

Common advice oversimplifies the impact of natural sugars in the context of the food matrix, as we can see below:

Natural Sugars in Whole Fruits

  • Slow Absorption: For example, the sugars in bananas are bound to fibre and starch, slowing their digestion and absorption compared to free sugars in processed foods.
  • Low Glycemic Impact: Whole fruits generally have a lower glycemic index (GI) than their processed counterparts, meaning they cause a slower, more controlled rise in blood sugar, contributing to sustainable weight loss.
  • Nutritional Benefits: Fruits provide fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which are beneficial for managing T2D and reducing cardiovascular risks.

Processed Sugars

  • Rapid Absorption: Refined sugars and syrups are absorbed quickly due to the absence of fibre and other matrix components.
  • Spikes in Blood Sugar: This can lead to insulin resistance over time, exacerbating T2D.
  • Lack of Nutritional Value: Processed sugars contribute "empty calories" without beneficial nutrients, contributing to weight gain.

What this means for you: Use the following scientific support and the practical examples as a guide to better choices about eating fruit. As I mentioned above, they contain beneficial fibre, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants that are hard to replicate in other sources.

Scientific Support

  • Bananas and the Food Matrix: Research shows that unripe bananas contain resistant starch, which acts like fibre, slowing glucose release. Even ripe bananas, though sweeter, are embedded in a matrix that moderates absorption compared to free sugars.
  • Apples vs. Juice: Whole apples, which retain their fibre, have a significantly lower glycemic impact compared to apple juice, where the matrix has been disrupted.
  • Fruits in T2D Diets: Studies demonstrate that moderate consumption of whole fruits like berries, apples, and citrus does not increase diabetes risk and can even improve glycemic control due to their fibre and phytochemical content.
  • Practical Examples
    1. Whole Fruit vs. Fruit Juices: A glass of orange juice (processed sugar) causes a quicker blood sugar spike compared to eating a whole orange, where the fibre moderates absorption.
    2. White Bread vs. Whole Grains: The fibre and protein matrix in whole grains significantly slows sugar absorption compared to the rapid glucose release from refined white bread.
    3. Dairy vs. Sweetened Drinks: Lactose in milk is digested more slowly due to milk’s protein and fat content, in contrast to sugary beverages like soda.

Good luck, enjoy your fruit, as I do.

Related: ​As You Age Pistachios Can Help You Sleep Better​

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04 Twisting Your Way To Ab Strength and Better Balance

Our exercise of the week is ... regularly using a balance board.

Despite its "fad" reputation, the Simply Fit Board—and similar balance boards—offer undeniable benefits. I use mine every day.

The most obvious effect from the board's twisting is the engagement of our abdominal and lower back muscles, thus improving core stability.

However the big deal for us is how the board challenges balance and stimulates our body's proprioceptors—the specialised sensory receptors that provide feedback on body position and movement.

This is particularly beneficial for our ankles, which play a critical role in maintaining stability and preventing falls. The subtle, continuous adjustments required during board exercises also strengthen the small stabilising muscles around our ankles and improve coordination between our brain and lower limbs.

⇒ In other words, regular use of these simple devices activates and strengthens neuromuscular pathways from our brain to feet, improving coordination, stability, and core strength.

What this means for you: I just do the most basic simple twist each day, in a pattern of 100 small twists, 50 one way and then reverse direction for another 50 small twist movements.

This YouTube video has 6 minutes of useful Simply Fit Board exercises. Choose a favourite or two, or even do them all every day. You'll soon notice the difference in your balance and lower body strength.

Related: Keep Your Tendons Healthy And Your Balance Will Look After Itself

Thanks for reading!

P.S. If you are not yet subscribed to my free exercise app, try now ↓↓↓ Free forever. Opt-out any time. Opt-in by CLICKING HERE PLEASE SEND ME THE EXERCISES. NOTE: YOU ONLY NEED TO SUBSCRIBE ONE TIME.

>> My Latest Blog Post: Energise Your Golden Years: Boosting Your Desire to Exercise with Gut-Healthy Foods

About the newsletter: Do you think it can be improved? Have a story idea? Want to share about the time you met Chris Hemsworth, or your questions about how to live longer better? Send those thoughts and more to me at walter@bodyagebuster.com

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