Susan Spencer Telegram & Gazette Staff @SusanSpencerTG

WORCESTER - Of the top causes of death in the United States, only No. 6, Alzheimer's disease, can't be prevented, cured or slowed. Unlike killers such as heart disease, cancer and stroke, the number of deaths from Alzheimer's disease is rising rapidly, up 89 percent since 2000, according to the Alzheimer's Association.

Every 66 seconds someone in the U.S. develops the disease, which now affects more than 5 million Americans.

"We're really seeing a crisis with Alzheimer's disease," cognitive neuroscientist Jonathan Jackson from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital told a packed room at Harrington Learning Center at Quinsigamond Community College Monday night. Mr. Jackson spoke about the brain, aging and Alzheimer's disease for the Alzheimer's Association Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter's Alz Talks on groundbreaking research.

Among the biggest shifts in research is a focus now on prevention, since brain changes resulting in Alzheimer's disease and dementia have been shown on imaging studies to appear 15 to 20 years before diagnosis, according to Mr. Jackson.

Scientists know that Alzheimer's disease is the death of brain cells caused by some as-yet unknown mechanism involving the proteins amyloid, which "gunks up" the brain with sticky clumps, and tau, which weakens the structure of cell walls from the inside.

The mechanism triggers the loss of brain matter roughly equal to the weight of an orange, out of an original brain weight of roughly three pounds. And it tends to start in the part of the brain, the medial temporal lobe, where memories are re-assembled.

"We have moved to a stage of trying to prevent Alzheimer's disease rather than treat it outright," Mr. Jackson said.

Clinical research trials on treatment have been disappointing. "The research was hopeful but not terribly realistic," he said.

One of the current "darlings of the Alzheimer's and dementia world" is the Mediterranean diet, emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and fish, and cutting out red meat, cheese, pastry and other processed and fried food. Combined with a low-sodium diet over five years, this plan has been shown to reduce the risk of dementia by 57 percent, according to Mr. Jackson.

"Even if you're not great at the diet, every little bit helps," he said.

Scientists are learning still why the diet works to prevent Alzheimer's, part of a growing focus on what's known as epigenetics, the interaction between external factors and genetics.

Mr. Jackson said it's no longer the question of nature vs. nurture. "It's really the two, over time, together."

But hope isn't lost for treatment.Mr. Jackson said he expected more promising news would be forthcoming as soon as this summer.

One avenue of potentially fruitful research, in its early phases with human subjects, involves opening up the blood-brain barrier with ultrasound, which could allow microscopic bits of medicine to be delivered just to the part of the brain that needs it.

Another involves light-pulse treatment in the eyes that appears to clear out amyloid from inside the brain cells.

Though these treatments "sound crazy," Mr. Jackson said, "It does seem to be the real deal."

The role of the glymphatic system, a pathway in sleep for keeping the brain healthy, is also being investigated.

The next big thing to prevent and even intervene in the development of Alzheimer's disease may be CRISPR technology, which Mr. Jackson said "allows us to re-write DNA."

Clinical trials using CRISPR are starting with diabetes, and modifying genetic risks for Alzheimer's is also an early target.

Mr. Jackson, as well as Alzheimer's Association representatives at the program, stressed the importance of people volunteering to participate in clinical trials to help find a cure.

Julie McMurray, Central Massachusetts regional manager for the association, said that 50,000 volunteers with and without Alzheimer's are needed for more than 250 clinical trials across the U.S. The Alzheimer's Association can help match participants with the studies.

In the meantime, Mr. Jackson presented tips for aging gracefully and keeping one's mind as healthy as possible. These included:

Use external cues, such as Post-It notes, to remind yourself. Just the act of writing the reminder down makes your brain encode the memory in a new way, making it easier to re-assemble.

Test yourself on memory over expanded intervals. For instance, when you meet someone, say their name. Later in the conversation, repeat the name. Over a longer period of time, as you're parting perhaps, repeat the name again.

Be intellectual and be social, ideally together. Talk to others, solve problems or play challenging games that engage your mind.

Get your heart pumping with aerobic exercise.

Lower your stress, which reduces harmful effects of inflammation on the body.

Maintain a healthy diet and weight.

Volunteer for clinical trials to help find a cure for Alzheimer's disease.

For further information visit http://www.alz.org/MANH or call the Alzheimer's Association's 24/7 Helpline at (800) 272-3900.

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Alzheimer's research shifts to prevention, with diet as latest 'darling' - Worcester Telegram

April 4, 2017 by Clare Collins Lee Ashton, Megan Rollo, Rebecca Williams And Tracy Burrows, The Conversation Almost half of people report being on diets - so you should know what works and what doesnt. Credit: http://www.shutterstock.com.au

With almost half the adult population trying to lose weight - it's time to bust some diet myths that just won't go away. Here's eight we've been asked about lately.

1. Celery has "negative" calories

A 15cm celery stalk has 19 kilojoules (five calories). Your body uses about 10% of the celery's total kilojoule value to digest it. This is called the thermic effect of food.

In practical terms it's just one or two kilojoules. The only thing with "negative calories" is cold water. That's because it needs to warm up to body temperature before it can be absorbed. That "heating" uses up some kilojoules. Water itself contains no kilojoules, so the overall effect is "negative."

2. Not eating after 7pm speeds up weight loss

More important than the time of day you eat, is what you eat and how much you eat. Your total kilojoule intake, plus the physical activity performed over a whole day determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain weight. No matter when you eat, if you take in more kilojoules than you need, your body will store the excess as fat.

A recent review found altering meal frequency, where you eat your whole days food as either one, two or three meals per day, makes almost no difference to body weight.

Some short term studies have found that eating MOST of your kilojoules late in the day could make blood sugar control worse, but longer term trials are needed to check this. An advantage of closing down the kitchen early is that less total food gets eaten, especially less junk food and less alcohol.

3. Drinking water before meals makes you lose more weight

This one could work for some. A recent randomised controlled trial in adults with obesity assigned half to drink 500ml of plain water 30 mins before breakfast, lunch and dinner, while the other half had to visualise their stomach being full 30 minutes before meals.

Both groups lost weight over 12 weeks, but those in the water drinking group lost 1.3 kg more than the visualisation group. A comprehensive review of randomised controlled trials on the effects drinking more water on energy intake and metabolism found highly variable results that ranged from negative, to null, to positive effects. But drinking plain water can help to reduce total daily kilojoule intake when it replaces drinks like softdrink, cordial and juice.

4. Ketogenic diets are better than other diets

Ketogenic diets drastically cut carbohydrate and are very high in fat and protein. A meta-analysis of 13 weight loss studies that ran for at least one year, found slightly greater weight loss of 900 grams in those following a ketogenic diet compared to a low-fat diet.

Another systematic review examined the impact of two types of severely energy restricted weight loss diets on appetite.

Meta-analyses of the two ketogenic diet studies that severely restricted carbohydrate found they reduced hunger and lowered desire to eat. The three very low energy diet (VLED) studies, where total energy is restricted to under 2,500 kilojoules per day, found significantly lower hunger levels, with greater fullness and satiety. These diets are very restrictive and should only be used under medical supervision due to potential side-effects, including headaches, bad breath, gall bladder disease and constipation.

5. Chewing gum speeds up weight loss

Chewing sends signals to your brain that you're starting to eat and will soon feel full. A study in 60 adults tested whether chewing hard or soft gum, or none at all, affected appetite.

They found chewing any gum led to a small decrease in energy intake in lean adults, but tended to increase food intake in those who were overweight. A systematic review evaluated evidence on relationships between chewing, appetite and food intake.

Meta-analysis of 13 studies found chewing was associated with reduced feelings of hunger, while 10 of 16 experimental studies found chewing reduced food intake. They noted a publication bias existed, meaning studies with positive findings were more likely to be published. Interestingly, the impact of chewing gum as part of a weight loss intervention hasn't been tested.

6. Don't eat before a work-out to burn more fat

Should you eat before a work out? Debate rages, but this has been tested in a study comparing total energy expenditure and amounts of fat and carbohydrate burned up before, during and after exercise in 12 active healthy males.

They were tested following an overnight fast and on another day after eating breakfast. Fasting before exercise gave a 15% greater rate of fat burning during exercise, compared to eating breakfast. However, eating breakfast led to a 20% greater total exercise energy expenditure compared to fasting.

7. Green tea speeds up metabolism

A 2012 review of 15 studies in adults with overweight or obesity examined the impact of green tea on weight loss and weight maintenance and found no significant long-term effects.

But a recent review in adults with metabolic syndrome on the effects of any type of tea or tea extracts found small beneficial effects on weight loss, but the results need to be interpreted with caution due to the poor quality of some included studies.

8. Eating grapefruit melts fat

No need to rush out in search of grapefruit. A meta-analysis of three randomised controlled trials on the effect of eating grapefruit on body weight found no change in body weight compared to controls.

Explore further: Review: Ketogenic diets suppress appetite despite weight loss

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

(HealthDay)A review of evidence supports that ketogenic diets suppress appetite despite weight loss. The research was published online Nov. 17 in Obesity Reviews.

Dietary guidelines broadly recommend a daily intake of 10,000 kilojoules (2,400 calories) for men and 8,000 kilojoules (1,900 calories) for women. But what do these figures mean in the context of the number of kilojoules ...

University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers are trying to find out whether changing a person's eating schedule can help them lose weight and burn fat.

It has often been recommended in popular weight-loss programs that overweight and obese individuals hoping to shed unwanted pounds should drink more water.

Use of low energy sweeteners (LES) in place of sugar, in children and adults, leads to reduced calorie intake and body weight and possibly also when comparing LES beverages to water according to a review led by researchers ...

Sleep deprivation may result in people consuming more calories during the following day, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis led by researchers at King's College London.

People who are obese or overweight at some point in their adult lives have an elevated risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer and other causes, according to a new study by researchers from the Boston University ...

Specific messaging and resources are needed to promote healthy weight gain during pregnancy for young mothers, a new study suggests.

How important is physical activity in children under 5? It's a question Trish Tucker, a professor in the School of Occupational Therapy, tackles on a daily basis. She's currently involved in a major research project that ...

An international team of researchers has conducted the first study of its kind to look at the genomic underpinnings of obesity in continental Africans and African-Americans. They discovered that approximately 1 percent of ...

People's political leanings and their own weight shape opinions on obesity-related public policies, according to a new study by two University of Kansas researchers.

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Eight diet mythsbusted - Medical Xpress

Consider the impact a diet can have on your health.

You can lose weight. But is it healthy? Certain diet fads can impact health in a negative way, rather than a positive one. Diets restrict types of foods that may have a negative impact on health and weight, but these foods may also provide certain nutrients our body needs.

The gluten-free diet can be considered the in-between when it comes to dangerous diet fads. The impact can be negative or it can be positive.

If you decide to go gluten-free and you arent gluten sensitive, you may start feeling better just because you are eating more healthfully and being more conscious of your food choices, said Bekah Vukovich, a nutrition and dietetics graduate student and consultant for Working Well Nutrition at Ball State.

However, throwing out gluten if you don't have an allergyis not typicallyrecommended as you can lose important vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Gluten is a general term for a protein found in grains like wheat, barley and rye. Gluten is found in fiber rich foods like pasta and bread. Soup, sauces, beer and other foods may contain gluten too.

Some chose to be gluten-free. Others are forced to maintain a strict gluten-free diet.

A strict gluten-free diet is required if you have celiac disease, a genetic autoimmune disorder. For someone with celiac disease, gluten damages the intestine.

Over the course of my life, I always thought my stomach hurt after meals because I ate too fast or just too much, Payton Domschke, a freshman geography major said.

Domschke discovered she had celiac disease during high school after struggling with the pain and symptoms of the disease.

One in 100 people have the disease.

The disease is only diagnosed by a blood test. Some people do not test positive but still experience similar symptoms. The term for this allergy is non-celiac gluten sensitivity or non-celiac wheat sensitivity.

Symptoms of an allergy include bloating, diarrhea, headaches, depression or chronic fatigue. The intensity may vary depending on the individuals tolerance.

Eating naturally gluten-free products or whole grains can improve health because some items, such as fruits and vegetables,are healthier than certain foods. However, many gluten-free items often have additives to mimic the original product. These additives can be unhealthy.

Finding the proper replacement is important. The diet can lack the proper nutrients when food replacements are not planned accordingly.

A strict gluten-free diet can also be costly and timely.

When being at home and within a family dynamic, I found changing my diet a difficult task to handle in the beginning, Domschke said.

Being gluten-free involves careful label reading and avoiding cross contamination in the food. Eating out can be a difficult task for strict gluten-free diets.

When it comes to customer service, others sometimes do not understand what gluten is in general or how to cater to that need, Domschke said.

Some restaurants have a gluten-free menu, but most do not.

Eating on campus can be easier. Boar's Head Deli and other sandwich locations on campus offer gluten-free bread and tortillas. But the items are more expensive.

Gluten-free products on campus cost a dollar more. Meal plans can be adjusted for students with a food allergy.

Ball State Dining requires a dietary needs form to be filled out by a doctor and turned into the office in Carmichael Hall.

Whether you're staying away from glutenbecause you have to, or just want make the choice to, it's important to consult a doctor or dietician and make sure your body gets the nourishment it needs.

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Despite popularity, gluten-free diets not for everyone - Ball State Daily

While some foods should indeed be chucked after their use by has passed, others you can take with a pinch of salt

HAVE YOU ever been scared to eat the food in your fridge because its out of date?

While some foods should indeed be chucked after their use by has passed, others you can take with a pinch of salt.

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It is always wise to pay attention to the dates when it comes to meat, fish and seafood but plenty of other foods are perfectly fine to eat.

Sheer Luxerevealed 13 foods you can safely eat past their use by date.

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Although your favourite snacks might lose some of their freshness once their best by date has passed, you can eat them for a few weeks after.

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While dry pasta usually comes with a long shelf life, you can push this to three years if it is stored in a cool, dry and airtight environment.

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Most tinned food will come with a best before date that is years ahead, but adding on extra time wont hurt you.

As long as your cans are undamaged and stored somewhere cool away from direct light, then they can last four around four years.

The use by date on bread assumes youve left it out in the kitchen you can extend this by up to two weeks by keeping your loaf in the fridge.

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Preserved foods such as pickles can last for up to two years past their use by date if theyre stored in an airtight container in the fridge but they may start to lose some of their crunchiness.

If you keep your eggs in the fridge, you can eat them up to three weeks after the use by date.

But, beware of any unpleasant odour when you crack them this means they should be chucked.

Another way to check if theyre still good is to drop them in a bowl of water, a fresh egg will sink and a bad one will float.

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As long as your chocolate tastes ok, youre pretty much good to go.

Sometimes a white film might form on older chocolate, which is caused by the sugar crystallising, but it wont harm you.

Mould is unable to penetrate harder cheeses such as cheddar, so you can cut off any mould and it will be safe to eat.

If your veg is kept frozen, in theory, it can last indefinitely.

While out of date goods wont hurt you, the texture and taste may change over time.

As long the yoghurt hasnt been opened, you can usually enjoy it for two weeks after the sell-by date.

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As long as your leaves havent gone mouldy, its perfectly safe to eat them past their use by.

When taken care of properly, spirits such as whiskey can be kept open-endedly and the same goes for gin and vodka.

You may be worried about milk, but as long as it tastes and smells OK you can ignore the sell-by.

If thats got you thinking about food,you may beshocked to find outyouve likely been making scrambled eggs all wrong.

On top of that, theres actually a right way to microwave your leftovers and mash potatoes.

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Baked beans, eggs...and the 11 other surprising foods you can safely eat past their use-by dates - The Sun

The following bi-weekly column is written and sponsored by Bark & Boarding, which provides aheart-centered and safe environment for your pets. Conveniently located at5818-C Seminary Road inBaileys Crossroads, Bark & Boardingoffers doggy daycare, boarding, grooming, walking and training services, plus in-home pet care.

I first met Saphy, Vega and Boudreau on an in-home registration. It was hard not to fall in love. Saphy, the oldest of the three dogs, is blind and follows you with her nose. Vega is light brown and small. She wears a constant look of concern on her face. Boudreau is the largest dog with dark patches on his white fur and the attention hog of this Pit-bull crew. Theyre three of the most wonderful dogs Ive known and the first Ive cared for whose meals are based on the trendy raw diet, specifically, Primal Pet Food.

The first thing I noticed about these dogs is how healthy they are. Each is the perfect weight for their frame. All of them have the shiniest fur Ive ever seen. Theyre strong and athletic. Although she cant see, Saphy jumps around like a puppy at playtime. Their feces are small and compact with no odor. Did their raw diet have anything to do with it?

Raw Diet Theory

The theory behind the raw diet is to feed your cat or dog food closest to what they would be eating if they were still in the wild. All proteins, usually muscle meat often still on the bone and organ meats such as kidneys and livers are 100 percent human grade, meaning the product is legally suitable and approved as nourishment for humans, as well as antibiotic and steroid free. All fruits and veggies, for example, kale, carrots, squash, broccoli and apples are certified organic with no preservatives added.

Benefits for dogs and cats include better intestinal health, healthier teeth and gums, shinier coats, weight loss, smaller amounts of feces with less offensive odors, urinary tract health and increased energy. Using a ready-made product saves you time in preparing meals from scratch and they are complete diets containing all the essential vitamins and minerals your pet needs. The feeding amount is usually smaller per meal meaning less food is needed.

The Decision

Thinking of my pets, I wondered if a raw diet could help one of my cats thats overweight as well as my beefy dog? Would it improve the overall health of all three of my cats and dog?

When I was told one of the new products our retail store would be carrying was Primal Pet Food, I decided to make the change. Before trying a raw diet with your pet its important to first discuss this dietary change with your vet. My own vet was very supportive of my decision, especially for my dog. Your vet can guide you on how to ensure your pet will receive a balanced diet and remain healthy through the transition.

Transitioning to a Raw Diet

Its important to start your pets off slowly when moving to the raw diet. Read the transition instructions the company provides on the back of the packaging. Each pets needs will vary depending on size and how much he or she normally eats. Gradually increase the amount of raw food until your pet is eating a full diet of raw products. Take as much time as your pet needs. The Primal Pet Food website has a great feeding calculator to determine the amount your pet should be fed. If your pet has a sensitive stomach, you may want to give him a digestive enzyme. Speak with your vet about recommended dosage.

Future Results

I begin the transition this week and will keep a journal to report any changes in my pets from their raw food diet. I will share my results over the next few weeks.

If you already use Primal Pet Food products or would like more information, we sell them at competitive prices in our retail store and Bark + Boarding (formerly Dog Paws n Cat Claws) staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Sara Schabach In-Home Pet Sitting Manager and Company Writer

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The Chew: The Raw Diet - ARL now