The connection between poor diet and Alzheimer's

Is Alzheimer’s Type 3 Diabetes? 

By MARK BITTMAN, NYT

Just in case you need another reason to cut back on junk food, it now turns out that Alzheimer's could well be a form of diet-induced diabetes. That's the bad news. The good news is that laying off soda, doughnuts, processed meats and fries could allow you to keep your mind intact until your body fails you.

We used to think there were two types of diabetes: the type you're born with (Type 1) and the type you "get." That's called Type 2, and was called "adult onset" until it started ravaging kids. Type 2 is brought about by a combination of factors, including overeating, American-style.

The idea that Alzheimer's might be Type 3 diabetes has been around since 2005, but the connection between poor diet and Alzheimer's is becoming more convincing, as summarized in a cover story in New Scientist entitled "Food for Thought: What You Eat May Be Killing Your Brain." (The graphic - a chocolate brain with a huge piece missing - is creepy. But for the record: chocolate is not the enemy.)

The studies [1] are increasingly persuasive, and unsurprising when you understand the role of insulin in the body. So, a brief lesson.

(More here.)