GOOD NEWS: We’ve seen a decline in heart disease and stroke over the past 20 years! BAD NEWS: Mortality from dementia-related diseases has been increasing.

OLIVE OIL TO THE RESCUE: The Mediterranean Diet has long been lauded for protecting against cardiovascular disease, and now its key ingredient, olive oil, has been found to be a viable agent for preventing death linked to dementia.

A study published on May 6 in JAMA Networks Open has shown a correlation between consuming a spoonful of olive oil (7g/d or more) each day and a 28% reduced risk of dementia-related deaths. The 92,383 participants in the study had a mean age of 56.4 years old. During the 28-year follow-up, 4,751 dementia-related deaths occurred.

The research concluded: “In U.S. adults, higher olive oil intake was associated with a lower risk of dementia-related mortality, irrespective of diet quality. Beyond heart health, the findings extend the current dietary recommendations of choosing olive oil and other vegetable oils for cognitive-related health.”

This is yet another study showing the dramatic effect that simple nutritional changes have on dementia risk—an area that patients and physicians would do well to pursue with impunity! There’s a good reason that Hippocrates said in 440 BC, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” 

Last month, the Harvard COSMOS study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that even a low-dose multivitamin taken for a year decreased brain age by two to three years.

In addition to olive oil and a daily multivitamin, I recommend the following research-proven methods for slowing cognitive decline:

Aroma Therapy: When a fragrance wafted through the bedrooms of older adults for two hours every night for six months, memories skyrocketed. Participants in this study conducted by University of California, Irvine neuroscientists reaped a 226% increase in cognitive capacity compared to the control group.

Hearing and Vision Aids: A meta-analysis published in JAMA Neurology has shown that the use of hearing restorative devices by participants with hearing loss was associated with a 19% decrease in hazards of long-term cognitive decline. Furthermore, use of these devices was significantly associated with a 3% improvement in cognitive test scores that assessed general cognition in the short term. Another NIA-funded study in JAMA Neurology showed that 100,000 dementia cases could have been prevented by correcting vision impairment.

Musculoskeletal Pain Reduction: A study published on March 26 in Nature Mental Health associated chronic musculoskeletal pain and premature dementia. This research points to microglial activation as the cause. 

Our published research on the root causes of pain (the SHINE protocol) has been highly effective at alleviating chronic pain. SHINE focuses on treating Sleep, Hormones, Inflammation/Infection, Nutrition, and Exercise (as able).

ONE MORE THING: You should be aware of other factors that might accelerate dementia—metabolic problems such as thyroid disorders and other hormonal deficiencies; untreated infections and inflammation; nutritional deficiencies; correctable hearing and vision loss; and over-the-counter medications like antihistamines and PPI acid blockers.