"The Holy Powder"

New research shows that eating curry once or twice a week could help prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

The key reason is curcumin, a component of the spice turmeric.Curcumin prevents the spread of amyloid protein plaques, which are thought to cause dementia. Amyloid plaques, along with tangles of nerve fibers, contribute to the degradation of the wiring in brain cells.There is evidence that people who eat a curry meal two or three times a week have a lower risk of dementia.

Researchers are currently testing the impact of higher doses, such as the equivalent of going on a curry spree for a week, to see if they can maximize the effect.

“Holy Powder’s” Benefits Reach Far Beyond Your Brain

People in India refer to turmeric as “holy powder” because it has such a broad range of health effects. In fact, curcumin has been shown to influence more than 700 genes, with benefits that include:

• Strengthening and improving your digestion
• Supporting healthy liver function and detoxification
• Purifying your blood
• Fighting cancer and arthritis
• Anti-inflammatory propertiesFurther, evidence suggests turmeric may play a beneficial role in the following diseases:

• Cystic fibrosis
• Type 2 diabetes
• Crohn’s disease
• Psoriasis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Cataracts
• Gallstones
• Muscle regeneration
• Inflammatory bowel disease

Ten Important Ways to Avoid the Coming Alzheimer’s Epidemic

By 2010 there will be 500,000 new cases of Alzheimer’s disease diagnosed each year, so NOW is the time to start taking action. Fortunately, your lifestyle can make a major difference in your risk of this disease. The tips that follow will bolster your brain health and keep your mind in top working order even as you get older.

1. Optimize your vitamin D levels through safe sun exposure, a safe tanning bed and/or vitamin D supplements.

2. Eat a nutritious diet with plenty of vegetables based on your nutritional type, and pay special attention to avoiding sugar.

3. Eat plenty of high-quality, animal-based omega-3 fats in the form of krill oil. Avoid most fish (high in omega-3, but often contaminated with mercury).

4. Avoid and remove mercury from your body. Dental amalgam fillings are one of the major sources of mercury, however you should be healthy prior to having them removed. Once you have adjusted to following the diet described in Take Control of Your Health, you can follow the mercury detox protocol and then find a qualified biological dentist to have your amalgams removed.(Be sure to only use a high-quality biologically trained dentist who is familiar with the removal of amalgam fillings or your health could get ruined.)

5. Avoid aluminum, such as in antiperspirants, cookware, etc.

6. Exercise for three to five hours per week. According to one study, the odds of developing Alzheimer's were nearly quadrupled in people who were less active during their leisure time, between the ages of 20 and 60, compared with their peers.

7. Avoid flu vaccinations as they contain both mercury and aluminum!

8. Wild blueberries, which have high anthocyanin and antioxidant content, are known to guard against Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases.

9. Challenge your mind daily. Mental stimulation, such as traveling, learning to play an instrument or doing crossword puzzles, is associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer's. Researchers suspect that mental challenge helps to build up your brain, making it less susceptible to the lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease.

10. Avoid fluoride, which is another powerful neurotoxin. The most common sources would be in your water and toothpaste. But it is also a part of some antibiotics (like Cipro), soy protein, and pesticides, so seek to have as much of your food organically grown as possible.

-Dr. Mercola