The diabetes-dementia link

“I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas Edison’s determined optimism illuminates how important it is in the face of delays to keep your eye on the goal. That will-do attitude got us the electric lightbulb and, if you have Type 2 diabetes (or prediabetes), it can help you avoid dementia.

A new study published in JAMA has found that dementia is a major complication of diabetes. In fact, if you turn 70 and have had Type 2 diabetes for more than a decade, you’ve doubled your risk for dementia, compared with folks who are diabetes-free at 70. And, say the researchers, for every additional five years earlier that you were diagnosed with diabetes — say at 55 instead of 60 — there’s a 24% increased risk of developing dementia.

Now, we know that controlling — even banishing — diabetes can seem daunting. There are 10,000 ways to remain sedentary, eat sugary, saturated-fat snacks, increase metabolism-damaging inflammation and darken your future. But there is a way to make sure your inner light doesn’t fade.

If you have diabetes, it’s time to declare, “I have not failed.” Adopting a plant-based diet; ditching red and processed meats, ultraprocessed foods, and added sugars; and getting 300 minutes a week of aerobic exercise and strength building twice a week can protect your brain.

So, talk to your doctor about nutritional counseling, exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy to help you leave behind your “ways that won’t work.”

Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer Emeritus at Cleveland Clinic.

(c)2021 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.

King Features Syndicate