Tips to dodge Type 2 diabetes and protect your brain from dementia

Q: Both my parents have Type 2 diabetes. I’m 17 and want to avoid it. Any new tips on what might help? — Franco T., Birmingham, Alabama

A: There are some new insights that may help you dodge Type 2 diabetes — but the long-standing advice about getting at least 300 minutes of physical activity a week, avoiding highly processed foods, added sugars and syrups, and red and processed meats, plus getting seven servings a day of fruits and vegetables is very effective.

That said, here’s one example of a new insight into dodging diabetes. Researchers looked at data on 104,168 adults in the Nutrinet-sante cohort study and found an association between greater exposure to nitrites and the risk for Type 2 diabetes. People with the most exposure to nitrite originating from food additives (mostly sodium nitrite) had a 54% greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes as those eating the least amount. That’s one reason why I say it’s smart to avoid all processed meats, such as bacon, hot dogs, sausage, ham and deli meat. And, remember, there’s no need to worry about the nitrites found in combination with other nutrients in foods such as carrots and spinach.

Another good way to prevent Type 2 diabetes is to maintain a healthy LDL cholesterol level. A meta-study in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular

Diseases included data from a total of 355,230 people with Type 2 diabetes. It reports that for every 100 milligram increase in daily harmful cholesterol consumption, the risk for diabetes jumps 106% — and folks eating the most cholesterol daily have a 119% increased risk of diabetes when compared to those eating the least. The simple way to avoid harmful cholesterol is to ditch egg yolks, squid, red meats, poultry skin, full-fat dairy, and fried and highly processed foods. And remember: 10,000 steps or step-equivalents daily is a must. Your muscles are the first place insulin resistance develops, and daily activity helps prevent that.

Q: I’m 68 and three of my friends are losing it — ever more forgetful and whacky. I walk a lot, eat healthy foods, but what else can I do to protect myself from dementia? — Donna T., Fort Collins, Colorado

A: There are 33 choices you can make that will protect you from dementia and they are detailed in my book, “The Great Age Reboot.” Several new studies reinforce the wisdom of those brain-friendly steps. One of the most interesting is a study in Nature Aging that shows that if you can get a hold of your emotions — especially anxiety and depression — and find ways to address them through exercise, meditation, therapy and building self-confidence, you can help prevent loss of neural connections and function in brain areas involved in memory and thought processing. Those researchers are now looking at the brain-protective effects for folks over 65 of learning a foreign language or doing either mindful or compassionate meditation (stay tuned). I bet they all help.

Another study (in the lab) found that a high-fat diet can cause inflammation in the brain, leading to insulin resistance and damage to the brain’s immune cells, causing cognition problems. So clearly, eliminating saturated fats as much as possible by avoiding red and processed meats and full-fat dairy and opting for non-inflammatory fats like extra virgin olive oil will help keep you sharp.

Keeping your blood pressure pretty steady — at around 110/70 — over the years is yet another way to protect yourself from dementia. A recent study in Alzheimer’s & Dementia shows that if your systolic blood pressure (the top number) is high and it regularly fluctuates during the day or from month to month, that increases your risk for dementia by as much as 112% over three to 12 years.

To develop a truly full life plan to protect your brain and body from premature aging and damage adopt at least some of those 33 Great Age Reboot choices regularly — you’ll stay younger longer.

Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is “The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow.” Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@ Greatagereboot.com.