Heart attack doubles risk of cognitive decline
They say men think with their you-know-whats and women think with their hearts -- and now we've got proof of at least the second half of that: New research finds heart problems can lead to thinking problems in women.
Ladies, a heart attack will double your risk of cognitive problems such as memory loss or a decline in thinking skills, and heart disease will boost that risk by nearly a third.
Bypass surgery, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes and more will also up those odds, according to the study in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
I was half kidding with what I said earlier about men and women; the only reason the study finds the link in women alone is that it looked at only senior women. I'm sure you'd find similar numbers for men, because heart problems and brain problems often go hand-in-hand in men and women alike.
Heart problems often involve inflammation, and inflammation alone is a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia. The heart also pumps blood and oxygen to the brain (and everywhere else, for that matter). And when the brain doesn't get enough, it starts to starve.
Heart problems can also disrupt the production of the cerebrospinal fluid needed to clear toxins from the brain.
That's the downside.
But I'm not here to be a downer. There's GOOD news here, and that's the simple fact that protecting your heart today will save your brain tomorrow.
The answer is easy-peasy: Eat more animal fat. These healthy fats will protect your heart (and your brain, by the way, which is practically made of fat). While you're at it, limit the carbs and avoid sugars and you'll have a healthy heart and a brain so sharp you'll never have to think with your you-know-what again.