This seems to be a slow news week so I’m going to get caught up on research papers I think worth reading.
I first heard about this study from this video, from Dr. Greger’s newsletter announcement (I subscribe).
Here’s the study: Ornish D, et al. Effects of intensive lifestyle changes on the progression of mild cognitive impairment or early dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease: a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy volume 16, Article number: 122 (2024). https://alzres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13195-024-01482-z.
It put 50 or so people in their 70s or older on “an intensive multidomain lifestyle intervention compared to a wait-list usual care control group” for 20 weeks.
People on the lifestyle intervention—diet, exercise, stress management, group support—did better.
The first author, Dean Ornish, runs a lifestyle modification program.
Comment: Wouldn’t this be terrific! At the very least it is further evidence for the health benefits of a largely (not necessarily exclusively) plant-based diet. Eating plant foods is strongly associated with prevention of any number of undesirable conditions. The Alzheimer’s Association already recommends the DASH or Mediterranean diet patterns; both are plant based.
Eat your veggies. Do so cannot hurt and might help—a lot.
The Culinary Historians of New York and the NYU Department of Nutrition and Food Studies invite you to the launchfirst public launch of my new book, What to Eat Now: The Politics of Your Plate: A Conversation with Dr. Marion Nestle, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., NYU Bobst Library, 70 Washington Square South, Richard A. Chase North Reading Room, 2nd Floor. Register here.
