I recently read a new study covered by Reuters that links fast food intake in mice to the development of Alzheimer’s-like abnormal protein tangles in the brain:
"On examining the brains of these mice, we found a chemical change not unlike that found in the Alzheimer brain," Susanne Akterin, a researcher at the Karolinska Institutet's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, who led the study, said in a statement.
"We now suspect that a high intake of fat and cholesterol in combination with genetic factors ... can adversely affect several brain substances, which can be a contributory factor in the development of Alzheimer's."
The link between Alzheimer’s and fast food in this study was interesting (and scary), and it brought to mind comparisons have also been made between Alzheimer’s and Mad Cow disease (BSE). Yes, now that's two possible links between our food and Alzheimer's.
Studies have shown that Alzheimer’s in the brain looks very similar to CJD or Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE), a form of prion in the same family as Mad Cow disease (BSE). It is reported that 10% of Alzheimer’s cases are actually misdiagnosed CJD. There is still a lot of debate on whether CJD is caused by cows carrying a TSE disease. BSE often has a long incubation period before a cow will show symptoms, so cows carrying BSE could be processed before they are known to carry BSE. Humans with TSE will sometimes never show symptoms of the disease, or the decline will be slow.
Although the Alzheimer’s via fast food and Alzheimer’s via TSE aren’t necessarily connected, the Alzheimer’s threat is real. With a 10% increase in Alzheimer's rates in this country in the last five years, we cannot deny that Alzheimer’s rates are growing at a dangerous pace. It is comforting to know, however, that there are safe alternatives out there. Grass-fed beef has little to no risk of BSE because the cows are strictly fed grass, not animal protien. Grass-fed beef also has more Omega-3's than grain-fed (or animal protein fed) beef, and Omega-3's are well known to support healthy brain function. Additionally, cows at the La Cense Ranch, for example, are source verified, meaning their birth and entire life on the ranch is documented and tracked. This ensures that no cow from other producers or countries will be sold as La Cense Beef, and that they will have truly ingested only grass their entire lives, meaning they are not at risk for contracting BSE from other cows, or transmitting it to you.
Grass-fed Change is a change that supports the long-term health of our people and our livestock. The diseases that can arise from cows eating animal protein are frightening, as are the diseases that can arise from eating the substances we call fast food. Choosing Grass-fed beef is a preventative choice. It means supporting a rancher who works hard to raise cattle the old-fashioned way, and this choice sends a message to the cattle industry that you believe safe meat is a priority for the security and health of our families and our nation.
