A new study links Alzheimer’s to belly fat.
As the size of a person’s belly grows, the memory center of their brain shrinks, and beta- may appear — all of this occurring as early as a person’s 40s and 50s, well before any cognitive decline is apparent, according to new research.
Both beta amyloid plaques and tau tangles are early signs of the brain’s march toward a possible Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis. Amyloid plaques typically appear first, with tau tangles arriving later as the disease progresses
The way we can track a sicker looking brain is lower blood flow,” Raji said. “We also saw brain atrophy, or a wasting away of gray matter, in a part of the brain’s memory center called the hippocampus.”
“Most of a person’s body mass index (BMI) reflects subcutaneous fat, not visceral fat,” Raji said. “So we measure visceral fat using abdominal MRI, and we have a specialized computer program that can measure the actual volume of visceral adipose tissue.”
“The more visceral fat one has, the more inflammation happens in the body and it’s much worse, in truth, than the inflammation that occurs with subcutaneous fat,” Raji said.
“To more efficiently get into ‘fat burning’ mode and lose body fat over time, I suggest taking a brisk walk, at a steady pace, working up to at least 45 — 60 minutes two to three times per week,” he said.
“Walking fast on a treadmill at a slight incline, or walking with a weighted vest, are ways to get into the fat burning zone more quickly and efficiently,” he said. “Tracking and building muscle mass is also key — the more muscle a person has, the higher their metabolism and the better they can burn fat through the day.”
If your muscle mass is low, try strength training for at least 30 minutes twice a week or more, and be sure to eat adequate amounts of protein intake throughout the day, he added.
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