Vegatarians & dementia

[madala]

I ,ve just come home from a respite break arranged by the local branch ,we were a mixed group of 30 with part of the group with dementia and others such as myself carers .Now to the point it came one evening that none of us knew anyone with dementia who were vegatarians .Is this a known fact? could anyone please enlighten me i would really like to know
Regards to all Madala

 

[Pescita]

I can't say I've come across any mention in anything I've read that suggests any link has been found between meat-eating and dementia.

I think it's important to bear in mind that most people (though by no means all, of course) who develop dementia are over 65 - and I can't honestly think of any vegetarians I know who are over 65! Vegetarianism has only really become commonplace in the UK in last three decades or so, and consequently there aren't a huge number of elderly vegetarians, so I wouldn't want to draw too many conclusions from the experience of a group of only 30 or so people.

It would be interesting to know how high the incidence of dementia is in countries/regions where a vegetarian diet is the traditional norm, such as in parts of India.

 

[Padraig]

I don't think any of the so called experts have a clue as to the cause/causes of Alzheimer's. The standard practice they adopt to discover the cause is to research a number of people from certain age groups, then determine lifestyles and backgrounds. I recall from one study it stated that those with a poor education were more likely victims. That being the case I must be in with a high chance of becoming a candidate. I've had no education and I'm in my 79th year; no sign of AD yet, but I'll keep you posted!

I've been an observer of society all my life, traveled much of the world. I've been in charge of well 'educated' people, but often feel I've learned, and am learning more than those put through what I view as the treadmill educational system.
Think I best keep my views to myself as to one of the reasons for the increase of the disease.

 

[Brucie]

I tend to steer clear of vegetarian proponents, as I find their hectoring approach a tad annoying, however, having a number of vegetarians of varying degrees in my immediate family, I'm not unacquainted!

I also find those who promote various theories about the causes of dementia to be similarly irking [certain newspapers, etc], for much the same reason - statements of supposition presented as absolute fact.

However, the fact is [or is it supposition? ] there must be a cause for dementia, and until sufficient avenues have been explored and tested and proved, then all things are possible, from tin foil to chocolate digestives.

To reply to the topic of this thread, I don't know of any vegetarians who have dementia, but since I tend not to be in their company, how would I know? When I mentioned this thread to my vegetarian step-daughter, she just looked at me meaningfully. Later she emailed me with the following link

http://www.goveg.com/alzheimers_madcow.asp

I place no validity - or non-validity - on the content of the site above. Simply another theory. As a person who likes small amounts of best quality meat, and substantial vegetable content with it, I'm interested, but generally distrustful of unproven theories.

 

[connie]

There are at least three residents in the care home who are vegetarian. However I would have no idea how long they had pursued this regime.