How Sugar Harms Your Brain Health and Drives Alzheimer’s Epidemic

By Dr. Mercola

Alzheimer's disease, a severe form of dementia, affects an estimated 5.2 million Americans, according to 2013 statistics.

One in nine seniors over the age of 65 has Alzheimer's, and the disease is now thought to be the third leading cause of death in the US, right behind heart disease and cancer.

A growing body of research suggests there's a powerful connection between your diet and your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, via similar pathways that cause type 2 diabetes.

After Reading This, You May Never Touch Another McDonald’s French Fry Again

If you're ever tempted to fall off the horse of good health and treat yourself to a crispy batch of McDonald's French fries, a recent PR campaign by the behemoth fast food chain may give you pause for thought. In the video, a perky McDonald's rep assures us that, yes, their fries are actually made with potatoes. He adds with a smile that an impressive 19 ingredients are used -- one of which is also found in Silly Putty. Although the rep fails to make a connection with the anti-foaming agent dimethylpolysiloxane and the beloved childhood clay, he does make a point to list it twice as an ingredient.

Transform Your Life in 10 Minutes With Ancient ‘Youthing’ Practice

If you need more zest and zip in your life, the secret to these states and more can be found in a set of simple (yet profound) yogic exercises known as the "Five Tibetans." Developed by Buddhist monks and brought to the West in the 1930s, Tibetan yoga is a series of five movements that improve digestion and circulation while dispelling fatigue and depression. Advocates of the practice rave about the boundless energy, clarity and vitality the short daily sessions produce. And many also believe Tibetan yoga reverses the hands of time, promoting an ageless and disease free body.

Lead Toxicity Causes A Host Of Surprisingly Unpleasant Health Conditions

"As auto sales boomed after World War II, and drivers in powerful new cars increasingly asked service station attendants to "fill 'er up with ethyl," they were unwittingly creating a crime wave two decades later," reports Mother Jones in "America's Real Criminal Element: Lead." As it turns out, contact with lead can give rise to aggressive and delinquent behavior, not to mention learning disabilities and lower IQ scores. When leaded gasoline was phased out in the 1970s, an interesting phenomena occurred: the crime rate substantially and consistently dropped. All the same, exposure to the heavy metal hasn't disappeared completely as it still hides in the most ordinary of places - and, predictably, continues to bring about a spectrum of health and behavioral disorders.

The link between lead and criminality

Kim N. Dietrich, director of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, believes that lead can "miswire" developing brains in children, affecting areas of judgement, impulse control and anticipation of consequences - which ultimately can provoke aggressive behavior. In the late 1970s, Dietrich and a team of other investigators began to study some 300 pregnant women who lived in Cincinnati neighborhoods (usually the inner city) that were known for high numbers of lead poisoning cases. According to Chemical and Engineering News:

Slash Your Organic Food Bill By Almost 90% With This One Simple Method

As the economy continues to limp along, many are experiencing a belt-tightening effect on their budgets. Unfortunately, this often results in choosing conventional foodstuffs over organic in an effort to save money. But this doesn't have to be the case. A recent study has found that we needn't sacrifice healthy food during times of economic hardship -- instead, we can use a straightforward strategy to purchase organic fare without the hefty price tag.

The Fattening Of America — Is Water Fluoridation To Blame?

As more information comes to light about fluoride poisoning across the country, connections between the chemical and weight gain are garnering attention. A known suppressor of the thyroid gland, fluoride is a major player in the rampant increase of obesity. But the toxicity of fluoride is subtle and can also manifest as creeping additional weight that is nearly impossible to shed. One aspect is certain: If we desire a slim and healthy body, getting a handle on fluoride exposure is crucial.