Reading Tools for Titans by Tim Ferris you will eventually read the chapter about Peter Attia MD. In this chapter Peter states, "if you are over 40 and don't smoke you have a 70 to 80% chance of dying from one of four diseases: heart disease, cerebro-vascular, neuro-degernative disease and cancer." As THE WHO would say, "I hope I die before I get old."
Why does Roger Daltry and Pete Townsend say this? Because they care about HEALTHSPAN over LIFESPAN and I do too. Who care about living to 106 if the quality and will to live is not present?
As I read the quote by Dr. Attia I couldn't help but think about the overlap these four disease processes have in common with each other and that there manifestation is what is variable. It is surprising to know that the same things that reduce the risk of prostate cancer are the SAME things that reduce the risk of heart disease.
What is even more interesting is how the herb curcumin continues to show up as a therapeutic intervention for all of these 4 disease processes both for treatment and prevention. It doesn't matter if its cancer research, heart research, alzheimers, etc, curcumin is being studied as a therapeutic target.. Curcumin is one of the main constituents of the Indian spice Turmeric.
A recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition provided 96 patients with 1500mg of curcumin supplementation per day for a whole year while giving placebo to another set of patients. At 6 and 12 months the placebo group had declined further on their Montreal Cognitive Assessment or MoCA score where the curcumin group did not.
While this is interesting, in my mind we need to be study multi-factorial interventions. In fact I feel like we are asking the less important question.
Less Important Question: If we give one pill does this reach statistical significance?
More Important Question:; If we build a multi-factorial intervention do we subjectively and objectively improve the patients' lives?
Has anyone ever done such an intervention? Yes in fact they have. Read about it here.
Until next time.
Dr. Woodall