Mainstream pushing EXTREME measures to preserve precious memories
I remember when the biggest media stories this time of year used to be about the hottest toys flying off the shelves… and how many shopping days we had till Christmas.
But this year feels different – and not just because of all the talk about “boosters” and “breakthrough infections.”
There are A LOT of crazy headlines out there these days…
But one that really caught my eye was about dementia… and how you could lower your risk by getting cataract surgery.
To me, that sounds like a sales pitch for an eye surgeon!
Now, cataract surgery CAN be a lifechanging procedure for folks whose vision is so far gone… they’re left with NO other choice if they want to see clearly.
And there IS something to this story… at least in terms of how vision is linked to cognition.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean you should RUSH to go under the knife just yet.
Here’s why.
Sensory underload
A recent study showed that older folks who’d had cataract surgery had on average a 30% lower risk of dementia… and for 10 years following the procedure.
As the lead author of the study told MedpageToday, the key may be in “enabling higher quality sensory input to the retina”… and that improved vision may allow patients to “engage with the world more fully.”
This echoes what we already know about the link between dementia and other one of the 5 senses – hearing.
Hearing loss is a known risk factor for dementia… and researchers are currently looking into whether wearing hearing aids could help STAVE OFF cognitive decline.
That’s not all…
Because dementia has also been associated with a loss of smell. Scientists are even looking into developing a test to literally SNIFF OUT Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
And if you’ve got a dementia patient in your life, you may have noticed how their experience of taste has changed… and how they might crave ber, richer flavors.
Dementia appears to be linked to overall sensory dysfunction.
And while it may not hit MULTIPLE senses all at once… it’s a little nearsighted to focus on just ONE of these.
To me, it’s a little misleading to try to “sell” folks on cataract surgery with the hope that it’ll help save their precious memories!
You can imagine how DISORIENTING it is to not be able to see properly. How can you THINK clearly… if your VISION isn’t clear?
And that holds true not JUST for cataracts, but anything that CLOUDS… BLURS… or DARKENS your eyesight!
There’s ALSO an association between dementia and age-related macular degeneration… diabetic retinopathy… and glaucoma.
That may be why SEVERAL vision-boosting therapies also happen to IMPROVE cognitive function…
Including non-invasive ones, like certain nutrients you can supplement with.
Examples include…
lutein and zeaxanthin (ideally taken together)
ginkgo biloba
bilberry
blackcurrant
taurine
citicoline
I think the real lesson here is two-fold.
If your eyes are in good shape now… it’s best to KEEP them that way.
And if your vision has already begun to decline, do something about it NOW… before the impairment spreads to other parts of your brain!
