On the Dr Oz Show  they discussed a new medical breakthrough in Alzheimers.  Apparently it is actually diabieties of the brain.  This is huge!  My grandmother had Alzheimers and I never got a chance to know her.  So I've seen the devastating effects of this disease first hand. I've also had to have in the back of my mind the question, "Will this happen to me too one day?".

If you have been reading my blog you know that I am very interested in learning how to have a healthier diet and lifestyle.  I like to share what I learn from my research and how I am using this knowledge in my own life.  While researching nutrition I have often come across many claims of eating a certain way reducing the risk of Heart Disease, Diabities, Alzheimers, and sometimes Cancer is mentioned.  I wondered if there is some kind of link between these diseases.  It would just make sense based on my research. 
 

Suzanne de la Monte, MD, MPH, of Rhode Island Hospital, and her research team research have just published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.  They suggest that the exposure to nitrosamines is playing a direct role in the cause, development of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Diabetes.   Also 90% of Nitrosamines have been found to cause cancer.  The brain makes insulin and nitrosamines kill the insulin to the brain.  Insulin makes your brain live.  One of the primary fuels your brain needs is glucose, which is converted into energy.  My understanding is that these chemicals slow or stop insulin to your brain.  This slows activity in your brain. 

What Are Nitrosamines?
 Nitrosamines, are chemicals produced from nitrates and amines under certain extreme conditions.
 

• Cured meats can contain nitrosamines because meats contain amines, and sodium nitrite, a source of nitrosating agents, is added to cured meats as a preservative.  In the late 70's the prospect of removing Sodium nitrate from cured meats was proposed, but since this is the only way of preventing botulism poisoning. the FDA has enforced using only the smallest amount of sodium nitrate needed to prevent botulism.  So there are at least considerable less amounts used today.  Alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), ascorbic acid, or erythorbic acid has been found to prevent the formation of nitrosamines in cured meats and is now mandatory for production.
• Fried Bacon almost always has detectable levels of nitrosamines. The very high cooking temperatures used to fry bacon are conducive to the forming of nitrosamine. Processed meat or any meat that has been cooked at high temperatures can contain 20 different kinds of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) that are also linked to cancer. The charred or blackened section of the meat contains the most HCAs.
• Beer has dimethylnitrosamine. The nitrosamine was formed by direct-fire drying of barley malt, an ingredient used in making beer. By converting the process from direct-fire drying to indirect-fire drying, the nitrosating agents were reduced to only 2% of the amount of dimethylnitrosamine that was present 20 years ago.  
• Tobacco Products this is what causes lung cancer in a smoker
  
• Rubber products
• Pesticides
• some cosmetics and personal hygiene products Sodium Laurel Sulfates is a chemical detergent that makes things foam and suds.  It strips skin and hair of it's natural oils, and is thought to be dangerous.  Click here to read a great aticle on Mercola.com about this
  
• non-fat dry milk
• processesed cheese
• smoked products, cancer-causing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, may enter your food during smoking.