Connection between Alzheimer's & Nitrates

"A new study by researchers at Rhode Island Hospital have found a substantial link between increased levels of nitrates in our environment and food, with increased deaths from diseases, including Alzheimer's, diabetes mellitus and Parkinson's. The study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (Volume 17:3 July 2009)."

According to the article Researchers Find Possible Environmental Causes For Alzheimer's, Diabetes Researchers have found a parallel between the nitrates in our processed food, soil, ground water and fertilizer and deaths from Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes and other insulin-resistant diseases.

Oh my! The article said these diseases are pandemic.

In my mind this finding offers hope for some new leads in combating these diseases with medicine. But, maybe more importantly through changing our eating habits on a personal level. This article also shocked me as I took a mental inventory of what I have been eating. Lets just say if nitrates came in the form of a salt shaker, you wouldn't have tasted anything else.

Much of what I have been reading lately speaks to the hope that a diet similar to that eaten in the Mediterranean may be optimal for our health. That is proving quite a challenge for me as I am addicted to so many processed foods.

The second research findings that caught my eye was the connection that these diseases are insulin-resistant. In other articles I have read they have drawn a connection between belly fat as an increased risk factor for developing Alzheimer's. I have had a weight problem most of my life. Recent findings on that front also recommend a Mediterranean diet for achieving weight loss and a healthier lifestyle. It scares me that there is a connection between my belly fat and a greater risk of developing Alzheimer's.