We're barely three weeks into the New Year and many folks have already given up on their resolutions.
Did you know that 25 percent of them didn't even survive the first week?
So, don't be too embarrassed if your own resolve is already cracking. Most resolution failures aren't caused by weak willpower -- but, rather, by not setting reasonable, achievable goals.
It's impossible to undo years of unhealthy living in a matter of weeks!
Many people turn to extreme diets or gimmicky fads, both of which are doomed to fail any time of year.
But you don't need to wait until next year's resolutions to start all over.
New research reveals one practical change you can easily make right now that can help you LOSE weight... BOOST your health... and even PROTECT your brain.
It's the Mediterranean diet, and the new study shows how it can slow the rate of "shrinkage" in your brain.
As scary as that sounds, it's a normal part of aging. But the more shrink you have -- and the quicker it happens -- the higher your risk of dementia.
In the new study, folks in their 70s who followed a Mediterranean diet had 0.5 percent LESS shrink of the brain than folks who didn't follow the diet over the three years of the study.
That may not sound like much.
Bu that's roughly equivalent to the loss you'd suffer from ONE FULL YEAR of aging!
Since the study only lasted three years, that means this diet is essentially slowing a key part of the aging process in the brain by a third.
That helps explain why a 2015 study found this same diet can cut your risk of Alzheimer's disease by 54 percent.
The team behind the new study figured the reason would be the fact that this diet has less red meat and higher levels of fish.
No doubt, the omega-3 fatty acids in fish can protect the brain, and too much saturated fat can hurt it.
But there's something else going on here, because the study found those two factors alone didn't explain the benefits.
It was the diet as a whole -- which, along with fish, includes the healthy fats found in nuts and olive oil as well as plenty of fresh produce rich in age-fighting, brain-saving antioxidants.
And along with protecting the brain and cutting the risk of Alzheimer's, this same diet is proven to help you lose weight, melt off body fat, and slash your long-term risk of heart attack and stroke.
All that, and the diet's a cinch to follow: Cut back on (but don't eliminate) red meat, eat more fish and poultry, and enjoy as much fresh produce as you want.
Jazz up your meals with olives, nuts, fresh herbs and more, and this is one diet that can outlast any resolution.
God bless,
Dr. Mark Stengler
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