1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,240 Hello. Now, if you'd like to know which foods can help you 2 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:06,480 live longer, then you're in absolutely the right place, 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:08,440 because today, we'll be identifying some, 4 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:13,280 as well as finding out if it's true that food can help beat dementia 5 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:15,120 or even, heaven forbid, make it worse. 6 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,120 The papers are full of headlines claiming both those things, 7 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:20,400 but they don't always tell the whole story, 8 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:21,800 so that's where we come in. 9 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,480 Every day, we're bombarded with conflicting information 10 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:30,080 about our favourite foods. 11 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:35,800 One minute we're told something's good for us, the next, it's not, 12 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,520 and we're left feeling guilty about what we're eating. 13 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:43,280 Well, we've been wading through the confusion 14 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,040 to separate the scare stories from the truth, 15 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,760 so you can choose your food with confidence. 16 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:01,680 Hello, and a very, very warm welcome to Food - Truth Or Scare. 17 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:04,640 Now, this is the programme that cuts through all those contradictory 18 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,880 news stories about how the foods we eat affect our overall health. 19 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:10,360 That's right, and today, 20 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,200 we're unpicking food's powers for good and bad, 21 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:15,920 which isn't always easy when there seems to be another headline 22 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:19,640 claiming the food we eat could be doing us untold harm, and even 23 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:23,080 upping the chances of developing some really serious conditions. 24 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,920 But then, turn the page, and you might find just the opposite, 25 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:31,200 with reports that our meals can help stave off or even cure 26 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:35,040 the same conditions, and help us live to a ripe old age, hopefully. 27 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:37,000 So by the end of this programme, 28 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,200 you'll have a much better idea of which of those stories 29 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:42,320 that you really need to pay attention to. 30 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:50,160 Coming up - does drinking alcohol delay dementia, or even cause it? 31 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:52,200 The headlines seem to come thick and fast, 32 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,640 but can we believe any of them? 33 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:57,800 There doesn't seem to be anything definitive coming out. 34 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:01,680 Lots of tests, but of headlines, but nothing that says, "This will help". 35 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:05,120 And, the oldest men in the world live in the Mediterranean, 36 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:07,520 and the oldest women live in Japan, 37 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:10,840 so which of their diets should you follow if you want to live to 100? 38 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,280 Now, here's a shocking revelation for you - 39 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,720 more people die from dementia than any other condition. 40 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:26,120 Look at this headline - "the leading cause of death". 41 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:28,960 Now, sadly, my sister Lena had it, and I have to tell you, 42 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:30,920 it's just the most horrible disease. 43 00:02:30,920 --> 00:02:32,760 Because it's so painful, 44 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:35,360 watching this sister that you've loved for so long 45 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:37,720 almost, like, disappear before your very eyes, 46 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:39,920 and really disturbing for the family. 47 00:02:39,920 --> 00:02:42,760 It's not something I've had any experience in, fortunately, but it's 48 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:45,800 something we're starting to see a lot more of in the press, isn't it? 49 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:48,680 And I think if you have it in your family, you do worry about it. 50 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:52,280 But you're right, it does seem that there's a new story about dementia 51 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:53,800 every single day. 52 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:57,320 And while lots of them focus on whether what we eat and drink 53 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:00,680 could increase our chances of getting it, or more positively, 54 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:03,320 fend it off for good, the arguments rage on, 55 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,240 particularly fiercely when it comes to alcohol. 56 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:09,280 Now, this is the truth - I actually don't drink that much. 57 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:12,320 But the question is, if I want to avoid developing dementia 58 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:15,400 like my lovely sister, should I give it up altogether? 59 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:20,600 For more than 50 years, heart disease was the biggest killer. 60 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,880 But in November 2016, that all changed. 61 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:27,840 Dementia has overtaken heart disease as the leading cause of death 62 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:29,360 in England and Wales. 63 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:31,200 By 2025, 64 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:34,560 it's estimated that a million people will have the condition. 65 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:36,680 I really hope I won't be one of them, 66 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:39,800 but it's very easy to see how the odds might be stacked against me, 67 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,240 because two-thirds of all people living with the condition 68 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:46,640 are female, and if one of your parents or siblings have or had it, 69 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,680 I've seen reports saying that your chances may be higher, too. 70 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:53,760 My sister Lena was seven years older than me, 71 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:56,320 and she'd lived with dementia for quite a number of years, 72 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:58,680 which was all very disturbing for the family. 73 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:01,680 And sadly, she died as a result about five years ago. 74 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,760 And I'm absolutely determined to do whatever I can 75 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:07,160 to make sure that I don't develop it as well. 76 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:10,280 But trying to work out how we can avoid the condition 77 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:13,000 is a bit of a minefield, because almost every day, 78 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:17,440 the newspapers tell us that one food or another can either increase 79 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,200 our chances of developing it, or help us beat it. 80 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:23,840 And nowhere is the confusion more apparent than in the conflicting 81 00:04:23,840 --> 00:04:27,200 headlines about how alcohol affects the condition. 82 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:30,800 Christina MacDonald from Surrey shares my confusion. 83 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:35,400 Now, sadly, her mum Hazel died of dementia in 2016. 84 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:38,560 My mum was diagnosed officially in 2009, but I think 85 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:43,120 she'd actually had the condition for a couple of years before that. 86 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,680 Looking back on it, there were signs that things weren't right. 87 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:50,000 But like a lot of people, she was reluctant to go to the GP. 88 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,880 She could see that there was an issue with her memory, 89 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:54,880 but she blamed it on stress and old age, 90 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:57,920 so it took a long time to actually get the diagnosis. 91 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:03,400 Christina cared for Hazel for seven years after her diagnosis. 92 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:05,560 Now that, unfortunately, she's not here any more, 93 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:08,600 it has given me time to reflect and think about the future. 94 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:13,920 And also think about where I might be in, say, 10, 20 years' time - 95 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:16,440 is there a risk that I may develop it? 96 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:20,080 My mum had vascular dementia, which is linked to smoking, 97 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:22,160 high blood pressure, high cholesterol, 98 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:23,240 all of which she had. 99 00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:28,360 And if you read some reports, you'll also see headlines like this one, 100 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:32,480 saying there's a very clear link between dementia and alcohol. 101 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:35,920 It's a suggestion that's made a big impression on Christina. 102 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:42,040 I've heard that, you know, there is a risk of developing dementia 103 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:46,680 pretty much solely through excessive abuse of alcohol, 104 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:49,680 and actually you'd be better off abstaining altogether. 105 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:53,240 Now, neither Christina nor I drink excessively, 106 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:55,920 but should we really stop having ANY? 107 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:59,400 Professor Margaret Rayman from the University of Surrey has analysed 108 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:01,920 the results of over 700 scientific studies 109 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:05,840 into the effects of food and drink on dementia. 110 00:06:05,840 --> 00:06:08,160 So we're hoping she can set the record straight 111 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:10,920 on whether alcohol DOES present a risk. 112 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,760 And she totally understands the confusion. 113 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:18,000 All the headlines, for the average person who picks up the paper every day, they're always conflicting - 114 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:20,800 you know, have a glass of wine a day, don't have any alcohol at all. 115 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:22,680 It is very confusing for the average reader. 116 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:24,000 I know. 117 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:27,000 It just seems to be one of those subjects that is just... 118 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,720 Every study or report that you read, or headline, 119 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:31,160 will tell you something different, 120 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:33,120 so I think people are probably confused about it. 121 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:37,200 I've gone through reviews which are so-called systematic reviews, 122 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:41,480 where they look at all the studies that were ever done on such and such a thing - 123 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:43,880 in this case, sort of alcohol and dementia - 124 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:46,960 and I've looked at all of those that there have been over the last, 125 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,480 I don't know, 10 or 20 years, 126 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:52,040 and most of them are saying the same thing. 127 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,240 What's the conclusion? And the conclusion is, 128 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,760 light to moderate drinking is good, and is associated... 129 00:06:56,760 --> 00:07:00,120 I see a bottle of wine over there, are you going to show me what light to moderate is? 130 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:03,200 Well, that's 87.5 millilitres. 131 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:05,960 That's half of a 175ml glass, 132 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:09,080 which would be a normal glass of wine in a pub. 133 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:14,160 Margaret says studies suggest that drinking this modest amount of wine daily 134 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:16,840 appears to have a beneficial effect on the brain's 135 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:20,240 thinking power. But I'm afraid it's definitely NOT the case 136 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:24,000 that the more you have, the better. 137 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,920 So if you consistently had more than that per day, 138 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:29,040 would that significantly increase your risk? 139 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:31,840 There was quite a nice Swedish study which looked at twins, 140 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:36,920 and what they found was that more than 12g of alcohol a day 141 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:39,360 began to give you disbenefit. 142 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:42,840 Now, what I've poured here is actually 12g. 143 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:44,560 But what I find interesting is that 144 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:48,360 it's better to have a small glass of wine than have nothing at all. 145 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:52,040 In virtually every single study I saw, 146 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:53,800 some wine was better than no wine. 147 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,840 But while Margaret's certain that a small amount of alcohol 148 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:59,840 can have a protective effect against dementia, 149 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:02,000 others say that the evidence isn't so clear. 150 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:06,000 Dr Clare Walton from the Alzheimer's Society 151 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,120 is keen to focus on the damage that TOO much can do. 152 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:13,280 What we know for sure is that drinking too much is bad for your brain. 153 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:15,000 If you drink in excess, 154 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:19,480 you actually can develop a condition called alcohol-related brain damage. 155 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:21,880 That is a slightly different form of dementia, 156 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:23,680 although the symptoms are very similar. 157 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:27,760 If you stop drinking, in most cases you can bounce back, 158 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:29,400 and you will recover. Really? 159 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:30,880 So for people that are heavy drinkers 160 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:33,040 and their dementia might be caused by heavy drinking, 161 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:34,840 they definitely should stop drinking. 162 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:38,640 But after hearing what Professor Rayman said about the potential 163 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:40,880 benefits of light to moderate drinking, 164 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:44,960 Christina wants to know if the few glasses of wine she has each week 165 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:48,800 are helping her to delay dementia, or possibly even speeding it up. 166 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:53,000 I've read conflicting information about alcohol, 167 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:54,640 so I just wondered what your view is, 168 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:56,400 because I'm quite confused by it. 169 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:58,000 When you get down to the low, 170 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:00,720 kind of moderate levels within the guidelines, 171 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:02,800 the literature is very unclear, 172 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:05,320 so it's very difficult to pick this apart. 173 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:08,920 As far as the Alzheimer's Society is concerned, 174 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:12,160 there simply isn't enough research to prove whether 175 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:16,120 a small glass of wine really is going to help keep dementia at bay. 176 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:18,120 But reassuringly for Christina, 177 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:21,720 the Society doesn't suggest giving up completely. 178 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:24,360 Our recommendation at Alzheimer's Society is that you definitely 179 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:27,080 should not drink above the recommended limits, 180 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:29,600 because of the damage that we know about. 181 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:32,760 But if you drink within the safe limits, you shouldn't stop, 182 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:35,400 thinking that you're creating damage. 183 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:37,680 But you also shouldn't start drinking in order to protect 184 00:09:37,680 --> 00:09:40,880 your brain, cos there's no really strong evidence for that, either. 185 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:44,120 While it's a relief for both of us 186 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:46,560 to hear that we CAN still enjoy a small glass of wine, 187 00:09:46,560 --> 00:09:48,520 I'm struck by the fact that in general, 188 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:51,480 there's a lot of confusion and very little clarity 189 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:53,920 about what might contribute to dementia. 190 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:57,640 I think a lot of us who have dementia or Alzheimer's 191 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:00,480 in our families are feeling a bit depressed in a way. 192 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:02,280 I don't know whether you'd agree, actually. 193 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:05,520 Because there doesn't seem to be anything definitive coming out. 194 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:07,160 Lots of tests, lots of headlines, 195 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:09,400 but nothing that says, "This will help". 196 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:11,320 Are you way, way behind 197 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:15,440 when it comes to dementia and Alzheimer's research? 198 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:18,280 If you compare dementia to cancer, for example, 199 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:20,480 we're about 25, 30 years behind. 200 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:23,880 Behind. But that's because we've only been doing research 201 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:26,280 for a much shorter period of time. Thankfully, the funding 202 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:29,760 has increased and we are making progress, but I think 203 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:31,720 that's why we still need to do a lot more research. 204 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:34,160 In the meantime, as you might imagine, 205 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:36,760 Clare shares our frustration that every piece of research 206 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:41,600 so very quickly becomes a headline suggesting concrete proof of a link 207 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:45,880 to dementia, before the truth has been definitely established. 208 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:48,720 What we try to do is look across all the studies that have been done 209 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:51,880 into one topic, and summarise them to give people kind of... 210 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,800 ..what the truth is as far as the evidence tells us. 211 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,720 So my advice is don't respond to a headline - 212 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:01,080 you know, a headline is not medical advice. 213 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:04,760 Go to more reputable sources like the Alzheimer's Society or the NHS website, 214 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:06,920 and try to look across the board 215 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:10,360 what that evidence is for that particular food or drink 216 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:12,720 and how it links to dementia. 217 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,720 Later in the programme, Christina and I will be unpicking the truth 218 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:19,760 behind some of the other headlines around food and dementia, 219 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:22,600 and we'll be going shopping for foods that some say 220 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:24,720 we should eat more of to avoid the condition, 221 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:27,520 but others suggest we should cut out altogether. 222 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:40,160 You know, it's an awful thing to say, 223 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:42,600 but we're all living so much longer than anyone used to 224 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:47,080 that our chances of developing Alzheimer's or dementia are so much greater. 225 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:49,760 So, if there's anything at all I can do to stop it coming on, 226 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:51,280 I'm definitely going to give it a go. 227 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:54,440 But trying to find out what to eat to help you live longer 228 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,200 isn't as simple as you might think, because here, again, 229 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:59,880 what you read doesn't always give you the same advice. 230 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:02,400 Here it's saying a Mediterranean diet is best for you. 231 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:05,200 But it seems there's stiff competition from other parts of 232 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:08,160 the globe, for whose cuisine is the healthiest. 233 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:13,240 If you want to live to a ripe old age, 234 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:17,040 it's no surprise that what you eat will play a big part. 235 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:21,520 And the diet we've long been told is the healthiest 236 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:23,240 comes from the Mediterranean. 237 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:25,960 Some headlines claim if we all followed the Med diet, 238 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:29,160 it could save thousands of lives in Britain every year. 239 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:38,880 But others say the secret to long life is an entirely different diet 240 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:42,080 from the other side of the world - Japan. 241 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:46,000 So if I want to live to 100, which cuisine is the one to go for? 242 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:48,560 Well, to settle the argument 243 00:12:48,560 --> 00:12:51,000 and to see which really IS the healthiest in the world, 244 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:54,280 I've called in registered nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed, 245 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:57,040 who reckons it's going to be a close race to call. 246 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:01,440 The Japanese diet is held to be a good one, 247 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:05,280 and possibly reducing the risk of early death as well. 248 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:09,080 The average lifespan of a Japanese female is up to about 87 years old. 249 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,240 In UK here I believe it's around about 81, 250 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:14,240 so they do have a very long life expectancy 251 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:15,840 compared to a lot of other countries. 252 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:18,160 But what about the Med diet? 253 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:21,400 The Mediterranean diet is backed up by a huge amount of research. 254 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:24,120 So we know that there are lots of components of the Mediterranean diet 255 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:26,680 that are very healthy and that lead us to improve our health 256 00:13:26,680 --> 00:13:28,200 if we follow it too. 257 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:31,440 What's interesting here is that the headlines on either side of 258 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:35,040 this sandwich board both came from the same newspaper, 259 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:36,760 printed just six months apart. 260 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,640 One proclaims that Japanese food is the key to a long and healthy life, 261 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:43,760 while the other says it's following 262 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:46,640 the Mediterranean diet that saves lives. 263 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:50,720 So which message has really got through to the public? 264 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:55,720 We're going to see which of the two diets these shoppers think is the healthiest. 265 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:58,080 Come and grab the flag that you agree with the most. 266 00:13:58,080 --> 00:13:59,560 Who wants to go first? 267 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:07,400 Oh, interesting, that is quite a mix. 268 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:09,240 50-50. 269 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:11,880 What is it about Japanese food that you think's healthy? 270 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:14,560 For me, it's the emphasis on the fresh produce, 271 00:14:14,560 --> 00:14:17,320 particularly the amount of fish they eat. OK. 272 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:22,320 I know that Japanese people live in general longer than a lot of other populations. 273 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:25,440 'As for those who went for the Mediterranean diet...' 274 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:29,800 You do genuinely believe that the Mediterranean diet is healthier? 275 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:34,320 I think it's more about, you eat because it's good and because you... 276 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:35,880 You take pleasure in what you eat, 277 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:38,480 rather than just to fill your stomach. Absolutely. 278 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:42,280 The mix between ingredients and way of cooking. 279 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:46,440 Just like the papers, this lot are split down the middle. 280 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:48,600 So which of them is right? 281 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:52,360 Well, to find out what makes these two diets so good for us, 282 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:55,360 I'm off to do some shopping, and I'll catch up with Charlotte later. 283 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:00,080 Good luck! Thank you very much, everyone, All the best. 284 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,720 Now, you can understand why scientists and newspapers 285 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:09,320 can't seem to decide between the Mediterranean and Japanese diets. 286 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:15,160 One landmark study found that while the oldest women in the world lived in Okinawa in Japan, 287 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:19,680 the oldest MEN came from Sardinia, in Italy. 288 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:23,720 Clearly for both, what they ate was a major factor in their good health. 289 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:27,680 So what exactly is it about these two diets 290 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,640 that makes them so good for us? 291 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:34,960 I'm starting with my personal favourite, the Mediterranean diet. 292 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:38,120 It's reported to stave off cancer, protect against heart disease, 293 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:42,160 and as that headline said, could apparently save tens of thousands 294 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:46,480 of lives every year if we all ate like our cousins around the Med. 295 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:51,040 But as much as I love it, there is something that I've always wondered. 296 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:53,440 OK, I get it, the Mediterranean diet is healthy - 297 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:55,400 we've got lots of veg, we've got lots of fruit, 298 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:56,680 we've got lots of fish. 299 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:59,920 But we've also got lots of pasta, lasagne, carbonara, 300 00:15:59,920 --> 00:16:02,160 processed meat, and pizza. 301 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:05,160 So maybe it's not all quite as healthy as we think. 302 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:09,400 Well, of course, the reality is that while some people might like to 303 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:13,520 think those creamy pastas and pizzas are central to the Med diet, 304 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:15,520 they're not, so don't kid yourself. 305 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:19,120 The truth is, it's a diet that relies on fresh, 306 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:21,840 simple and seasonal ingredients, 307 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:24,400 the sort of things this Italian market is full of, 308 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:27,640 and the man in charge is Andrea Rasca. 309 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:30,440 So we've got lots of lovely things here, 310 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:34,760 but if we're eating a traditional, authentic Mediterranean diet, 311 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:37,840 one that's good for us, what sort of things should we be buying? 312 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:39,560 I would start with a tomato, for instance. 313 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:41,880 Tomato is the base of the Italian diet, 314 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:44,160 and the Mediterranean diet as a whole. Yes. 315 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,320 Yeah, we'll have some of those. Some tomato, please. 316 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:51,040 What comes to mind immediately with tomato, and tomato sauce - pasta. 317 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:53,880 OK, I'm huge fan of pasta, but is it healthy? 318 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:57,240 Is it good for us? It's freshly made, there are no preservatives, 319 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,240 no colourants, it's totally natural. 320 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:02,560 You can add cheese, you can add spinach, you can add meat, 321 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:07,600 but they all come from an incredibly good selection of ingredients. 322 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:10,400 Thank you. So what other ingredients do we need 323 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:13,680 to make an authentic, traditional Mediterranean diet? 324 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:16,640 Well, there is the king of all cheeses. 325 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:20,480 Cheddar? The Parmigiano-Reggiano. Oh! 326 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:22,040 I love cheddar, by the way. 327 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:26,200 But Parmigiano-Reggiano has got such a long history and tradition, and the taste is just amazing. 328 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:30,160 Along with that lot, Andrea adds to my basket 329 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:34,880 more of the building blocks that make the Med diet so healthy. 330 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:39,280 Another pillar of the Mediterranean diet - the olive oil. 331 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:42,800 Yes. You use it in so many different ways. 332 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:46,480 But the most important ingredients in our diet are 333 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:49,120 lentils and all kind of legumes, and pulses. Yeah. 334 00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:53,240 It's an incredibly important part of our diet. 335 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:57,240 'Andrea tells me legumes like lentils, beans and pulses are cheap, 336 00:17:57,240 --> 00:17:59,440 'nutritious and so full of protein 337 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:01,520 'that they're often used instead of meat and fish.' 338 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:03,520 We have a full menu here, 339 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:07,120 so what is missing now is something to drink, that goes along with this, 340 00:18:07,120 --> 00:18:08,560 which a glass of red wine. 341 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:12,440 Red wine is, again, another of the pillars of the Mediterranean diet. 342 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:16,600 'Some might quibble over that one, but you won't find me arguing. 343 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:18,760 'And Andrea's not finished yet. 344 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:22,920 'For him, there's one final, fundamental part of the Med diet, 345 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:25,560 'and it isn't actually an ingredient at all.' 346 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:29,800 The joy of eating together, this is part of the Mediterranean diet. 347 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:32,520 And it makes you feel better when you eat it, 348 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:35,080 and while you eat it with your friends. 349 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:37,800 That's probably the most important ingredient. 350 00:18:39,360 --> 00:18:42,720 Well, even with the wine, by anyone's standards, 351 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:46,360 I've certainly come away with a basket full of healthy looking stuff 352 00:18:46,360 --> 00:18:48,760 to show Charlotte. And as a greengrocer, 353 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:51,840 I know just how good for you some of this lot is. 354 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:54,240 But the question is, is it going to be better 355 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:58,400 than what I'd be eating if I was following the Japanese diet? 356 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:04,640 Yuki Gomi is a Japanese food writer. 357 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:08,440 And, just like Andrea, 358 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:13,040 she's keen to stress that her diet is based around simple, fresh, 359 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:14,520 nutritious ingredients. 360 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:18,840 It's like, really nice, simple, super healthy, Japanese everyday. 361 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:24,440 I'm not totally surprised to see that first on Yuki's list is rice. 362 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:26,160 Look at this big bag! Yes. 363 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:32,240 So it obviously makes up a big part of Japanese diet. Yeah. 364 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:33,760 But is it healthy? 365 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:35,200 I think so. Yeah? 366 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:37,440 First of all you need a balanced diet. 367 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:41,520 So you need some carbohydrates, and vegetables or protein 368 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:43,080 like meat or fish. 369 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:46,960 So you have to have that nice carbohydrate from the rice. 370 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:48,720 OK. We'll put that one in. 371 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:52,320 'Up next, something else I was expecting - fish.' 372 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:54,400 Any particular type of fish? 373 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:56,120 Yeah, we do a lot of different types of fish. 374 00:19:56,120 --> 00:19:59,240 Especially mackerel is great, in season now. Right. 375 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:01,440 And salmon is very common. 376 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:05,320 So they're good oily fishes, aren't they? Oh, yeah. You know, mackerel, salmon... 377 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:09,640 Oily fish, and the Omega-3 fatty acids it contains, 378 00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:13,320 can help protect against heart disease. And as we'll see later, 379 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:17,640 some studies suggest they can even help fight the onset of dementia. 380 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:21,840 So with the Japanese eating almost 30 kilos of fish every year, 381 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:25,360 it just has to be one of the reasons they're healthier in old age. 382 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:32,040 'Also into the basket go mushrooms...' 383 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:34,000 Really nice, nice aroma. 384 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,000 '..tofu...' 385 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:38,000 It's great for protein, and high protein in it. 386 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:39,640 It's really good for you. 387 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:42,080 '..miso...' It's high protein. 388 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:45,320 So far the Japanese diet IS looking as if it's particularly healthy, 389 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:47,840 isn't it? Yeah. And you're in better shape than I, 390 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:50,640 so I think maybe it's... Maybe it is. 391 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:52,160 '..and seaweed.' 392 00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:56,160 A lot of minerals, and fibres. 393 00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:58,600 And the good thing is, it's no calories. 394 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:00,600 You know, so perfect for diet. 395 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:03,800 Let's get some of that! 396 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,240 'Altogether, that makes a really tempting, and again, I must say, 397 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:10,440 'a very healthy looking basket of food.' 398 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:11,760 Arigato. Arigato. 399 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:14,360 'Shopping trip complete,' 400 00:21:14,360 --> 00:21:17,400 'it's time to head back to nutritionist Charlotte to analyse 401 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:19,960 'and compare my Japanese and Mediterranean baskets.' 402 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:26,200 It looks like you've been really, really busy. 403 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:28,120 'And laid out in front of us like this, 404 00:21:28,120 --> 00:21:31,560 'it's obvious these two diets have a lot in common.' 405 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:34,120 When you look at these diets, 406 00:21:34,120 --> 00:21:38,560 you'll find that what a lot of these diets do have in common is things like fresh fruits and vegetables. 407 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:42,960 Pulses and beans and lentils make up a fairly large part of the diet. 408 00:21:44,360 --> 00:21:48,120 Neither Yuki or Andrea chose to add meat to my basket, both of them 409 00:21:48,120 --> 00:21:52,640 opting for traditionally cheaper alternatives instead. 410 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:56,720 Yuki's tofu and Andrea's lentils are great doses of protein - 411 00:21:56,720 --> 00:21:58,240 and because they're plant-based, 412 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:01,840 they're lower in saturated fat and higher in fibre than meat, 413 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:03,800 so they're good for the heart. 414 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:06,480 The same can be said for the fish that Yuki chose, 415 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:09,280 so Charlotte thinks Andrea should have picked it too. 416 00:22:11,120 --> 00:22:12,400 Oily fish, I would say, 417 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:15,520 is actually a component of both the Mediterranean and the Japanese diet, 418 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:18,320 and it's full of good protein, 419 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:21,520 it's full of healthy fats like Omega-3 fatty acids, 420 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:23,080 as well as vitamins and minerals. 421 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:26,760 And alongside the lovely fresh veg, 422 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:30,240 mushrooms from Yuki, and these tomatoes from Andrea, 423 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:33,640 Charlotte says the starchy carbs like rice and pasta 424 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:34,880 have their place too. 425 00:22:36,120 --> 00:22:38,280 Carbohydrates get a bad name, but actually 426 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:42,680 carbohydrates do contribute a significant proportion of nutrients to our diet. 427 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:44,760 So for example, they give us plenty of energy, 428 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:46,840 they do tend to give us B-vitamins, 429 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:50,600 we also tend to get fibre from our carbohydrate food groups as well. 430 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:53,560 So from that point of view, they are very important. 431 00:22:53,560 --> 00:22:56,960 I think what I see, certainly, in my practice 432 00:22:56,960 --> 00:22:59,560 is that what we tend to do in the UK 433 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:01,840 is we overeat our carbohydrates. 434 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:05,080 OK. Cheese? We're often told to restrict cheese, 435 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:08,280 and that is because of the high saturated fat content in cheese. 436 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:11,000 What I would say is, though, they do include Parmesan in the 437 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:15,080 Mediterranean diet quite regularly - it tends to be a small amount. 438 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:16,680 I'm going to push you for an answer - 439 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:21,000 what are we saying? Is the Japanese or is the Mediterranean diet the healthier diet? 440 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,560 If I had to choose based on what we've got here in front of us, 441 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:28,360 I'd probably say, yes, the Japanese diet is ticking the boxes. 442 00:23:28,360 --> 00:23:32,520 But actually, the Mediterranean diet has been researched very thoroughly, 443 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:34,440 and always come out trumps in a lot of studies 444 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:37,680 so we know that there is something about this Mediterranean diet 445 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:38,880 that is very beneficial. 446 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,200 Well, if it sounds like Charlotte's slightly sitting on the fence, 447 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:48,000 the truth is you don't have to follow any one country's diet. 448 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:51,880 And it's common sense, really - the key to living a long life 449 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:55,000 is just eating a balance of fresh and healthy foods. 450 00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:57,520 It's about context, 451 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:01,760 it's about the way that we eat as well as what we are eating... 452 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:05,360 There's no single foods that we can add into a diet that are going to 453 00:24:05,360 --> 00:24:09,280 have magic improvements, because it is about our diet as a whole. 454 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:10,680 And it's all about variety, 455 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:13,680 so we've got lots of different foods in front of us here, 456 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:17,080 and that's what really good diets are about. 457 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:27,520 If you'd like recipes and ideas 458 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:29,760 for quick and simple Mediterranean dishes, 459 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:33,600 you can find them, along with more information from the series, at... 460 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:39,920 And still to come - 461 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:42,680 how cutting out just two foods stopped the debilitating migraines 462 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:46,960 that one woman had suffered for 25 years. 463 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:49,640 I just could not raise my head, I couldn't get out of bed. 464 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:51,440 It was really, really bad. 465 00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:58,840 But first, earlier in the programme 466 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:03,680 I investigated those confusing headlines about alcohol in relation to dementia. 467 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:07,360 But alcohol is just the tip of the iceberg, 468 00:25:07,360 --> 00:25:09,880 because there are dozens of reports about foods 469 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:12,480 also said to have an impact on the condition. 470 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:15,960 It's been declared that soup, white rice, coffee, yoghurt, 471 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:19,480 carbs and much more can beat dementia, 472 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:21,600 while we're also told that fried foods, sugar 473 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:25,400 and processed meats could do just the opposite, and speed it up. 474 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:29,800 Earlier we met Christina MacDonald, whose mum died of vascular dementia, 475 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:33,800 which is linked to high blood pressure, smoking and cholesterol. 476 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:35,680 Very keen to avoid the same fate, 477 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:38,720 Christina made changes to her own lifestyle and diet. 478 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:42,080 But it's not easy to know what advice to follow. 479 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:45,560 I'm trying to kind of be aware of, you know, what I should be eating, 480 00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:50,240 but there's so many mixed messages out there that it's difficult to kind of make sense of everything. 481 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:53,160 I've got to say, I'm confused as well. 482 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:56,280 So Christina and I are going shopping. 483 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:59,680 We've gathered together some information - I mean, there have been so many headlines, 484 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:01,400 let's see if there is any truth behind them. 485 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:04,080 I've got a little shopping list - not too many things on my list - 486 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:06,680 but I thought maybe we would go off and do a bit of shopping. 487 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:11,240 My list is full of foods that the papers say could slow down dementia, 488 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:14,360 and top of the list of those reported to keep it at bay 489 00:26:14,360 --> 00:26:16,560 is oily fish. 490 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:18,080 I am a big fan of oily fish, 491 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:22,080 and I do subscribe to the fact that it could be beneficial for reducing dementia risk. 492 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:24,040 Next, we're going for coffee, 493 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:27,320 which hit the front pages with claims that drinking it every day 494 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:30,760 could help reduce the risk of developing dementia. 495 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:32,800 So, do you drink tea and coffee? 496 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,880 I just drink coffee, but for me that's good news if it's true, 497 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:37,400 because I do like coffee. 498 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:40,480 Also going into our basket are other foods reported to be 499 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:44,720 dementia busters - rapeseed oil, olive oil, tea, 500 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:47,320 and even something that lots of us would love to have a reason 501 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:49,880 to eat more of - dark chocolate. 502 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:52,000 Now, I've heard a lot about dark chocolate, 503 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:55,520 and one of the headlines in the paper said that dark chocolate is really good for the brain. 504 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:58,040 It sounds too good to be true. 505 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:00,200 Generally, with chocolate I try to steer clear, 506 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:03,360 because I'm trying to maintain a healthy body weight. 507 00:27:03,360 --> 00:27:05,960 Well, while Christina isn't convinced about the chocolate, 508 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:08,600 next on my shopping list are berries, 509 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:11,160 which we're both fairly sure have to be good for us. 510 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:15,000 Blueberries in particular are widely reported to be loaded with a type of 511 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:18,400 antioxidant believed to protect the brain from the condition. 512 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:21,320 What's your feeling about this? 513 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:23,120 I'd be interested to hear more about it. 514 00:27:23,120 --> 00:27:26,000 I've heard that there is a chemical in berries, particularly, 515 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:28,800 that can actually help reduce dementia risk. 516 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:31,560 But it's just understanding, what does that chemical do? 517 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:33,360 If, indeed, it actually works. 518 00:27:33,360 --> 00:27:36,120 So, according to the newspapers, 519 00:27:36,120 --> 00:27:39,880 everything in our basket is potentially dementia-busting. 520 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:41,800 But are the claims actually true? 521 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:48,920 Well, we asked Professor Margaret Rayman at the University of Surrey 522 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:50,840 to look through our basket of food, 523 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:54,360 to see if any of them were as good for us as the headlines made out. 524 00:27:55,720 --> 00:27:58,960 The thing that perturbs me is that nothing seems to be definitive. 525 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:02,920 There isn't much that's definitive. There are probably... 526 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:06,040 maybe up to half a dozen definitive things that you could talk about. 527 00:28:06,040 --> 00:28:10,400 There's vitamin E, but it's vitamin E from foods, not from supplements. 528 00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:14,280 How do you get that? Well, I think I can see vitamin E sources here - 529 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:16,240 that, I think, is... 530 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:18,280 The rapeseed. Rapeseed oil? Rapeseed, yes. 531 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:20,920 And then this, which is extra virgin olive oil. 532 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:23,080 This is what you want to use on your salads. 533 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:26,280 Margaret tells us that both olive oil and rapeseed oil 534 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:30,240 have beneficial components that are likely to reduce the risk of dementia. 535 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:34,440 How does this resonate with you? I mean, I'm finding it encouraging. 536 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:36,400 I'm certainly not an expert on nutrition, 537 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:38,840 but it is encouraging to hear... 538 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:40,120 That there are things... Yes. 539 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:43,160 And you're quoting results - you know, very concrete information. 540 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:46,280 Exactly. Exactly. It's good quality evidence. 541 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:50,240 And Margaret's very pleased to see that there's oily fish in our basket, 542 00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:53,920 because there's good evidence that it can help delay dementia. 543 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:57,040 One of the components of fish oil is definitely important, 544 00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:59,520 the evidence is good. Very good. 545 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:02,080 And so you will obviously get that from oily fish, 546 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:07,480 such as the salmon that we've got here, or mackerel, or herring, or sardines, or... 547 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:09,120 Fish, oily or not, 548 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:13,480 seems to be associated clearly with reduced risk. 549 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:17,360 Margaret says there's evidence, too, that three portions a week 550 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:20,600 of the berries we chose could have a positive effect. 551 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:23,880 But it seems that Christina was right to be a bit sceptical about 552 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:27,000 the chocolate. Or at least, about how much we should be eating. 553 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:30,960 This one is a dark chocolate, which I got at the House of Lords. 554 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:33,680 And the reason I asked if I could take it away 555 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:36,480 is because I suspected it was exactly the amount 556 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:40,000 you're supposed to have every day for optimum effect. 557 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:44,280 And when I got it home and weighed it, it was indeed 10g of chocolate. 558 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:48,600 10g of chocolate was the most beneficial in reducing risk. 559 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:52,040 And then if you go above that, the risk will rise. 560 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:55,880 There's a similarly mixed message with the coffee. 561 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:58,840 While Margaret believes that a couple of cups a day could have 562 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:01,800 a beneficial effect, other experts aren't convinced, 563 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:04,240 and some say too much coffee could be a problem. 564 00:30:05,920 --> 00:30:08,000 But overall, the message from Margaret is one that 565 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:11,440 we've heard before - while making small changes to your diet 566 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:14,160 is a good first step, leading a healthier lifestyle 567 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:16,960 is really the key to helping delay dementia. 568 00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:19,280 And in Christina's case, 569 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:23,240 the positive changes she made in her 40s came at just the right time. 570 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:26,760 If dementia's well advanced, 571 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:30,280 it's been going on in the body for perhaps 20 years, 572 00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:34,200 maybe 30 years, it's too late to intervene at that stage. 573 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:35,640 So the message for all of us, really, 574 00:30:35,640 --> 00:30:38,800 is that the sooner we get a healthy diet, 575 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:42,760 the more chance there is that we might not get dementia in older age. Yes. 576 00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:47,560 While research into the foods that could delay dementia continues, 577 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:48,760 at the Alzheimer's Society, 578 00:30:48,760 --> 00:30:52,000 Dr Clare Walton agrees with Margaret that a substantial number 579 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:56,880 of dementia cases could be avoided if we all led healthier lifestyles. 580 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:02,440 We think about 30% of cases of dementia might be due to lifestyle 581 00:31:02,440 --> 00:31:05,160 risk factors. And that's really positive news for the public. 582 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:09,240 We aren't at the stage where we can prescribe individual foods or 583 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:13,080 individual, you know, lifestyle choices that will reduce your risk. 584 00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:14,640 But try and keep physically active - 585 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:15,960 that doesn't mean go to the gym, 586 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:21,040 you know, walk regularly or do something that you can try and keep yourself physically active. 587 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:23,480 And then generally, with keeping your heart healthy, 588 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:26,840 try to eat a balanced diet that is somewhat around 589 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:31,080 the Mediterranean-style, so high in fish, high in olive oil, 590 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:33,440 lots of fresh fruit and veg, and then maybe, you know, 591 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:36,640 cut back a bit on the saturated fats, the processed sugars, and the 592 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:39,280 red meat. You know, what's good for your heart is good for your head, 593 00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:41,680 but we want people to know that there ARE things you can do 594 00:31:41,680 --> 00:31:44,760 to reduce your risk, and they are generally the things that would keep 595 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:46,680 your heart healthy. So people shouldn't think, 596 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:50,280 "Oh, my granny had it, I'm going to get it too." That's not the case. 597 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:52,800 That's good news for you and me, then, isn't it? 598 00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:02,280 I love that phrase, 599 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:05,720 it's so simple - what's good for your heart is good for your head. 600 00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:09,600 Now, Christina and I came away from those interviews really encouraged, 601 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:13,440 and of course I know that the evidence isn't exactly overwhelming. 602 00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:17,080 But the chance that changing what you eat or drink can help stave off 603 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:21,640 or even just delay dementia, I think, is a really positive message. 604 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:25,080 Now, while changing what you eat to boost your chances of living longer 605 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:28,040 could have some really big benefits later on in life, 606 00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:31,840 day-to-day it might take a while before you start to notice any difference. 607 00:32:31,840 --> 00:32:35,040 But there's one condition where, if you believe some reports, 608 00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:38,920 simply cutting out a few foods could change your life overnight. 609 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:40,600 And you know, that's absolutely correct, 610 00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:43,840 because about eight million people in Britain get migraines - 611 00:32:43,840 --> 00:32:47,120 by the way, three times as many women as men - 612 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:50,520 and it's long been thought that food can be a key cause. 613 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:53,240 The Paralympian Danny Crates is one of those sufferers. 614 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:56,920 In fact, there are certain foods and particular situations that he thinks 615 00:32:56,920 --> 00:32:59,440 are more likely to trigger a migraine - 616 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:02,600 and I'm afraid to tell you, it includes a night out. 617 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:11,640 I'm at the Sports Aid sports ball tonight. 618 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:15,920 Which means a very late night, and maybe a little bit of red wine. 619 00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:20,360 So if anything's going to trigger a migraine, it could be tonight. 620 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:29,360 Well, it's the morning after the night before, 621 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:32,840 and having had a very late night - I had one two glasses of red wine - 622 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:35,960 as expected, I'm now suffering with a migraine. 623 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:38,600 I get them in the back of my right eye, it's a throbbing sensation, 624 00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:41,600 it'll start off in the morning and gradually get worse during the day. 625 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:45,920 That's paired with tightness down the back of my neck and a sick feeling in my stomach. 626 00:33:47,320 --> 00:33:51,120 Usually, a good night's sleep is all I need to knock it on the head. 627 00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:52,600 Which means I get off lightly, 628 00:33:52,600 --> 00:33:56,560 because some sufferers say their migraines can last up to 72 hours. 629 00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:01,040 Now, I think I know what brings on my attacks, but there are 630 00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:04,680 millions of sufferers out there in the UK that have no idea 631 00:34:04,680 --> 00:34:08,120 what triggers this often debilitating condition. 632 00:34:08,120 --> 00:34:11,520 You only have to take a quick look online to realise how much 633 00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:13,720 conflicting information there is out there. 634 00:34:13,720 --> 00:34:17,760 While it's long been thought that what we eat can trigger a migraine, 635 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:21,600 the papers can't seem to agree on whether some foods, like chocolate, 636 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:25,400 cheese and wine, will cause or even cure them. 637 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:29,040 But then I spotted a headline that did seem to have the answer. 638 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:33,040 It reported one woman's 25-year battle with migraines, 639 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:36,160 that suddenly stopped when she changed what she ate. 640 00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:37,960 And now, she says, they're cured. 641 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:41,720 Hi! Hi, Andrea. How are you doing? Yeah, good, thanks. Come on in. 642 00:34:41,720 --> 00:34:45,400 'Andrea Henson didn't just have the occasional migraine. 643 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:48,160 'She says they were every week.' 644 00:34:48,160 --> 00:34:51,840 So what would your kind of symptoms be from your migraines? 645 00:34:51,840 --> 00:34:54,920 If it were one that lasts for days, 646 00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:58,920 it would start off slow and then just increase. 647 00:34:58,920 --> 00:35:02,200 I'd probably take medication for it, but it wouldn't necessarily work. 648 00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:05,200 It might dampen it a little bit, but it would still continue. You know, 649 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:07,880 you'd wake up the next day and you think, "Oh, not again." 650 00:35:07,880 --> 00:35:11,680 And Andrea's migraines went from bad to worse. 651 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:14,480 One day, she was even admitted to hospital. 652 00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:17,560 It came from absolutely nowhere, there was no warning. 653 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:20,360 And it was like a stabbing pain, but all over my head. 654 00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:22,320 I'd never had anything else like it. 655 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:25,960 So a very, very scary time for you and your family. 656 00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:29,560 I had a really bad three months where, for a good six weeks, 657 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:32,120 I just could not raise my head, I couldn't get out of bed. 658 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:33,760 It was really, really bad. 659 00:35:34,720 --> 00:35:37,320 Andrea, like me, is aware of the most common foods 660 00:35:37,320 --> 00:35:39,600 that are supposed to trigger migraines, 661 00:35:39,600 --> 00:35:42,640 but cutting those foods out did nothing to stop HER attacks. 662 00:35:43,680 --> 00:35:45,440 Initially I thought it might be chocolate, 663 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:47,120 cos I rather like chocolate. 664 00:35:48,240 --> 00:35:51,640 So I would stop eating chocolate, but that didn't help. 665 00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:54,720 I cut out having fruit juices, because I thought it might be that, 666 00:35:54,720 --> 00:35:56,280 but there was no improvement. 667 00:35:56,280 --> 00:35:57,880 Kids, tea's up! 668 00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:01,320 Andrea's whole family would suffer because of the agony she went through. 669 00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:04,200 It was terrible to see your wife in pain, 670 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:05,800 There was nothing you could do for her, 671 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:08,160 there was nothing I could do to help her. 672 00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:10,640 She needed the tablets to make her feel better, 673 00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:13,960 but the tablets basically knocked her out. Knocked her for six. 674 00:36:14,920 --> 00:36:18,560 It was only by chance that Andrea stumbled upon the first thing 675 00:36:18,560 --> 00:36:21,600 that had really helped her migraines in years. 676 00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:24,120 Andrea and her husband Andrew run a catering business, 677 00:36:24,120 --> 00:36:27,640 and when clients asked them to cater for people with food intolerances, 678 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:29,520 the couple began to investigate. 679 00:36:30,560 --> 00:36:33,200 That's when we decided to have an intolerance test. 680 00:36:33,200 --> 00:36:35,760 And the test showed up...? 681 00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:40,840 That I was intolerant to cow's milk and corn maize. 682 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:44,680 After the test, she cut out those foods from her diet. 683 00:36:44,680 --> 00:36:48,240 Three months later, her migraines have stopped completely, 684 00:36:48,240 --> 00:36:50,240 and so far, they haven't come back. 685 00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:54,600 We are six months down the road, and now I haven't had one, 686 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:57,960 I don't carry any migraine relief or pain relief around with me, 687 00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:01,640 I don't even think about it. It's life-changing for me personally. 688 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:04,840 You get used to feeling unwell, and when that's taken away, 689 00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:07,280 it was brilliant. I feel so much better. 690 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:09,680 Andrea's very lucky. 691 00:37:09,680 --> 00:37:12,960 Simply avoiding two foods has changed her life, but the chance 692 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:16,320 that those same foods will be the cause of anyone else's migraines 693 00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:20,160 is very slim, because our individual triggers are all different. 694 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:25,960 Of course, that doesn't stop the papers making bold claims 695 00:37:25,960 --> 00:37:29,160 about which foods can reportedly help beat a migraine, 696 00:37:29,160 --> 00:37:30,880 and which can bring one on. 697 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:33,160 These types of reports come up time and again, 698 00:37:33,160 --> 00:37:35,680 and are often entirely contradictory. 699 00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:40,040 The idea that so-called "trigger foods" can cause migraines 700 00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:41,280 is not a new one. 701 00:37:41,280 --> 00:37:45,120 Previously, the most common triggers were known as the five Cs - 702 00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:49,240 citrus, coffee, cheese, chocolate, and claret. 703 00:37:49,240 --> 00:37:52,200 But a recent study in America has revealed 704 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:55,680 that eating cheese and chocolate, and some of the more common triggers, 705 00:37:55,680 --> 00:37:59,000 could actually reduce your chances of having a migraine attack. 706 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:02,320 It's easy to see why migraine sufferers can end up 707 00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:05,640 completely bewildered about what they should or shouldn't be eating. 708 00:38:05,640 --> 00:38:09,640 Neurologist Professor Peter Goadsby from King's College London 709 00:38:09,640 --> 00:38:11,240 has agreed to make sense of it. 710 00:38:11,240 --> 00:38:13,320 Hi. Hi, how are you doing? Welcome. 711 00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:16,960 'He says, although there IS a clear link between food and migraines, 712 00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:19,920 'it's not as straightforward as you might think.' 713 00:38:19,920 --> 00:38:21,080 So, Peter, in front of us 714 00:38:21,080 --> 00:38:24,240 we have some of the trigger foods associated with migraines, 715 00:38:24,240 --> 00:38:27,080 or as the headlines would call them, "the dirty dozen". 716 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:30,920 What are your thoughts on food and triggers to migraines? 717 00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:33,560 What's emerged from research in the last five to seven years is that 718 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:36,520 some things we've traditionally thought of to be food triggers 719 00:38:36,520 --> 00:38:38,840 are actually the beginnings of the attack. 720 00:38:38,840 --> 00:38:42,720 Professor Goadsby says that in some cases, a migraine sufferer 721 00:38:42,720 --> 00:38:46,400 might eat one food or another because their brain is craving it. 722 00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:48,640 That craving is actually a symptom of a migraine 723 00:38:48,640 --> 00:38:50,800 that's already started in the brain. 724 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:55,440 So the food simply feeds the migraine, but doesn't trigger it. 725 00:38:55,440 --> 00:38:57,560 For example, they're driven to eat chocolate. 726 00:38:57,560 --> 00:38:58,840 Five, six, seven hours later 727 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:01,400 they have a migraine, and they ascribe the two together. 728 00:39:01,400 --> 00:39:03,880 Whereas in fact, the migraine had already started. 729 00:39:03,880 --> 00:39:06,800 So if I'm understanding it right, whether I eat the chocolate or not, 730 00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:08,040 the attack is going to happen? 731 00:39:08,040 --> 00:39:10,240 Yes. That's the unfortunate part about it, 732 00:39:10,240 --> 00:39:12,680 because the attack's actually started. 733 00:39:12,680 --> 00:39:15,240 If you can recognise the early phase of the attack, 734 00:39:15,240 --> 00:39:17,720 what it allows you to do perhaps is change your behaviour. 735 00:39:17,720 --> 00:39:22,720 So if an attack's coming, you don't stay up late, you don't skip meals, 736 00:39:22,720 --> 00:39:25,600 you certainly don't go out and have some alcohol. 737 00:39:25,600 --> 00:39:28,120 You avoid the more classic triggers, 738 00:39:28,120 --> 00:39:31,760 that will more or less ensure that the attack goes ahead. 739 00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:35,840 Professor Goadsby says it's not that food DOESN'T trigger migraines, 740 00:39:35,840 --> 00:39:38,960 but it usually only does so when combined with other factors, 741 00:39:38,960 --> 00:39:41,960 like stress or lack of sleep. 742 00:39:41,960 --> 00:39:44,040 So, if a combination of factors 743 00:39:44,040 --> 00:39:46,560 ARE responsible, what does the Professor make of the headlines 744 00:39:46,560 --> 00:39:49,160 that put the blame on particular foods? 745 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:52,400 "What triggers your migraines? 746 00:39:52,400 --> 00:39:54,960 "Common culprits like coffee, chocolate and cheese 747 00:39:54,960 --> 00:39:59,120 "may NOT be to blame, and could actually prevent an attack." 748 00:39:59,120 --> 00:40:02,280 I wouldn't say that cheese and chocolate can prevent an attack, 749 00:40:02,280 --> 00:40:05,640 but I... It is true that caffeine has... 750 00:40:06,600 --> 00:40:08,920 There's a yin and yang, caffeine's been shown to have some 751 00:40:08,920 --> 00:40:12,520 analgesical, pain-controlling properties, so that wouldn't surprise me. 752 00:40:12,520 --> 00:40:14,360 OK, and another headline. 753 00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:17,560 "Scientists think they've found why chocolates and wine cause migraines 754 00:40:17,560 --> 00:40:19,920 "for some very unlucky people." 755 00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:23,760 If scientists have found what's in chocolate causes migraine, 756 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:26,760 then that would be a remarkable thing, given that it's pretty 757 00:40:26,760 --> 00:40:30,440 clearly established that chocolate doesn't trigger migraine. 758 00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:34,960 'So there's a lot more to understand in migraines than meets the eye. 759 00:40:34,960 --> 00:40:37,680 'And that's because whatever might cause one person's migraines 760 00:40:37,680 --> 00:40:40,440 'probably has nothing to do with someone else's. 761 00:40:40,440 --> 00:40:45,120 'There's no catch-all cause, and equally, no universal cure.' 762 00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:49,080 But Charis Morgan from London has found a simple solution 763 00:40:49,080 --> 00:40:52,120 to her migraines. She has been suffering with them 764 00:40:52,120 --> 00:40:54,680 since she was a child, and it's been a mystery her whole life 765 00:40:54,680 --> 00:40:56,440 as to what brought them on. 766 00:40:58,160 --> 00:41:00,960 I had a feeling that kind of food, certain foods were a problem, 767 00:41:00,960 --> 00:41:05,680 but it wasn't really until recently that I kind of came to understand 768 00:41:05,680 --> 00:41:09,160 how food affected me a lot better. 769 00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:11,800 When her migraines got especially bad, 770 00:41:11,800 --> 00:41:15,040 she contacted a national migraine charity for help. 771 00:41:15,040 --> 00:41:19,040 And they found that it was not to do with WHAT she ate, but how often. 772 00:41:19,040 --> 00:41:22,920 The team identified that if Charis went too long without eating, 773 00:41:22,920 --> 00:41:27,000 it could see her blood sugar drop, and that could be her trigger. 774 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:30,400 She now eats smaller meals and snacks at regular intervals, 775 00:41:30,400 --> 00:41:32,480 and it's transformed her life. 776 00:41:32,480 --> 00:41:34,800 It's had a real improvement, and it's really helped me 777 00:41:34,800 --> 00:41:37,040 sort of have a sense of control over my headaches. 778 00:41:38,040 --> 00:41:39,760 And the experts here at the Migraine Centre 779 00:41:39,760 --> 00:41:43,160 believe the same could be true for other sufferers too. 780 00:41:43,160 --> 00:41:46,400 Because, though everybody's triggers are different, 781 00:41:46,400 --> 00:41:49,960 lowered blood sugar is a key trigger that can easily be controlled. 782 00:41:49,960 --> 00:41:52,880 When I started this film, I thought the relationship 783 00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:55,560 between migraines and food was an obvious one, 784 00:41:55,560 --> 00:41:59,320 but I was wrong - it's clearly a much bigger picture. 785 00:41:59,320 --> 00:42:03,160 So Peter, what's your top tips to help avoid an attack? 786 00:42:03,160 --> 00:42:05,360 First tip is not to worry too much about food, 787 00:42:05,360 --> 00:42:07,080 from a triggering point of view. 788 00:42:07,080 --> 00:42:10,960 The second thing is to think about regularity - 789 00:42:10,960 --> 00:42:12,600 so regular sleep, 790 00:42:12,600 --> 00:42:14,760 regular meals, regular exercise, 791 00:42:14,760 --> 00:42:18,040 not too much stress, not too little. 792 00:42:18,040 --> 00:42:22,000 And then the only thing one shouldn't be too regular about is alcohol. 793 00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:24,680 So maybe I wasn't too far off the mark 794 00:42:24,680 --> 00:42:28,320 in thinking a night out could be behind MY migraines - 795 00:42:28,320 --> 00:42:32,440 even if the cause isn't quite as simple as just too much red wine. 796 00:42:38,720 --> 00:42:40,040 Do you know what? 797 00:42:40,040 --> 00:42:42,480 I have to say, today's programme has really surprised me. 798 00:42:42,480 --> 00:42:45,920 Obviously I know what we eat does have an EFFECT on our health, 799 00:42:45,920 --> 00:42:47,680 but I always a bit sceptical about 800 00:42:47,680 --> 00:42:50,160 how much diet might influence conditions 801 00:42:50,160 --> 00:42:52,760 like migraines, or even dementia. 802 00:42:52,760 --> 00:42:55,840 But it's great to know that our meals can actually be medicinal. 803 00:42:55,840 --> 00:42:57,840 I know, I think that's a really interesting point. 804 00:42:57,840 --> 00:43:01,440 But what I take away from today's programme is that at least strides 805 00:43:01,440 --> 00:43:04,960 are being made to help DELAY the onset of dementia. 806 00:43:04,960 --> 00:43:08,080 Nothing, of course, is definitive yet, but the main message is that 807 00:43:08,080 --> 00:43:10,400 you should start earlier, so that's you, Chris. 808 00:43:10,400 --> 00:43:11,840 Shall do. 809 00:43:11,840 --> 00:43:14,120 But I'm afraid that's where we have to leave it for today - 810 00:43:14,120 --> 00:43:15,520 thank you so much for your company, 811 00:43:15,520 --> 00:43:19,000 and we'll see you again very soon to debunk more of those headlines. 812 00:43:19,000 --> 00:43:21,240 But for now, from both of us, bye-bye. Goodbye.