If you look at the latest stats, you might assume there’s no cognitive health crisis. The overall number of dementia cases are going up, but that’s because the aging population is growing. Older folks are living longer than ever before, so there are more people around who can develop dementia. Dementia and Alzheimer’s rates are dropping in the Western world. Politicians, those archetypical paragons of cognitive aptitude, are hanging around in office longer than ever. Technology, science, and other fields that require large amounts of cognitive ability are progressing.

But broad trends and large numbers are just statistics. However reassuring they are to public policy analysts, they mean nothing to the individual suffering from cognitive decline. They’re too abstract. Your grandpa no longer knowing who you are? That’s real. You, personally, don’t want to lose your cognitive abilities as you age. You, personally, don’t want to see the people you love get Alzheimer’s. Individual cases matter to those individuals and their loved ones. And it’s still happening more than it should.

(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Leaman)

Elle Russ chats with Ken Berry, MD, about his new book Lies My Doctor Told Me. Have your doctors lied to you? Chances are they have, and most likely unknowingly. If you've been misled by bad medical advice your health will suffer. It is time you discover the truth. Medical research is expanding so quickly that only the most dedicated doctors can keep up with it all. Is your doctor that dedicated? Lies My Doctor Told Me reveals the truth behind the lies told by well-meaning doctors. Whether it's recommending a low-fat diet, or warning you to avoid the sun, these medical lies can cause really harm to your health. Does your doctor still recommend that you avoid cholesterol and eat lots of whole-grains? What about a paleo diet or ketogenic diet, have they been mentioned in an office visit? So much of the nutrition and lifestyle advice doctors give is just plain wrong, and that can be dangerous. This book will help you sort through the medical myths and the outright lies, and begin to develop a health partnership with your doctor.

Dr. Berry has been practicing Family Medicine in rural Tennessee for over a decade. He is board certified in Family Medicine, and was recently awarded the degree of Fellow by the American Academy of Family Physicians. Having seen over 20,000 patients of all ages over his career, he is uniquely qualified to advise on both acute and chronic diseases. Dr. Berry has focused of chronic disease caused by the Standard American Diet and Lifestyle, and has made it his mission to turn the tide on the epidemic of Type 2 Diabetes, chronic inflammation and dementia.