According to Real Farmacy, more and more research indicates that there is a connection between a specific type of protein and neurodegenerative illnesses like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Lou Gehrig’s. This protein, known as TDP-43, behaves like infectious and toxic proteins called prions which are the main culprits for brain destruction happening during Mad Cow and Chronic Wasting Disease, two types of bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
The former happens in cows whereas the latter is a neurological illness common in deer and elks. Alzheimer’s patients appear to have prion-like proteins too.
What Does Research Say?
According to a 2011 research, as noted on Real Farmacy, TDP-43 pathology is found in 25 to 50 percent of Alzheimer’s patients, especially in the ones with hippocampal sclerosis which is manifested through a selective loss of neurons in the hippocampus region, linked to memory loss.
Another research from 2014 points out that Alzheimer’s patients who have TDP-43 have a 10 times greater likelihood of cognitive impairment at death than those who do not have it, as explained on Real Farmacy.
How Does TDP-43 End Up in Our Bodies?
Even though some prions are needed for beneficial cell functions, others that act like infectious agents can lead to neurodegeneration and TDP-43 is of this kind. Some suggest that humans are being infected with TDP-43 by eating contaminated animal parts. So, it is crucial to avoid eating meat from animals that have been raised in confined spaces, i.e. animals that have been raised in CAFOs.
CAFOs are warehouse-style facilities where a large number of animals kept in tight spaces and are given an unnatural diet full of GMO grains and all sorts of antibiotics. This type of farming is known to trigger a long list of health problems, both in the animals and the people consuming the products.
The Link between CAFOs & Alzheimer’s
Eating meat from a cow that has been infected with mad cow disease puts one at a higher risk of getting a human version of this illness known as Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. This is because the tissue from the central nervous system of an infected cow is often found in meat products like hot dogs, bologna, taco fillings, as well as in ground meat. The illness is known to slowly “eat” the brain, resulting in holes and consequently, death. In humans, the illness may be latent for up to a decade before it begins to manifest symptoms, as noted on Real Farmacy.
The symptoms of this disease are similar to that of Alzheimer’s, i.e. loss of memory, impaired vision, etc.
Tips on How to Eat Healthy & Stay Safe
If you still consider meat to be an important part of your diet, make sure you follow these several tips to ensure optimal quality and lower risk of health-related complications:
- Opt for organic and grass-fed meat
- Buy meat from trusted sellers and farmers only
- Avoid consuming meat from unknown sources
- Eat the safest types of meat only
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