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Growing old Gracefully - How long are you going to live and will you remain in good health

The Nun Study: Learning about Alzheimer’s Disease from the School Sisters of Notre Dame

By Pamella RichardsPublished 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago 4 min read
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Growing old Gracefully - How long are you going to live and  will you remain in good health
Photo by DDP on Unsplash

Pondering the question of the health of an increasingly aging population has inspired some very interesting research. Wouldn’t we all love to know how long we are going to live, and if we’ll remain in good health into old age.

For example, what causes the onset of certain diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Dementia has been the subject of much debate. Is it due to hereditary factors, lifestyle, and diet, or are there other underlying factors?

“The Nun Study” refers to a well-known study conducted at School Sisters of Notre Dame convents by Dr. David Snowden in 1986, which began at the University of Minnesota and revealed a new understanding of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia.

David Snowden hypothesised that a control group, for example. a convent of nuns would provide a suitable experiment. The nuns followed similar lifestyles in that they didn’t drink, take drugs, they had similar diets, the same access to health care and social support, and none had ever been married or had children — they also followed a religious life.

In theory, this would give them a similar risk for certain cancers or other diseases; the big question was:

Would they live longer without disease?

The match was almost too good to be true: the School Sisters of Notre Dame’s mission is to teach and open schools around the world. When they learned that they could help others learn about Alzheimer’s disease, a tragic and extreme form of dementia that typically begins after age 60, the sisters were happy to find they could do so even after their deaths.

The findings were astounding

Each of the nuns provided details of their lives in their 20s, allowing a comparison of the intellectual abilities in early life to their present state. There was a strong link between those of a lower intellectual capacity and an increased risk of developing dementia, and a lower life expectancy. While those nuns with higher intelligence tended to live a long, dementia-free life.

The findings of the individuals were so different that Dr. Snowdon could predict which nuns might have dementia in later life, simply by reading their letters.

The Nuns' background appeared to be irrelevant, however, the one factor that became apparent were those who had continued to study throughout life by reading, writing, teaching, and continued learning.

Nutrition and Dementia also played a key role

Whilst the food prepared came from the same kitchen, individual tastes and preferences differed.

Those nuns exhibiting dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease generally had a lower level of B12, or Folate deficiency anemia as a result of a diet low in fresh fruit, vegetables, and cereals. Folate has a crucial role in the development of the central nervous system and in the reduction of homocysteine. A reduction of homocysteine has been associated with vascular disease contributing to the risk of a heart attack or stroke, which can damage the brain. In addition, those nuns with high amounts of lycopene, the red pigment found in tomatoes and watermelon, in their diets, had a reduced risk of developing dementia and appeared to age healthily.

The message is clear, it's never too early to start preventative measures, such as eating folate (B12) and antioxidant-rich foods, to avoid age-related cognitive decline

Several of the nuns agreed to donate their brains to research after their deaths, which helped the researchers predict which lifestyle factor influenced the health of the nuns’ life.

“One of the unique aspects of this study were the large numbers willing to donate their brain whether they had any dementia or not,” says Sister Charlene, the order’s representative for the study. The sisters’ contributions added to growing evidence that the risk of Alzheimer’s does not increase with age.

One Nun Against the Odds

While it is true that genes and physical attributes of the brain are large factors in disease risk and presence, one impressive piece of the study was the life and death of Sister Mary.

In Mankats, Minnesota, in 1991, David Snowden sat across from a 100-year-old nun named Sister Mary, administering a test. He asked her to remember a list of words, to draw geometric shapes, and she passed each exam while she talked and laughed, constantly aware.

Sister Mary is referred to as the “gold standard” of healthy aging because of the vibrant and full life she lived for over 100 years. She had been alert and without memory loss.

Upon her death, at the age of 102 analysis of her brain revealed that instead of a healthy brain, scientists saw one riddled with visible knots of protein, an indication of full-blown Alzheimer’s Disease that should have caused her to suffer the effects of dementia and other health problems.

However, she enjoyed reading, knitting, and socializing up until her death. It is thought that her lifelong career as a teacher along with a well-balanced diet and love of reading helped her defy the physical and genetic effects of dementia.

Sister Mary’s story is a hopeful example of how some diseases can be avoided by lifestyle factors. Preventative measures revealed by the Nun Study include protecting the head from physical damage (e.g. concussions), avoiding tobacco, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy, balanced diet.

Thank you for reading to the end, if you like this story, please consider leaving a Heart ❤

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About the Creator

Pamella Richards

Beekeeper and lover of the countryside. Writer, Gardener and Astrologer

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  • test2 years ago

    Every illness commonly associated with aging is avoidable. The neurological degeneration of the elderly is the same as autism, or ADD. Industrial poisoning - vaccines, medications, pesticides (all estrogen, by the way) and religion. A lot of elderly people were sexually abused when they were young. Sexual abuse is the most common type of abuse in all society. It is micro-economic, since the western sense of reality is entropic. No family of mine get neural degeneration because I take care of myself and my mind is above average in development. My brain is a natural teacher and healer. Most people have not idea because, like you, they are not very smart.

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