Alzheimer's Disease is Scary

We often hear stories thru the news of how vibrant people get taken down by the progressive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, and it can seem horrifying the thought of this happening to you. It scared me into looking into it. I don't want that to be a part of my life. Researchers are finding more and more every year that the tools to preventing Alzheimer's is in our hands, not left up to chance.

From the National Institutes of Health website http://www.nih.gov/

Lifestyle Factors
A nutritious diet, vigorous exercise, social engagement, and mentally stimulating pursuits can all help people stay healthy. New research suggests the possibility that these factors also might help to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and AD. Scientists are investigating associations between cognitive decline and heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. Understanding these relationships and testing them in clinical trials will help us understand whether reducing risk factors for these diseases may help with AD as well.

Dr. Andrew Weil's website http://www.drweil.com/

About the disease:
The occurrence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is not a normal development in the aging process. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by a gradual loss of memory, decline in the ability to perform routine tasks, disorientation, difficulty in learning, loss of language skills, impaired judgment and ability to plan, and personality changes. Over time, these changes become so severe that they interfere with an individual's daily functioning, resulting eventually in death. While the disease can last from 3 to 20 years after the onset of symptoms, the average duration is 8 years.

Alzheimer's disease affects as many as 4 million Americans. Most people diagnosed with AD are older than 65. However, it is possible for the disease to occur in people in their 40s and 50s. Recent research has shown links between some genes and AD, but in about 90 percent of cases, there is no clear genetic link. Early and careful evaluation is important because many conditions, including some that are treatable or reversible, may cause dementia-like symptoms. Examples of such treatable medical conditions are depression, nutritional deficiencies, adverse drug interactions and metabolic changes.

Much of the illness, disability and death associated with chronic disease is avoidable through known prevention measures.
Key measures include practicing a healthy lifestyle (e.g., regular, vigorous physical activity, healthy eating and avoiding cigarette abuse) and the use of early detection practices (e.g., screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers, diabetes and its complications, and depression).


Alzheimer's Disease Prevention
To help prevent the form of dementia known as Alzheimer’s Disease, make sure you do the following:

Get regular, vigorous physical activity. 30 minutes of aerobic activity most days of the week. It increases the flow of blood to the brain and can lower the likelihood of Alzheimer's by 30 to 50 percent!

Eat omega-3s. Oils in walnuts, and freshly ground flaxseeds or flaxseed oil from a bottle (not capsules!), pine nuts and pumpkin seeds all provide omega-3 fatty acids, which are linked with reducing inflammation.

Take supplements and vitamins. Vitamins E and C are good choices, and B vitamins can help lower blood levels of homocysteine, a toxic amino acid linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's.

Stay mentally active. Read newspapers and books, dance, do crossword puzzles, play musical instruments, participate in ongoing education, learn a new language.

Alzheimer's Disease, like all chronic degenerative diseases, are largely and easily preventable if you're willing to take charge of your health.