25 Ways of Preventing Alzheimer's
Alzheimer’s strikes fear in all of us. The
thought of losing your mind as you grow older is terrifying and made
worse by the fact that, before now, there appeared to be little we could
do to slow down or avoid Alzheimer’s, which is the most common form of
dementia. Today, research has found many factors that raise or diminish
the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Following these tips, you could slash
your chances of developing the disease:
1. Check out your ankle
Low blood flow in your foot is a clue to trouble in your brain and a
simple test can reveal its cognitive state and your likelihood of stroke
and dementia. The theory is that the health of your blood vessels is
similar throughout the body. The degree of clogged arteries and blood
flow in the feet can suggest atherosclerosis in cerebral blood vessels.
Ask your doctor for an ankle-brachial index (ABI) test which involves an
ultrasound device and a blood pressure cuff that compares the blood
pressure in your ankle to that in your arm. To remedy any impairment of
blood flow your GP may advise stepped-up exercise or a change in
diet/medication.
2. Antioxidant-rich foods
Certain foods infuse your brain with antioxidants that can slow memory
decline and help prevent Alzheimer’s. All fruit and vegetables are good
but at the top of the list are black raspberries, elderberries, raisins,
and blueberries.
3. Beware of bad fats
The type of fat you eat changes your brain’s functioning for better or
worse. Stay away from saturated fats which strangle brain cells causing
them to become inefficient. Buy low fat or fat-free dairy products
including milk, cheese, and ice cream. Cut down on deep-fried foods.
4. Chocolate Treat
Cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate, has sky-high concentrations of
antioxidants called flavanols, which possess strong heart and
brain-protecting properties. Drinking cocoa increases blood flow to the
brain. Cocoa powder has twice as many flavanols as dark chocolate, which
has twice a many as milk chocolate. White chocolate has zero.
5. Grow a bigger brain
Your brain starts to shrink when you reach 30 or 40 so it takes longer
to learn. However, scientists now believe you can increase the size of
your brain through learning. Try studying, learning new things or
broadening your circle of friends for stimulation.
6. The Estrogen Evidence
68 percent of Alzheimer’s patients are
women, possibly because midway through life, they lose the protection
that is provided by estrogen, which boosts memory. Unless your GP says
otherwise, start taking estrogen immediately at the time of menopause –
starting any later opens you up to the risk of dementia and stroke.
7. Raise good cholesterol
It’s well known that having a high level of good-type HDL blood
cholesterol protects you from heart disease, but it can also save your
brain. Researchers claim it blocks sticky stuff that destroys brain
cells and acts as an anti-inflammatory to lessen brain damage. Ways to
ramp up good cholesterol include exercise, drinking moderate amounts of
alcohol and losing weight.
8. Google something
Doing an internet search can stimulate aging brains even more than
reading a book. And MRI scans show that savvy surfers have twice as many
sparks of brain activity as novices. Go online to search for
information, things to buy, or games to play. Although it’s not known
how much it will benefit your brain, it’s better than passive pursuits.
9. The ApoE4 gene
One in four of you reading this has a specific genetic time bomb that
makes you three to ten times more susceptible to developing late-onset
Alzheimer’s. The gene is called apolipoprotein E4. If you inherit a
single variant of ApoE4 from one parent, your Alzheimer’s risk triples.
If you inherit a double dose from both parents, your risk rises by 10
times. Ask your doctor about a DNA test to reveal your ApoE4 genotype.
10. Say yes to coffee
Coffee is emerging as a tonic for the aging brain. It is
anti-inflammatory, helps block the ill effects of cholesterol in the
brain and cuts the risks of stroke, depression, and diabetes, all
promoters of dementia. It is also high in antioxidants and caffeine
which stop neuronal death and lessen diabetes, high blood pressure, and
strokes that bring on dementia. For most people, a moderate daily intake
of coffee, two to four cups, won’t hurt and may help.
11. Dangers of weight loss
Unexplained weight loss after age 60 or so
maybe a sign of Alzheimer’s. A study showed that women with the disease
started losing weight at least 10 years before dementia was diagnosed.
Among women of equal weight, those who went on to develop dementia
slowly became thinner over three decades and, when diagnosed, weighed an
average 12lb less than women who were free of Alzheimer’s. Talk to your
doctor about unexplained weight loss after 60.
12. Drink wine
A daily glass of wine may help delay dementia. Research says that
alcohol is an anti-inflammatory and raises good cholesterol which helps
ward off dementia. High antioxidants in red wine give it additional
anti-dementia clout. Such antioxidants act as artery relaxants, dilating
blood vessels and increasing blood flow which encourages cognitive
functioning.
13. Know the early signs
Memory problems are not the first clue. You may notice a decline
in-depth perception, for example, you reach to pick up a glass of water
and miss it. Or you misjudge the distance in walking across a street.
Doing a jigsaw puzzle or reading a map may also be confusing. Losing
your sense of smell can also be an early clue, as well as asking the
same question repeatedly or misplacing belongings in odd places (like
putting keys in the fridge). Be aware of memory problems as the earlier
the signs are spotted, the more successful lifestyle changes and
medications are likely to be.
14. A Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean diet, no matter where you live, can help save your
brain from memory deterioration and dementia. Studies consistently find
that what the Greeks and Italians eat is truly brain food. Following
this diet – rich in green leafy vegetables, fish, fruits, nuts, legumes,
olive oil and a little vino – can cut your chances of Alzheimer’s by
nearly half. Rather than depending on just one food or a few nutrients,
it is a rich menu of many complex brain benefactors, including an array
of antioxidants, which shield brain cells from oxidative damage.
15. Middle Age Obesity
Your brain cares if you are fat. A study showed obese people had 8% less
brain tissue and overweight people had 4% less brain tissue than people
of average weight, which according to some scientists hugely increases
the risk of Alzheimer’s. Moreover, brain shrinkage occurred in areas of
the brain targeted by Alzheimer’s, which are critical for planning,
long-term memory, attention and executive functions, and control of
movement.
Tackle signs of rising weight early, when you are young or middle-aged.
Oddly, being obese after the age of 70 does not raise the risk of
Alzheimer’s but that doesn’t mean you should neglect exercise as it is
the best way of stimulating cognitive functioning and may delay the
onset of Alzheimer’s at any age.
16. Get a good night’s sleep
A lack of sleep is toxic to brain cells.
Sleep has surprising powers to protect your brain against memory loss
and Alzheimer’s. It is a wonder drug that helps manipulate levels of the
dreaded brain toxin peptide beta-amyloid, a prime instigator of
Alzheimer’s, which according to one scientist puts you at accelerated
risk. Research has also found that sleeping an average of five hours or
less a night is linked to large increases in dangerous visceral
abdominal fat, which can cause diabetes and obesity that can lead to
Alzheimer’s. Take naps and seek treatment for sleep disorders.
17. Have an extended social circle
Studying the brain of a highly sociable 90-year-old woman who died from
Alzheimer’s, researchers in Chicago found that having a large social
network provided her with strong “cognitive reserve” that enabled her
brain not to realize she had Alzheimer’s. Why this happens is a mystery,
but interacting with friends and family seems to make the brain more
efficient. It finds alternative routes of communication to bypass broken
connections left by Alzheimer’s. So see friends and family often and
expand your social network. The stronger the brain reserve you build
through life, the more likely you are to stave off Alzheimer’s symptoms.
18. Deal with stress
When you are under stress, your body pours out hormones called
corticosteroids, which can save you in a crisis. But persistent stress
reactions triggered by everyday events like work frustration, traffic,
and financial worries can be dangerous. Over time, it can destroy brain
cells and suppress the growth of new ones, actually shrinking your
brain. Sudden traumatic events like the death of a loved one or a
life-changing event like retirement can leave a hangover of severe
psychological stress that precedes dementia. Be aware that chronic
stress can increase older people’s vulnerability to memory decline and
dementia. Seek professional advice. Antidepressants, counseling,
relaxation techniques and other forms of therapy may head off
stress-related memory loss if treated early.
19. Take care of your teeth
Bad gums may poison your brain. People with tooth and gum disease tend
to score lower in memory and cognition tests, according to US dental
researchers who found that infection responsible for gum disease gives
off inflammatory byproducts that travel to areas of the brain involved
in memory loss.
Consequently, brushing, flossing and preventing gum disease may help
keep your gums and teeth healthy but may also make your memory sharper.
In another study, older people with the most severe gingivitis –
inflamed gums – were two to three times more likely to show signs of
impaired memory and cognition than those with the least.
20. Get enough Vitamin B12
As you age, blood levels of vitamin B12 go down and the chance of
Alzheimer’s goes up. Your ability to absorb it from foods diminishes in
middle age, setting the stage for brain degeneration years later.
Researchers at Oxford University found that a brain running low on B12
actually shrinks and a shortage can lead to brain atrophy by ripping
away myelin, a fatty protective sheath around neurons. It can also
trigger inflammation, another destroyer of brain cells. Take 500 to
1000mcg of vitamin B12 daily after the age of 40. If you or an older
family member has unexplained memory loss, fatigue or signs of dementia,
be sure to get tested for vitamin B12 deficiency by your GP.
21. Vinegar in everything
There is plenty of evidence that vinegar
decreases risk factors that may lead to memory decline, namely high
blood sugar, insulin resistance, diabetes, pre-diabetes, and weight
gain. Researchers in Phoenix, Arizona, have noted in studies of humans
and animals that the acidic stuff packs potent glucose-lowering effects.
Studies have also found it can curb appetite and food intake, helping
prevent weight gain and obesity, which are associated with diabetes,
accelerated dementia, and memory loss. Pour on the vinegar – add it to
salad dressings, eat it by the spoonful, even mix it into a glass of
drinking water. Any type of vinegar works.
22. Have your eyes checked
If you preserve good or excellent vision as you age, your chances of
developing dementia drop by an astonishing 63%. And if it’s poor, just
visiting an optician for an eye test and possible treatment at least
once in later life cuts your dementia odds by about the same amount.
Exactly how vision problems promote dementia is not clear but impaired
vision makes it difficult to participate in mental and physical
activities such as reading and exercising, as well as social activities,
all believed to delay cognitive decline. Be aware that your eyes
reflect and influence how your brain is functioning, especially as you
age. Don’t tolerate poor vision, as often it can be corrected.
23. Eat curry or take curcumin pills
Curry powder contains the yellow-orange spice turmeric, packed with
curcumin, a component reported to stall memory decline. One study showed
elderly Indians who ate even modest amounts of curry did better in
cognitive tests. Curcumin works by blocking the build-up of
Alzheimer’s-inducing amyloid plaques (deposits found in the brains of
sufferers) then nibbles away at existing plaque to slow cognitive
decline.
It is recommended to eat two or three curries a week and make it a
yellow curry. Otherwise, sprinkle the spice on your food.
24. Diabetes control
Having type 2 diabetes makes you more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s. Studies
show it may double or triple your risk and the earlier diabetes takes
hold, the higher the odds of dementia. Some experts refer to Alzheimer’s
as “diabetes of the brain”. The two disorders have similar causes –
obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high fat, and high sugar
diets, low physical activity as well as high blood sugar. In short,
diabetes can deliver a double whammy to the brain, destroying neurons
and increasing inflammation. Do everything possible to keep blood sugar
levels low and stick to a low-saturated-fat diet and regular exercise.
25. Drink more tea
Evidence suggests that tea stalls the cognitive loss that precedes
Alzheimer’s and that the more tea you drink, the sharper your aging
memory is. Tea’s secret is no mystery. The leaves are packed with
compounds able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and block neuronal
damage.
One particular green tea antioxidant can block the toxicity of
beta-amyloid, which kills brain cells. Make a point of drinking black
and green tea. Don’t add milk - it can reduce tea’s antioxidant activity
by 25%.