These lifestyle habits can cut chances of dementia even for those with genetic risk

 Researchers have found that people whose genes put them at increased risk of dementia can reduce their chances of getting the condition if they follow seven habits for healthy living.

It was already thought that a healthy lifestyle could cut the risk of dementia, but until now it has been less clear if this applied to people with genetic variants that make them more likely to develop the condition.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says dementia is the seventh leading cause of death among all diseases worldwide and is responsible for millions of older people enduring disability and dependency. With the proportion of older people increasing in almost every country, Alzheimer’s Disease International expects dementia cases to rise to 139 million by 2050.

Genetic risk

A 2022 study from the American Academy of Neurology investigated whether people with a higher genetic risk could reduce their chances of getting the condition. Researchers followed almost 12,000 people for 30 years and scored them on how closely they followed the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Life Simple 7 – a list of lifestyle habits linked to good cardiovascular health (AHA has since added an eighth habit, sleep, and the list is now called Life’s Essential 8).

The seven habits are:

1. Manage your blood pressure. Keeping your blood pressure within a healthy range reduces the strain on your heart, arteries and kidneys.

2. Control cholesterol. High cholesterol contributes to plaque, which can clog arteries and lead to heart disease and stroke.

3. Reduce blood sugar. High levels of blood sugar can damage your heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves.

4. Get active. There’s strong evidence daily physical activity increases the length and quality of your life.

5. Eat better. A healthy diet is one of the best ways to prevent cardiovascular disease.

6. Lose weight. Shedding a few pounds can reduce the burden on your heart, lungs, blood vessels and skeleton.

7. Stop smoking. Smokers have a higher risk of developing a range of serious illnesses including heart disease.

Participants in the dementia study were asked to score themselves on a scale of 0 to 14 depending on how closely they followed all seven healthy habits. Researchers also calculated their genetic risk, based on whether they had variants linked to a higher or lower chance of getting Alzheimer’s disease, which is a major cause of dementia.

Healthy lifestyle

The participants had an average age of 54 when the research started. Around 9,000 had European ancestry and 3,000 had African ancestry.

By the end of the study, 1,603 people with European ancestry and 631 people with African ancestry had developed dementia. Those with the highest scores for following a healthy lifestyle were much less likely to have dementia, including participants who had genetic variants linked to Alzheimer’s.

A more recent study has identified that treating failing eyesight and high cholesterol can also lower the risk of developing dementia.

Risk factors

In those with European ancestry, participants with the highest scores for living healthily were up to 43% less likely to get dementia than those scoring lower. For those with African ancestry, following the healthy habits was linked to a 17% lower risk of developing the condition. But the study’s authors say the smaller numbers of people with African heritage taking part means the findings are less certain for this group, so more research is needed.

Dr Rosa Sancho, from Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Dementia risk depends on many factors. Some, like our age and genetic make-up, we cannot change, while others like diet and exercise, we can. This study supports the idea that what is good for the heart is also good for the brain.”

Better health outcomes

If adopting these seven healthy habits – and treating failing eyesight and high cholesterol – can reduce the number of people who get dementia, it won’t just be individuals who benefit. The WHO says dementia has high global social and economic costs too. Informal carers – including family and friends – spend an average of five hours a day caring for sufferers, and the global financial bill is expected to reach $2 trillion by 2030.

There are many organizations around the world working to help accelerate advances in prevention and treatment of the condition. Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative is led by the World Economic Forum and The Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer’s Disease and is investing $700 million over six years into drug development and healthcare diagnostics.

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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How to Balance Your Body's pH Levels

Your body really is the sum of its parts. If one part of your body isn’t working properly, the entire system will get bogged down. But why do we treat the symptoms instead of going to the root of the problem? If a cog in the machine breaks, we fix it, but instead of shutting everything off and putting a patch on an integral part of the chain, why don’t we make sure the chain is strong? Why don’t we ensure that the body is well maintained, oiled, and always topped up with the proper fuel?

A Well-Oiled Machine

Well maintained means rested. Well-oiled means hydrated. Gassed up with proper fuel means eating a diet that is made up of the right foods – alkaline-forming foods. These foods help to create and maintain a healthy pH in the body. 

 

The majority of diseases love acidic conditions and cannot exist when the pH level (the concentration of hydrogen ions in your blood) in the body is alkaline. The pH scale ranges from 0-14, with 0 being highly acidic, and 14 being highly alkaline.

Healthy pH Balance The perfect pH range in humans is 7.30-7.45, so slightly acidic. However, there’s a problem – our stomachs need acid to break down foods, but this acid helps bacteria, fungi, and viruses to reproduce. The majority of us are not as alkaline as we should be. 

 

However, this is easily rectified. Below you will find 12 ways to balance your body’s pH levels so you can get (or remain) as healthy as you possibly can. An alkaline diet promotes healthier sleep, provides the body with more burnable energy, and is pretty easy to follow. 

 

14 Ways to Balance Your Body’s pH

1. Consume only organic, non-GMO foods. By doing this, you will be able to avoid pesticides, chemicals, and other contaminants that produce acid.

 

 2. Consume alkaline-forming foods. Most fruit and vegetables can be put into this category. For a complete list of alkaline forming foods, kindly see my next post.

3. Eat less refined flours, sugars, and meats. You should aim to eat only 40-50 grams of protein per day as these acid-forming foods all contribute to a very unhealthy pH balance.

4. Prepare meals intelligently. Combine acidic foods with alkaline foods in order to create a meal that has a perfect balance. If you’re not sure what foods are alkaline and which are acidic, consult this list. 

 

5. Drink 1-2 glasses of apple cider vinegar and water each day. Simply mix 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 8 ounces of water. 

 

6. If you do not fancy the above drink, you can always combine 2 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice with half a teaspoon of baking powder. After the foaming has stopped, add 8-12 ounces of water and drink immediately. 

 

7. You can also try drinking 2 teaspoons of baking soda mixed with 8 ounces of water daily. If you suffer from hypertension or an edema, you should avoid this option, or talk to a doctor first.

8. Drink a glass of warm lemon water in the morning. To make this drink, juice half a lemon and add it to 8 ounces of warm water. Drinking this first thing in the morning will rid your body of excess acids, creating an alkaline state. The water should always be warm as this will put the least amount of stress on your gut. 

 

9. Eat foods that are rich in potassium. Such foods include lemons, honey, bananas, sweet potatoes, and raw, natural yogurt.

10. Mix 1-2 teaspoons of cream of tartar with 8 ounces of water. This will help your body form an alkaline state, and is especially good when it comes to calming nausea, relieving a headache, or overcoming shock. 

 

11. Drink lots of water every day. This is the best way to ensure that your system is kept well oiled. Drinking water will help you to eliminate waste from your body. You should aim to drink 7-8 glasses of water a day. 

 

12. Take digestive enzyme supplements. This will help to balance your pH levels and help your body to overcome acidosis. The pancreas is the organ that is mostly responsible for digestive enzyme production, so if your pancreas is not functioning properly, your natural enzyme level will not be where it needs to be.

13. Get active. Exercise can help remove the acidic waste that your body naturally creates, creating a more favorable alkaline environment. Even 5 minutes of brief walking can make a big difference, so don’t assume that you need to exercise for an hour to reap any benefits. 

 

14. Snack on raw, unsalted almonds. These nuts are full of natural alkaline minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which help to balance out acidity, while also balancing blood sugar.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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