9 Simple Ways to Prevent
Alzheimer's
Today, more than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's, and the number
of people projected to develop the mind-wasting disease is expected to
skyrocket as our population ages. While there are few treatments that
appear to be effective once Alzheimer's strikes, researchers the world
over are finding easy, effective ways to help prevent the deadly
disease. Simple changes in lifestyle can slash the risk of Alzheimer's
and other forms of dementia by more than 50 percent, according to
scientists at the U.K.'s University of Stirling Dementia Services
Development Center.
Some of the best and easiest ways to lower your risk include:
1. Take vitamins. A two-year randomized study at the
U.K.'s Oxford University found that patients who were already suffering
mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who took high doses of the B vitamins
B6, B12, and folic acid, showed less brain shrinkage in areas affected
by the disease than those who took a placebo. The vitamins, which cost
pennies a day, dramatically lowered levels of homocysteine, an amino
acid associated with Alzheimer's, and slowed brain shrinkage by 90
percent. "It is our hope that this simple and safe treatment will delay
the development of Alzheimer's disease in many people who suffer from
mild memory problems," said Professor David Smith of the Department of
Pharmacology at Oxford University, a co-leader of the trial.
2. Protect your noggin. The Alzheimer's Association
says, "There appears to be a strong link between future risk of
Alzheimer's and serious head trauma, especially when injury involves
loss of consciousness." Wear a seat belt, use helmets when participating
in sports, and minimize the risk of falls in your home.
3. Eat fish. Oily, cold-water fish, such as salmon,
tuna, and sardines, is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which keep the brain
healthy. People who eat omega-3s daily (you can also choose supplements)
have a 26 percent lower risk of having brain lesions that cause dementia
when compared to those who shun them.
4. Enjoy a glass of red wine. For years, research
has shown a link between a reduced risk of Alzheimer's and drinking red
wine. Now, scientists have pinpointed the link. The major genetic risk
factor for Alzheimer's is a protein called ApoE4. It's present in about
two-thirds of people who have the disease, and about a quarter of people
are born with it. Researchers at Buck Institute found that the ApoE4
gene dramatically reduces the amount of an "anti-aging" protein called
SirT1, and that increasing amounts of SirT1 prevent the formation of
phospho-tau and amyloid-beta proteins which form the sticky plaques that
are a hallmark of Alzheimer's. Resveratrol, which is found in red wine,
appears to increase the production of SirT1.
5. Stay sober. Binge drinking significantly
increases the risk of Alzheimer's in older adults, according to British
researchers. Seniors over the age of 65 who drank heavily at least twice
a month were 250 percent more likely to suffer dramatic declines in
cognitive ability and memory loss. A monthly binge (a binge was defined
as four or more drinks on one occasion) raised the risk by 62 percent of
being in the top 10 percent of those suffering the greatest decline.
Another study showed that drinking more than two drinks a day
fast-forwarded the onset of Alzheimer's by up to 4.8 years. (On the
other hand, up to two daily drinks have been found to protect the brain
from dementia.)
6. Dance. A study at Albert Einstein College of
Medicine found that while reading reduced the risk of dementia in those
75 years and older, frequent dancing cut the risk by 76 percent — more
than any activity studied, mental or physical. Experts believe dancing
is so effective because it combines intense mental and physical
activity. "Dancing is a complex activity," said researcher Dr. Joe
Verghese of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "You have to
remember the steps and how to dance them, you have to move in time with
the music, and you have to adapt to the actions of your partner."
7. Chow down on a curry. Curries, and other dishes
popular throughout India and Southeastern Asia, contain the spice
turmeric, whose main active ingredient is curcumin. A study at the
University of California, Los Angeles, found curcumin slows the buildup
of amyloid plaques — one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's — in the brain,
and University of Illinois researchers found that curcumin protected
cells from damage caused by beta-amyloid.
8. Eat chocolate. A recent study at Harvard Medical
School found that older people who consumed chocolate every day improved
their thinking skills as well as blood flow to the brain. Participants
with impaired blood flow to the brain, whose average age was 73, drank
two cups of hot chocolate every day for 30 days. At the end of the
study, there was an 8.3 percent improvement in blood flow as well as
improvements on cognitive tests. Researchers believe the antioxidants in
chocolate called flavonols may work by protecting neurons from injury
and improving the interaction of molecular structures involved in memory
as well as by increasing blood flow.
9. Get your zzzz's. Researchers at Johns Hopkins
found that not getting enough quality sleep is associated with the first
signs of Alzheimer's disease. People who reported troubled sleep or
sleeping less had higher levels of beta amyloid plaque in their brains.
Another study published in the journal Science found that sleep cleaned
out wastes and toxins in the brain.
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