In our last post Dr. Reginald O’Neal, an internist practicing in Rochester, Michigan, identified the areas that influence whether we are at great risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Click here to read. In this post Dr. O’Neal gives you six prevention strategies:
It’s true, we can’t do much about our age or genetic profile. However, research suggests that good health habits and lifestyle juices can help lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. It’s important to understand that the degree to which a person may be helped by any of these factors may not be much especially if the person has a family history of Alzheimer’s or heart disease or diabetes. For that same reason it is even more important to concentrate on the approaches that can lower the risk of AD.
1.Lowering your risk of heart disease will lower your risk of developing AD.
Maintain a healthy level of blood cholesterol. Some studies suggest there may be a connection between high levels of blood cholesterol and development of AD. Recent studies have also reported that the statin drugs which lower cholesterol may also reduce the risk of dementia.
Maintain a healthy level of the amino acid homocysteine. High levels of homocysteine are known to increase heart disease risk and associated with an increased risk of developing AD. The solution is often simple. Blood levels of homocystein can be reduced by increasing the amount of folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12.
Control your blood pressure. High blood pressure that begins in midlife and other factors of stroke, such as age, diabetes and heart disease, can damage blood vessels in the brain and reduce the brain’s oxygen supply. The damage may disrupt nerve cell circuits and raise the risk of developing AD. Today, there is no reason anyone in the USA should have blood pressure that’s out of control.
2.Maintain a healthy weight. What’s good for your heart is also good for your brain.
3. Prevent adult onset diabetes.
If you already have diabetes work closely with your physician to control your blood sugar levels. Studies suggest that diabetes is associated with several types of dementia including AD. In fact, Type 2 diabetes and AD have several common characteristics including increasing prevalence with age and deposits of damaging amyloid protein (in the brain for AD and in the pancreas for type 2 diabetes. Researchers are also studying the possible role of insulin resistance (when the body produces insulin but cells don’t use it correctly) in AD as well as the relationship between cognitive decline in diabetes and AD.
4. Spend time with family and friends
Many studies report that being with family and having friends and participating in social activities is associated with reducing the risk of dementia.
5. Use your brain
Studies have also shown that keeping the brain active is associated with reducing AD risk. You name it: reading, working puzzles, visiting museums, taking classes – all help. All the studies report the value of lifelong learning and mentally stimulating activity. In one study, scientists found that during their early and middle adulthood, the healthy older people had engaged in more mentally stimulating activities and spent more hours doing them than did those who ultimately developed AD. In other words, you can’t start too early to use your brain.
6. Move! Be physical.
Physical activity helps more than your heart and your weight; it’s good for your brain. Studies show that cardiovascular fitness is associated with increased functioning in certain regions of the brain.
There are no magic pills to prevent or lower the risk of AD. There are claims that some nutritional supplements can also help reduce the risk of AD. Ginkgo biloba, for example, has been investigated and there’s no evidence to show that it will prevent AD.
Certainly eating correctly and taking in enough of the right vitamins and minerals is important. Most anything you can do to live a healthy lifestyle is important.
The fact remains, to lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, you need to adopt a healthy lifestyle especially if your family history doesn’t look good. There’s no treatments, drugs, or pills that have been proven to prevent AD and only a couple can delay its development but temporarily.
It’s all up to you to take those actions to reduce the effect of possible AD risk factors. But hey…aren’t you worth it!
Reginald O’Neal, DO
Reginald O'Neal is a primary care physician specializing in Internal Medicine. He is located in Rochester, Michigan. Dr. O'Neal's primary goal is to prevent chronic medical problems with patients as his partners.
It seems that everything we've been told about what to do to stay healthy also applies to preventing AD. There are no extra rules. You would think some of us will find some success! Good luck to all of us.
To your aging successfully
Regards, Ruthan
www.upsideofaging.com www.balanceyourhealth.com www.theagingofanorexia.com
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