The Best Steps to Take to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease
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, the most common form of
dementia.
However
research has found a lot of 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 blood vessel
health 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
blood pressure in your ankle with 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 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. 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 the act of
learning. Try studying, learning new things or broadening your circle of
friends for stimulation.
5. 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.
6. The oestrogen evidence
Sixty eight per cent of Alzheimer’s
patients are women, possibly as midway through life they lose the
protection of the hormone estrogen which boosts memory. Unless your GP
says otherwise, start taking estrogen immediately at the time of
menopause – starting any later risks dementia and strokes.
7. Raise good cholesterol
It’s well known that having high
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 ageing 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 10 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
ageing 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 underweight
Unexplained weight loss after age 60 or
so may be 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 that 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. 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 normal weight people, which according to one
scientist hugely increases the risk of Alzheimer’s. Moreover, brain
shrinkage
occurred in areas of the brain targeted
by Alzheimer’s, and 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 a big 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 to not realise 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,
counselling, 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
also 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
sinks risk factors that may lead to memory decline, namely high blood
sugar, insulin resistance, diabetes and 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
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 plaques
to slow cognitive decline.
It is recommended to eat two or three curries a week, and make it a yellow curry. Otherwise, sprinkle the spices 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 ageing 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%.
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