25 Simple Steps to Prevent
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, 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.
Anti-oxidant-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 oestrogen which boosts memory.
Unless your GP says otherwise, start taking oestrogen 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%.
