According to an article published in the prestigious medical journal Lancet Neurology in 2011, over half of all Alzheimer’s disease can be potentially prevented through lifestyle changes and prevention of chronic medical conditions; two of the many strategies that I continually advocate to prevent disease.
The researchers found that the biggest risk factors are physical inactivity, depression, smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, low education (not using your brain) and diabetes.
And if you think you’re too young to be reading the information in this article consider this:
- It’s predicted by the year 2020, that 1 in 2 people over the age of 80 will get Alzheimer’s.
- Alzheimer’s is now the sixth leading cause of death in the US.
- In 2013, Alzheimer’s will cost Americans $203 billion, and is expected to rise to $1.2 trillion by 2050.
- More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease today.
- In 2050, an American will develop the disease every 33 seconds.
Therefore, the time is now to start your program to prevent this seemingly silent disease.
What you need to do
- Exercise daily. A mere 30 minutes of walking a day can decrease your risk of developing Alzheimer’s by up to 50%.
- Stop smoking. Smoking cigarettes increases your risk of developing Alzheimer’s by increasing free radicals in the brain.
- Eat more fats to reduce neuro-inflammation. Good fats such as Omega-3 fatty acids especially DHA, Coconut oil containing MCTs (Medium Chained Triglycerides) and Omega-9’s from nuts, avocados and olive oil are beneficial fats for optimal brain health.
- Eat less carbs. Foods that contain a lot of sugar cause insulin levels to rise and increase glycation, which is a hard sugar-coating much like the sugar surrounding a candy apple. Glycation is a major cause of atherosclerosis and beta-amyloid plaques, both of which have been seen in Alzheimer’s disease. The most well-known blood test for glycation is hemoglobin A1c, a marker of diabetes. Alzheimer’s is currently being referred to as “type 3” diabetes for this same reason.
- Exercise your brain. As the saying goes, “use it or lose it.” This also holds true for the brain. Reading, learning, doing crossword puzzles, soduko, reciting poetry and singing songs can all lead to better brain health.
- Avoid Gluten and Genetically Modified foods (GMOs) as well as foods laden with pesticides such as Round-up.
- Avoid pharmaceutical medications that can sometimes lead to loss of cognitive strength. Statins, for example, are now being implicated in memory loss, which is a clinical manifestation of Alzheimer’s disease.
- Remove toxins such as aluminum, lead and mercury that can lead to brain-inflammation. Removing these toxic metals can easily be achieved through IV chelation.
- Get your neurotransmitters tested to alleviate depression.
- Balance your hormones. Did you know that low estradiol in women and low testosterone in both men and women can lead to cognitive decline and vulnerability?
And remember, Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t come abruptly. Rather, it’s a slow, “smoldering fire” or condition that takes years to develop. By understanding the root cause of this disease, we can start early to prevent the sparks that ignite the flame.
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