How to Prevent Memory Loss and Alzheimer's |
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By: Craig Wallin Posted: 2010-08-18 05:18:56 |
| A new report, released by the Alzheimer's Association, estimates as many as 10 million American baby boomers will develop Alzheimer's disease in their lifetime. That's why keeping your brain healthy to prevent memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer's is so important. The report also showed that Alzheimer's is now the 7th deadliest disease in the nation, and that women, because they live longer, are at greater risk than men.One out of every two families in the United States has been touched by Alzheimer's disease.Over 5 million Americans now have this incurable disease, and those numbers are growing rapidly, as the baby boomers move into their sixties. The chance of developing Alzheimer's doubles every 5 years after the age of 65. By the time you reach 85, the odds of developing Alzheimer's are 50-50.Stephen McConnell, vice president of the Alzheimer's Association, is concerned because most Alzheimer's patients require nursing home care during the last years of their illness, which is not covered by most health insurance plans. In addition, most people do not have long term care insurance."That's going to have a devastating impact on society,' he says. The cost of caring for an Alzheimer's patient can be $200,000 to $500,000 over the course of the illness. Beyond that is the high emotional cost experienced by family and friends who are caregivers."Eventually this disease could be preventable," McConnell says. "If we are just able to slow the progression of the disease and delay it's onset, it could save many millions of people from having to deal with the consequences of the disease. And it could save billions of dollars in the health care system."There is now growing agreement among medical and scientific researchers that you can reduce your chances of getting Alzheimer's disease by as much as 70%, if you are willing to take simple steps to modify your lifestyle and diet, and take supplements to help maintain a healthy brain.Taking care of yourself today can keep your mind sharp, prevent and reverse memory loss, keep you independent, and out of a nursing home for the rest of your life. The average 65 year old American has a life expectancy of almost two decades. Why not resolve to make those decades the best years of your life? Here are three steps to prevent memory loss & Alzheimer's:1. Lifestyle Changes. One leading Alzheimer's researcher, Dr. Vincent Fortanasce, has found that most Alzheimer's patients have three lifestyle characteristics in common: Poor quality sleep, or not enough of it, a stressful life, and a sedentary lifestyle. If you're not getting enough sleep, make the changes that will help you improve your rest. Work on eliminating sources of stress in your life. Try to get at least a half-hour of exercise daily, even if it's just a stroll around the neighborhood.2. Diet. Researchers at Columbia University analyzed the diets of almost 2,000 seniors, scoring them on how close their diet was to the "Mediterranean Diet" - a diet using "good" fats, such as olive oil, lean protein from fish and poultry, and complex carbohydrates such as those found in whole grains.They found the risk of Alzheimer's disease was lowest among those whose diets were closest to the Mediterranean diet. Those who scored in the top third had a 68% lower risk of Alzheimer's than the lowest third! So pay attention to your diet and try to prepare and eat more more "good" fats, lean protein and complex carbs.3. Supplements. As our bodies age, they produce less of the nutrients we need to stay healthy. In addition, depleted soils, factory farming, fast food and processed foods have all taken a toll on the quality and quantity of the nutrients we get from our food. That's why supplements are essential to replace those missing nutrients, and keep our bodies and our brains functioning well.Supplements can also reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which play critical roles in the development of memory loss and Alzheimer's disease. Both can change DNA and mitochondria, the basic building blocks of our bodies, including our brain. One example, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, (ALC), maintain the mitochondria, the energy source of our cells, which can protect against age-related degradation, and improve memory and cognition.By following these three simple steps, you'll be making positive changes to extend your life, or the life of a friend or loved one. What could be more important? To learn more about preventing Alzheimer's, visit: http://alzheimerspreventiondigest.comCraig Wallin is the editor of the Alzheimer's Prevention Digest, a free resource to help you improve your memory, stop brain aging and develop your own personal "Alzheimer's Prevention Program." To learn more, visit: http://alzheimerspreventiondigest.com |
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