Thirteen Ways to Lower Your Risk for Alzheimer's

The care for an Alzheimer's patient in a nursing home now runs $64,000 and goes up depending on the state you live in. The Medicare costs for that patient are expected to rise by 55% in the next 6 years. This fact was revealed by Stephen McConnell, who is Senior Vice President of the Alzheimer's Association.

This disease affects 5.3 million people and is expected to double by 2050. It is the 5^th leading cause of death for those over the age of 65. With these grim facts in mind, it should be an important goal to live your life in a way that lessens your risk of developing memory problems and Alzheimer's. Turning 59 in July, it has become a serious priority for myself.

Exercise: If you don't have one, start an exercise program. Walking is great exercise and even people with physical problems can walk. Walking keeps the whole body healthier including the brain and memory function.

Kundalini Yoga; Form of yoga that involves intense physical moves, breathing, and meditation. This is not the kind of yoga that all patients can participate in. Many Alzheimer's patients are not impaired physically. I knew a lady who took up the Middle Eastern religion. She was mentally unable to function but had perfect coordination. When I would visit her, she would stand on her head at nearly 90 and do perfect yoga poses. She would laugh and tell me to come and try it. She was amazing physically but mentally she was stage 6 with Alzheimer's. They had to lock her up for that reason. She had no real ailments or disease other than the mental. She put the dishwasher detergent in the refrigerator, the food in the dishwasher, and could not recognize you if you went out the front door and came back in. She was a real pistol and it was a shame she had deteriorated so severely.

Reduce Stress: Current new research shows there is a link between Alzheimer's and prolonged, severe stress. It is interesting to note, that I have known several older seniors whose mental state declined rapidly at the loss of their spouse.

Placing seniors into a nursing home is also a severe stress which often results in mental deterioration. The majority of seniors placed in nursing homes, decline both physically and mentally. They often are dead within a year. This is true even when they are in pretty good health before entering the home. I have watched this process all too often with elder friends I spent time with. They feel they have nothing to live for. They watch their friends die and watch their friend's progression from 3rd floor to the 1st floor called skilled nursing. If you separate them from their spouse in that same nursing home, it also affects their will to live.

Stress affects the hypothalamus, which is the center for learning and memory. It is found that stress increases Cortisol production, and there is raised Cortisol production in Alzheimer's patients. Elevated cortisol causes many problems including weight gain in the stomach. Many elderly tend to be overweight with more weight carried in the belly.

Therapeutic Touch and Massage, Especially Hand Massage: Several small studies with Alzheimer's patients have shown improvement in communication, relaxation, reduced agitation and abnormal behavior, and improved ability to sleep.

Lose Weight: Research is showing that patients who are obese have a greater risk for developing Alzheimer's. Obesity also leads to a greater risk of developing diabetes, so they go hand in hand.

Eat Healthy and Maintain Normal Glucose Levels: Diabetes is already linked with vascular dimensia, where damage to the brain's blood vessels causes brain deterioration. New research is showing significant links to Type 2 diabetes and the later development of memory loss and Alzheimer's. Make it a priority to eat healthier. Often people who are alone stop cooking. They throw a TV dinner into the oven and that is dinner. They stop eating fresh vegetables and salads, it is just too much work. The other problem is often single people don't enjoy eating alone or have no appetite. These eating patterns create deficiencies that affect the whole body including memory and brain function.

Eat Brain Boosting Foods: Fish especially salmon and cod; Eggs; Nuts: Fresh berries especially blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries; Wholegrain foods and Beans; plain or lightly sweetened yogurt.

Exercise Your Brain; Read mentally stimulating books or articles, take an online or college course, learn something new, play board games, garden, learn to play an instrument, engage in stimulating conversation, sing in the choir, take up ball room dancing or western dancing. These forms of dancing have steps that must be learned and memorized to perform the dance properly. A number of research studies are showing that these activities lower your risk to develop Alzheimer's. It is important to exercise your brain no matter what age, and the earlier the better.

Volunteer: There are so many organizations and causes that need help. Helping out at the schools or hospitals are just two examples. They are programs now where seniors help kids with school work and learning English. That helps the child and helps you to keep your mind sharp.This interaction also keeps you in touch with what is going on in the world and our society. It's a great way to keep your life exciting and fulfilling. I knew a man who tended to drink too much. He was bored. He joined the local senior center helping out in the kitchen and went around to the markets getting free food for the seniors. This gave him meaning in his life, gave him a reason to get up every day, and a reason not to drink. It was his saving grace.

Music Therapy: Music not only exercises the brain but creates positive effects in patients who already have the disease. Studies show music calms aggressive behavior, reduces agitation, increases calmness, and improves sleep. Certain music such as Mozart's piano sonata has been shown to improve cognitive scores in several studies.

Music therapy Combined with Acupuncture: Studies showed that it improved several measures of Alzheimer behavior.

Keep Your Heart Healthy: Research is showing that high blood pressure may damage blood vessels in the brain resulting in problems in memory and communication skills. High blood cholesterol may disrupt the blood's ability to clear out protein from the brain. Cardiovascular disease can result in a stoke which can severely damage areas of the brain.

Control Inflammation; One reason that inflammation develops is because of the buildup of protein plaque. Scientists feel inflammation is a factor in the development of the disease but are unsure to what extent at this point.

Avoid Taking Drugs: There are 136 drugs that cause cognitive impairment. This is called drug-induced -cognitive impairment and in most cases can be reversed or stopped by discontinuing the drug.

Is some cases, it may not be Alzheimer's but a drug induced side effect. Multiple drug use makes it even worse. Drug-induced-cognitive-impairment is linked to tranquilizers; sleeping medicine; antidepressants; drugs used to treat and prevent seizures; and anti-anxiety medicines. Do not assume a person is developing Alzheimer's without evaluation by a doctor.. There can be nutritional deficiencies that can cause metal decline as well. Endrocrine imbalances such as hypothyroidism also have a severe impact on memory, learning, and behavior.

There are many factors for developing Alzheimer's including age and genetics. You can't do much about growing old or changing your genetics, but you can live your life in a way that reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's. If you are reading this article and in your 40's or early 50's, it is wise to start now at keeping your brain function and memory healthy.

References:

www.ahaf.org/alzheimers/about/risk/

alzheimers-disease.suite101.com/article.cfm/diabetes_linked_with_alzheimers_disease

ems.gmnews.com/news/2010-01-20/Front_Page/Cases_of_Alzheimers_disease_to_double_by_2050.html

www.naturalhealthvillage.com/ML250FA-REP.pdf