Alzheimer's disease is preventable
This week is the last in a series of columns about Alzheimer's disease. As we have discussed the past two weeks, November is National Alzheimer's Awareness Month. Legal practitioners regularly come across clients or their loved ones who have Alzheimer's disease with its related dementia symptoms. It is important we understand Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
It is also important you understand Alzheimer's, since it is reported more than 5 million Americans have the disease. You likely will encounter someone with the disease or might even have it yourself.
There are many misconceptions about Alzheimer's disease.
"The idea that Alzheimer's is entirely genetic and unpreventable is perhaps the greatest misconception about the disease," said Dr. Gary Small, director of the UCLA Center on Aging.
Research indicates that strategies for general healthy aging might also help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's. We mentioned them last week: Control your blood pressure, weight and cholesterol; exercise both body and mind; eat a brain-healthy diet that includes fruits and vegetables; and stay socially active.
Although there is no cure for Alzheimer's, it is now generally accepted by the experts that Alzheimer's can be prevented. Jean Carper in her book, "100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's and Age-Related Memory Loss," gives 10 strategies to prevent Alzheimer's that were summarized on www.positivemed.com:
1. Have coffee and/or tea. According to one large European study, drinking three to five cups of coffee a day in midlife can cut Alzheimer's risk 65 percent in late life. Researchers credit caffeine or coffee's antioxidants. It is suggested to keep drinking that coffee, unless advised otherwise by your doctor. Brewed, not bottled, tea, also contains these antioxidants.
2. Floss. It is generally well known and accepted that the health of your gums reflects your general health. Now research shows that the health of your teeth and gums can help predict dementia. If you have periodontal disease before age 35, your odds of dementia years later is quadrupled. If you are older and have tooth and gum disease, other studies show that you will score lower on memory and cognition tests.
3. Search online. Studies have shown that new internet surfers age 55-78 activated key memory and learning centers in the brain after only a week of Web surfing for only an hour a day. MRI reviews show that doing an online search can stimulate your aging brain even more than reading a book, according to UCLA's Gary Small.
4. Grow new brain cells. Researchers have found evidence that even if you are older, you can have thousands of brain cells born daily. How do you stimulate this growth? Aerobic exercise, (such as a brisk 30-minute walk every day), strenuous mental activity, eating salmon and other fatty fish, and avoiding obesity, chronic stress, sleep deprivation, heavy drinking and vitamin B deficiency.
5. Drink juice. There is a certain "memory chemical" called acetylcholine that your body produces. Apple juice stimulates your body's production of this chemical. The recommended dosage is 16 ounces of apple juice a day, which is the equivalent of eating two to three apples. Studies have shown blueberry and grape juice are also healthful. If you drink alcohol, the antioxidants in one or two glasses of red wine a day can benefit your aging brain. Others recommend avoiding sugary soft drinks, especially those sweetened with high fructose corn syrup.
6. Protect your head. Head injuries and blows to the head can increase the odds of dementia years later. It has been found that professional football players have 19 times the typical rate of memory-related diseases of the general population. If you suffer a head injury, you are four times more likely to develop Alzheimer's. Take steps to prevent falls. Use that cane or walker, wear seat belts and helmets, fall-proof your house, and don't take risks.
7. Meditate. Brain scans of people who meditate regularly show they have less cognitive decline and brain shrinkage — a classic sign of Alzheimer's — as they age. One researcher indicates yoga meditation of 12 minutes a day for two months improved blood flow and cognitive functioning in seniors with memory problems.
8. Take vitamin D. If you are a senior and have a "severe deficiency" of vitamin D, it increases your risk of cognitive impairment nearly 400 percent, according to one study. Experts recommend a daily dose of 800 IU to 2,000 IU of vitamin D3.
9. Fill your brain. The more stuff you have in your brain, the more likely it is your brain is better able to handle internal miscommunications. This is called your "cognitive reserve." According to Dr. David Bennett, of Chicago's Rush University Medical Center, you can even have significant Alzheimer's pathology and no symptoms of dementia if you have high cognitive reserve.
10. Avoid infection. New research suggests there are ties between Alzheimer's and cold sores, gastric ulcers, Lyme disease, pneumonia and the flu. It's best to avoid common infections and take appropriate vaccines, antibiotics and antiviral agents.
Alzheimer's prevention isn't just applicable to adults. Accidents or injuries to your child's or grandchild's brain can have significant effect upon the likelihood of Alzheimer's later in life. According to researchers, there are five things that you can do now to help your children and grandchildren prevent Alzheimer's and memory loss later in life:
1. Prevent head blows, wear appropriate helmets.
2. Encourage language skills to fill the brain.
3. Encourage higher education. Each year of higher education decreases the risk of dementia 11 percent.
4. Provide stimulation with physical, mental and social activities to increase "cognitive reserve."
5. Do not provide junk food, and encourage healthy eating.
Although there currently is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, it can be prevented in many instances. So help yourself or a loved one prevent Alzheimer's today.
Matthew M. Wallace is an attorney and CPA with the Wallace Law Firm, PC in Port Huron and can be reached at (810) 985-4320 or at firstname.lastname@example.org.