In part one of this article, we looked at the statistics surrounding Alzheimer’s disease, and went over a poignant example of when everyday memory glitches may be turning problematic.
Now it’s time to talk about things that we can all do to try to prevent Alzheimer’s disease from taking hold of our brains and memories. I’ve known too many people who have watched loved ones suffer and eventually die from this condition and although the severity of the symptoms and the stories about the disease varied from person to person, one observation remained consistent: when a person you love has Alzheimer’s, you feel like you have to watch them die twice—once when the person’s memory fades to the point where he or she is no longer the loved one you remember, and once when the person passes away.
According to the Alzheimer’s Prevention website, which is hosted by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, there are “4 Pillars” of Alzheimer’s prevention. Pillar one is diet and vitamins. Cutting back on trans-fat and saturated fat, especially fats from animal products like red meats, is a good place to start, as is increasing the amounts of antioxidant-rich foods that you eat. The idea behind these tips is that we want to cut down on as much free radical production as we can (which a high-fat diet can cause) while also upping our antioxidant levels, as they fight off the free radicals that are currently floating around in our bodies. Adding in the essential fatty acid called omega-3, found in many fish and flaxseed oil too, and trying out vegetable-based protein sources like soy are also things that may help.
Certain vitamins may also be useful, including coenzyme Q10, alpha lipoic acid, ginkgo biloba (an herb that has been found to aid with memory issues), phosphatidylserine (a supplement that was actually approved by the Food and Drug Administration as being helpful with memory issues), omega-3, and acetyl-L-carnitine. Huperzine-A and vinpocetine may also be good for people who already have moderate to severe memory loss.
Pillar number two involves the ever-popular yet ever-elusive stress management. Stress, it seems, is everywhere, and recent research has linked it to an increased risk of memory problems and Alzheimer’s disease. The worst kind of stress, at least in regards to our health, is the chronic kind. So although the person who cut you off on the freeway might make your blood boil for a few minutes, the boss who is nasty to you day after day at work is way worse, at least as far as your health is concerned. Stress leads to an increase in cortisol, which in high levels may actually damage cells in the memory center of the brain. Meditation has been shown to help reduce cortisol levels, as has hypnosis, deep breathing, massage, guided imagery and visualization, and prayer. Giving one or more of these a try may go a long way in decreasing your stress levels and subsequently improving your health and memory.
Pillar three focuses on exercise. But not just physical “get out and walk” exercise, mental exercise too. Studies show that regular physical exercise can reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s by 50 percent. The type of exercise doesn’t really matter—just pick something you like to do. Brain exercise is also important. Neurologists have found that things like reading, writing, playing board games, and doing crossword puzzles can reduce the chance of getting Alzheimer’s by as much as 70 percent. If you can do these types of activities for about 20 minutes, three times a week, it may really help. The key though is that the activity has to be a bit challenging and break a routine activity in an unexpected way. If crossword puzzles are super easy for you, then maybe it’s time to try Sudoku or maybe a Cryptogram.
Finally, pillar four is about medications and hormones. Early treatment of memory issues with proper medications may help keep the problems from worsening. There is also evidence that hormone replacement therapy may be beneficial for the memory.
Using this combination of tips from the four pillars should ideally help go a long way in preventing Alzheimer’s disease. If you have any personal experience with this condition and any additional prevention tips to share, I would love to hear from you!