Are you interested in learning how to prevent Alzheimer's disease? Although there are no guarantees, research has indicated that there are some steps you can take to reduce your risk. Read on to learn what current researchers are saying about how to prevent Alzheimer's disease.
Diet and Exercise: Help Prevent Alzheimer's Disease?
This Voice of America news segment reports on current research efforts at Duke and Columbia universities that involve whether or not diet an exercise can prevent or slow the development of Alzheimer's disease. Preliminary results indicate that there is a connection, particularly when you combine a Meditterranean diet and exercise.
Introduction
Simple changes in your life may reduce your risk of Alzheimer's. There's no guarantee, but these actions will certainly improve your overall health, improving the quality of your life.
Step 1: Eat a Heart Healthy Diet and Exercise
Several studies have shown that individuals who follow a Mediterranean diet suffer less cognitive decline as they age.http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/12/health/webmd/main5237389.shtml Researchers postulate that high levels of animal fat and cholesterol, which are known to pose a risk for heart disease, also hasten the progression of Alzheimer's disease.http://www.ynhh.org/online/nutrition/advisor/alzheimers.html The effects of a healthy diet were even more profound when the individuals also participated in a program of regular exercise.
Step 2: Use Your Brain
Keeping your brain active has long been promoted as a way to build new neural connections, staving off the symptoms of Alzheimer's.http://www.alzheimer.ca/english/brain/brain_boost.htm Crosswords puzzles, word games, sudoku, and other activities can all exercise the brain.
Step 3: Make Time for Friends and Family
Researchers have found that individuals with strong social networks exhibit fewer symptoms of cognitive decline than people with fewer friends.http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/guide/20061101/social-buffer-against-alzheimers The researchers are not sure if the networks help to mitigate Alzheimer's symptoms, or if it's the personal characteristics that lead people to develop large networks that are responsible for the better mental test scores.
Step 4: Avoid Head Injury
Head injury has long been considered a risk factor for Alzheimer's and related dementias. This was confirmed in September 2009, when the results of a study using retired NFL players were released. The NFL players had a rate of Alzheimer's and related dementias that was 19 times greater than the regular population.http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/sports/football/30dementia.html?_r=2&hp
