Alzheimer’s Disease: What is it and what can I do?

As many as 5.3 million people are living with Alzheimer’s today in the United States.  Every 70 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer’s and it is the seventh leading cause of death.  Alzheimer’s is a real threat, and it is important to recognize any risk factors that you may have.

There are some risk factors that you cannot control, such as age, family history, and genetics.  The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s doubles every 5 years after you reach 65, and after 85, the risk is nearly 50%.  However, there are risk factors that are under your control, and while following these guidelines may decrease your chances of developing Alzheimer’s, it is not a perfect system.  There still has been no concrete support for a specific prevention method.

The risk factors that you can influence include head injuries, the heart-head connection, and general healthy aging.  Serious head injuries have shown a strong link in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s in the future.  Take precautions when participating in sports, and when driving to prevent any harm.  The heart-head connection refers to the link between heart health and brain health.  If your heart is healthy, it will also keep your brain healthy, because the brain is supplied by 20-25% of the blood pumped through your circulation system.  Some studies have shown that increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s is linked with vascular damage, which is often caused by high blood pressure and cholesterol.  Eating a heart health diet can lower that risk.  In general, living out a healthy lifestyle will prolong your life, and decrease your chances of dementia.  Keeping your weight within normal limits, avoiding smoking, drinking too much alcohol, and regular exercise can all help you stay healthy, physically and mentally, for the rest of your life.

Most importantly, brain health can help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.  As you age, the brain loses its agility and functionality, just like other parts of your body.  If you exercise it regularly, the brain may not deteriorate as quickly, thus decreasing the chances of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s.  >> Click here for some tips to keep your brain healthy > >

Reference:
http://www.alz.org