Alzheimer's Disease

I’ve been meaning to do a little article on Alzheimer’s Disease for a while now, but I keep forgetting.

Seriously though, Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and is generally marked by mental confusion, behavior dysfunction, and progressive memory loss, especially recent memory of events, times, places, and names. It’s tragic and eventually fatal.

There is a simple test I know that differentiates Alzheimer’s from forgetfulness. If you can’t remember where you put your car keys, that’s probably just plain old forgetfulness. If you find the keys and don’t know what they’re for, that may be Alzheimer’s.

Here are some facts about Alzheimer’s Disease:

• 1 in 85, or 30 million, victims exist world-wide
• 1 in 8, or 5.4 million, elderly Americans suffer from it
• It is the sixth leading cause of death

Science has not been so bold as to assign a cause to AD, but there are a number of statistically significant associations. High blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, smoking, obesity, sleep apnea, depression, contact with industrial solvents, metal toxicity (especially aluminum), and cardiovascular disease, including post-stroke, all have a strong association.

There is no known cure for AD to date, so prevention attempts include avoiding the aforementioned associated conditions and pursuing the following:

1 – Exercise: According to Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D., 30 minutes of aerobic exercise daily decreases AD incidence by 30–50%

2 – Intellectual Activities: Mental stimulation is important, like reading, listening to music, playing an instrument, doing puzzles, and learning a new language.

3 – Social Interaction: Join a club, attend church, volunteer, and participate in activities with family and friends.

4 – Diet: Consume large amounts of unprocessed fruits, vegetables, and Omega 3 rich foods.

So, want a simple plan to try to avoid Alzheimer’s Disease? Take up dancing, learn Mandarin, teach Sunday School, travel to interesting places, and eat vegan.