Wednesday, August 27, 2014

 

My good wealthy friend is blessed in so many ways (good circle of friends, money possibly in excess of his needs, good family with successful children, etc) except his health. He has Alzheimer's disease and it is so debilitating that he needs help every single day. I search the internet and found the article below. I post it here, hoping that it may benefit all my friends. Please share freely if useful. 

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25 Steps to Take to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease 

Alzheimer’s strikes fear in all of us. The thought of losing your mind as you 
grow older is terrifying and made worse by the fact that, before now, there
appeared to be little we could do to slow down or avoid Alzheimer’s, the most
common form of dementia.
However research has found a lot of factors that raise or diminish
the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Following these tips, you could
 slash your chances of developing the disease:
1. Check out your ankle
Low blood flow in your foot is a clue to trouble in your brain and a simple test
 can reveal its cognitive state and your likelihood of stroke and dementia.
 The theory is blood vessel health is similar throughout the body. 
The degree of clogged arteries and blood flow in the feet can suggest
 atherosclerosis in cerebral blood vessels. Ask your doctor for an ankle-brachial
 index (ABI) test which involves an ultrasound device and a blood pressure
 cuff that compares blood pressure in your ankle with that in your arm. 
To remedy any impairment of blood flow your GP may advise stepped-up exercise or a change in diet/medication.

2. Antioxidant-rich foods
Certain foods infuse your brain with antioxidants 
that can slow memory decline and help prevent
 Alzheimer’s. All fruit and vegetables are good but
top of the list are black raspberries, elderberries, 
raisins and blueberries.


3. Beware of bad fats
The type of fat you eat changes your brain’s functioning for better or worse. 
Stay away from saturated fats which strangle brain cells causing them to 
become inefficient. Buy low fat or fat-free dairy products including milk,
 cheese and ice cream. Cut down on deep-fried foods.

4. Grow a bigger brain
Your brain starts to shrink when you reach 30 or 40 so it takes longer to
 learn. However scientists now believe you can increase the size of your brain
 through the act of learning. Try studying, learning new things or broadening
 your circle of friends for stimulation.

5. Chocolate Treat
Cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate, has sky-high
 concentrations of antioxidants called flavanols, which possess
 strong heart and brain-protecting properties. Drinking 
cocoa increases blood flow to the brain. Cocoa powder has
 twice as many flavanols as dark chocolate which has twice 
a many as milk chocolate. White chocolate has zero.
6. The Estrogen Evidence
Sixty eight per cent of Alzheimer’s patients are women, possibly as midway 
through life they lose the protection of the hormone estrogen which boosts 
memory. Unless your GP says otherwise, start taking estrogen immediately at the
 time of menopause – starting any later risks dementia and strokes.

7. Raise good cholesterol
It’s well known that having high good-type HDL blood cholesterol protects you 
from heart disease. But it can also save your brain. Researchers claim it blocks 
sticky stuff that destroys brain cells and acts as an anti-inflammatory to lessen 
brain damage. Ways to ramp up good cholesterol include exercise, drinking
 moderate amounts of alcohol and losing weight.

8. Google something
Doing an internet search can stimulate ageing brains even more than reading a
 book. And MRI scans show that savvy surfers have twice as many sparks of 
brain activity as novices. Go online to search for information, things to buy or
 games to play. Although it’s not known how much it will benefit your brain,
 it’s better than passive pursuits.
9. The ApoE4 gene
One in four of you reading this has a specific genetic
 time bomb that makes you three to 10 times 
more susceptible to developing late-onset Alzheimer’s. The gene is called apolipoprotein E4. If you inherit a 
single variant of ApoE4 from one parent, your 
Alzheimer’s risk triples. If you inherit a double dose
 from both parents, your risk rises by 10 times. Ask your doctor about a DNA 
test to reveal your ApoE4 genotype.
10. Say yes to coffee
Coffee is emerging as a tonic for the ageing brain. It is anti-inflammatory,
 helps block the ill effects of cholesterol in the brain and cuts the risks 
of stroke, depression and diabetes, all promoters of dementia. It is also 
high in antioxidants and caffeine which stop neuronal death and lessen diabetes, 
high blood pressure and strokes that bring on dementia. For most people, a 
moderate daily intake of coffee, two to four cups, won’t hurt and may help.
11. Dangers of underweight
Unexplained weight loss after age 60 or so may be a sign of Alzheimer’s. 
A study showed that women with the disease started losing weight at least 10 
years before dementia was diagnosed. Among women of equal weight, those who 
went on to develop dementia slowly became thinner over three decades and,
 when diagnosed, weighed an average 12lb less that women who were
 free of Alzheimer’s. Talk to your doctor about unexplained weight loss after 60.

12. Drink wine
A daily glass of wine may help delay dementia. Research says that alcohol is
 an anti-inflammatory and raises good cholesterol which helps ward off dementia.
 High antioxidants in red wine give it additional anti-dementia clout. 
Such antioxidants act as artery relaxants, dilating blood vessels and increasing
 blood flow which encourages cognitive functioning. 
13. Know the early signs
Memory problems are not the first clue. You may notice a decline in depth 
perception, for example you reach to pick up a glass of water and miss it.
 Or you misjudge the distance in walking across a street. 

Doing a jigsaw puzzle or reading a map may also be confusing. Losing your 
sense of smell can also be an early clue, as well as asking the same 
question repeatedly or misplacing belongings in odd places (like putting keys 
in the fridge). Be aware of memory problems as the earlier the signs are 
spotted, the more successful lifestyle changes and medications are likely to be.

14. Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean diet, no matter where you live, can help save your brain 
from memory deterioration and dementia. Studies consistently find that 
what the Greeks and Italians eat is truly brain food. Following this diet – rich 
in green leafy vegetables, fish, fruits, nuts, legumes, olive oil and a little 
vino – can cut your chances of Alzheimer’s by nearly half. Rather than 
depending on just one food or a few nutrients, it is a rich menu of many 
complex brain benefactors, including an array of antioxidants, which shield 
brain cells from oxidative damage.

obesity
15. Middle Age Obesity
Your brain cares if you are fat. A study showed obese 
people had 8% less brain tissue and overweight 
people had 4% less brain tissue than normal weight 
people, which according to one scientist hugely 
increases the risk of Alzheimer’s. Moreover, brain 
shrinkage occurred in areas of the brain 
targeted by Alzheimer’s, and which are critical for
 planning, long term memory, attention and 
executive functions, and control of movement.

Tackle signs of rising weight early, when you are young or middle aged.
 Oddly, being obese after the age of 70 does not raise the risk of Alzheimer’s 
but that doesn’t mean you should neglect exercise as it is the best way of 
stimulating cognitive functioning and may delay the onset of Alzheimer’s at any 
age.
16. Get a good night’s sleep
A lack of sleep is toxic to brain cells. Sleep has surprising powers to protect your
 brain against memory loss and Alzheimer’s. It is a wonder drug that helps
 manipulate levels of the dreaded brain toxin peptide beta-amyloid, a prime 
instigator of Alzheimer’s, which according to one scientist puts you at accelerated 
risk. Research has also found that sleeping an average of five hours or less a
 night is linked to large increases in dangerous visceral abdominal fat, which can
 cause diabetes and obesity that can lead to Alzheimer’s. Take naps and 
seek treatment for sleep disorders.

17. Have a big social circle
Studying the brain of a highly sociable 90-year-old woman who died from 
Alzheimer’s, researchers in Chicago found that having a large social network
 provided her with strong “cognitive reserve” that enabled her brain to not
 realize she had Alzheimer’s. Why this happens is a mystery but interacting
 with friends and family seems to make the brain more efficient. It finds 
alternative routes of communication to bypass broken connections left by 
Alzheimer’s. So see friends and family often and expand your social network.
 The stronger the brain reserve you build through life, the more likely you are 
to stave off Alzheimer’s symptoms.
18. deal with stress
When you are under stress, your body pours out hormones called 
corticosteroids, which can save you in a crisis. But persistent stress reactions
 triggered by everyday events like work frustration, traffic and financial worries
 can be dangerous. Over time, it can destroy brain cells and suppress the 
growth of new ones, actually shrinking your brain. Sudden traumatic events
 like the death of a loved one or a life-changing event like retirement can 
leave a hangover of severe psychological stress that precedes dementia.
 Be aware that chronic stress can increase older people’s vulnerability to 
memory decline and dementia. Seek professional advice. Antidepressants, 
counselling, relaxation techniques and other forms of therapy may head 
off stress-related memory loss if treated early. 

19. Take care of your teeth
Bad gums may poison your brain. People with tooth and
 gum disease tend to score lower in memory and  cognition
 tests, according to US dental researchers who found that
 infection responsible for gum disease gives off 
inflammatory byproducts that travel to areas of the brain
 involved in memory loss.

Consequently, brushing, flossing and preventing gum disease may help keep
 your gums and teeth healthy but also your memory sharper. In another study,
 older people with the most severe gingivitis – inflamed gums – were two to
 three times more likely to show signs of impaired memory and cognition than
 those with the least.
20. Get enough Vitamin B12
As you age, blood levels of vitamin B12 go down and the chance of Alzheimer’s 
goes up. Your ability to absorb it from foods diminishes in middle age,
 setting the stage for brain degeneration years later. Researchers at 
Oxford University found that a brain running low on B12 actually shrinks and a 
shortage can lead to brain atrophy by ripping away, myelin, a fatty protective 
sheath around neurons. It can also trigger inflammation, another destroyer of 
brain cells. Take 500 to 1000mcg of vitamin B12 daily after the age of 40. If you
or an older family member has unexplained memory loss, fatigue or signs of 
dementia, be sure to get tested for vitamin B12 deficiency by your GP.

21. Vinegar in everything
There is plenty of evidence that  vinegar sinks risk factors that may lead to
 memory decline, namely high blood sugar, insulin resistance, diabetes 
and pre-diabetes and weight gain. Researchers in Phoenix, Arizona, have 
noted in studies of humans and animals that the acidic stuff packs 
potent glucose-lowering effects. Studies have also found it can curb appetite
 and food intake, helping prevent weight gain and obesity, which are associated
 with diabetes, accelerated dementia and memory loss. Pour on the 
vinegar – add it to salad dressings, eat it by the spoonful, even mix it into 
a glass of drinking water. Any type of vinegar works.

22. Have your eyes checked
If you preserve good or excellent vision as you age, your chances of 
developing dementia drop by an astonishing 63%. And if it’s poor, just 
visiting an optician for an eye test and possible treatment at least once in later
 life cuts your dementia odds by about the same amount. Exactly how vision 
problems promote dementia is not clear but impaired vision makes it 
difficult to participate in mental and physical activities such as reading and 
exercising, as well as social activities, all believed to delay cognitive decline. 
Be aware that your eyes reflect and influence how your brain is functioning, 
especially as you age. Don’t tolerate poor vision as often it can be corrected.


curry
23. Eat curry
Curry powder contains the yellow-orange spice 
turmeric, packed with curcumin, a component 
reported to stall memory decline. One study showed 
elderly Indians who ate even modest amounts of 
curry did better in cognitive tests. Curcumin 
works by blocking the build-up of 
Alzheimer’s-inducing amyloid plaques 
(deposits found in the brains of sufferers) then nibbles away at existing 
plaques to slow cognitive decline.
It is recommended to eat two or three curries a week, and make it a yellow
 curry. Otherwise, sprinkle the spices on your food.


24. diabetes control
Having type 2 diabetes makes you more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s. Studies show 
it may double or triple your risk and the earlier diabetes takes hold, the 
higher the odds of dementia. Some experts refer to Alzheimer’s as “diabetes 
of the brain”. The two disorders have similar causes – obesity, high blood 
pressure, high cholesterol, high fat and high sugar diets, low physical activity 
as well as high blood sugar. In short, diabetes can deliver a double whammy 
to the brain, destroying neurons and increasing inflammation. Do everything 
possible to keep blood sugar levels low and stick to a low-saturated fat 
diet and regular exercise.

25. Drink more tea
Evidence suggests that tea stalls the cognitive 
loss that precedes Alzheimer’s and that the more tea 
you drink, the sharper your ageing memory is. Tea’s 
secret is no mystery. The leaves are packed with 
compounds able to penetrate the blood-brain 
barrier and block neuronal damage. 
One particular green tea antioxidant can block the 
toxicity of beta-amyloid, which kills brain cells. Make a point of drinking
 black and green tea. Don’t add milk, it can reduce tea’s antioxidant activity by 25%.