Causes and Prevention of Alzheimer's
Dr. Daniel G. Amen Offers Tips to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease
Oct 12, 2008
According to Dr. Daniel Amen, 50% of people aged 85 and above will have Alzheimer's. You can prevent its onset by six years or more, with a brain-healthy lifestyle.
If a family member has Alzheimer's disease you may be at higher risk. You can't change this, but you can delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease and improve the health of your brain at any time by making the changes outlined by Dr. Daniel G. Amen in his PBS presentation and his book Change Your Brain Change Your Life, published by Three Rivers Press in December, 1999.
Amen's Risk Factors for and Causes of Alzheimer's Disease
- heredity
- heart disease, open heart surgery, hypertension and high cholesterol
- stroke/smoking
- diabetes
- chemotherapy/cancer
- untreated ADD and depression
- brain/head injury
- exercising less than 2x per week
- exposure to chemicals
- lack of lifelong learning
- too much alcohol (more than 2 glasses per week)
- too much caffeine (more than 2 cups coffee per day)
Amen's Advice on How to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease with Healthy Living
- Treat hypertension and high cholesterol with a healthy diet, exercise, and medicine if necessary.
- Prevent stroke by eating right, losing weight and quitting smoking. Smoking poisons the brain.
- Treat diabetes with exercise and proper diet.
- If you have cancer or chemotherapy stay on a brain healthy diet.
- Treat ADD and depression with psychotherapy, natural supplements, or medication.
- Protect your brain and head. Drive a safe vehicle, wear seatbelts. Wear helmets on bikes.
How to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease with Lifestyle Changes
- Vigorous aerobic exercise a minimum of 2 times per week increases blood flow to the brain. Exercise that works on coordination, such as dancing, is most helpful.
- Don't have your hair dyed or nails done too frequently - assure proper ventilation.
- Always ensure proper ventilation when utilizing chemicals of any kind, including paint and cleaning fluids.
- Do not drink alcohol in quantities of more than 2 glasses per week.
- Get enough sleep -- at least 6 hours per night -- and lessen dependence on caffeine. Drink no more than 2 cups per day.
- Socialize, do not isolate yourself.
- Always be enrolled and engaged in learning something new. Fifteen minutes per day of a completely different activity than you usually do is more effective than learning something new in an activity you regularly engage in. For example, a cook learning a new recipe is not as effective as a cook learning to play the piano. If your brain is learning new things it makes new physical structures. If it is not learning, it deteriorates as you get older.
How to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease with Alzheimer's Medication
- Take all memory loss seriously and see your doctor. Medication for Alzheimer's disease, when given early on, can delay it's progression. Early detection is key.
- Brain scans and smell identification tests can detect future Alzheimer's even before symptoms appear.
How to Prevent Alzheimer's With a Brain-Healthy Diet
According to Dr. Amen, the following foods promote brain health:
- lean protein, such as fish and poultry
- complex carbohydrates with a low glycemic index (i.e. which don't increase the blood sugar too much), such as green leafy vegetables
- limit trans fat but eat foods containing Omega 3 fatty acids such as salmon, tuna, avocado and walnuts
- drink lots of water and avoid dehydration
- blueberries
- broccoli
- decaffeinated green tea
- oatmeal
- oranges
- red bell peppers
- spinach
- turkey
- fish oil supplements, or flax seed oil
- daily multi-vitamin
- eat from the rainbow - eating foods of all colors provides the most anti-oxidants
It's probably not a coincidence that protecting the brain is also good for all other organs. Improving the health of the brain and brain function will benefit people in all areas of life, not just by delaying the onset of Alzheimer's. Clearly, it's a win-win.
The copyright of the article Causes and Prevention of Alzheimer's in Caring for Family Members is owned by Lisa C. DeLuca. Permission to republish Causes and Prevention of Alzheimer's in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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