How to Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF7iD0B8jWU

No Cure, Yet.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are 5.4 million people with Alzheimer’s.  And the number is growing, as we continue to live longer. As medical science has reduced deaths from heart disease and cancer more people are living longer. Our life span has increased, making us more likely to die from Alzheimer’s disease.

The Cause Alzheimer’s Disease

We don’t know for sure. Is the cause genetic or environment, or a combination of both? That remains to be seen.

How To Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

Again, we really don’t know. There are plenty of theories. It seems that people who eat well and exercise reduce their chances. Seems like a safe bet, but realize that the disease still affects people with healthy lifestyles. Manageable medical comorbidities, such as diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, also contribute to cognitive decline in older persons. So, keep your body and especially your heart healthy with proper nutrition and exercise.

Dietary supplements? Online there are a multitude of claims; berries, fish oil, coconut oil – all being pitched as the cure. Trouble is, they have no proof. We remain cautious of ingesting large amounts of supplements as they can often have adverse side-effects.

Puzzles, games and learning new languages? They may not cure or prevent the disease, although there is some evidence that active minds tend to last longer. We say go for it, the side effects can only be good.

The disease affects 1 out of 8 individuals over the age of 65 and this ratio will increase as life spans extend.

Research from the Alzheimer’s Association shows the amount of fatalities related to Alzheimer’s has grown at 66% over the last ten years. AD now the sixth major cause of mortality in the USA.

This is in correlates to advances in reducing mortality from other diseases. The mortality rate related to HIV has dropped 20 % throughout the country; prostate cancer decreased 8%; heart disease 13%, breast cancer 3%; and stroke related deaths are down 20%. Medical science has helped keep out bodies alive longer, increasing the odds of becoming a victim of Alzheimer’s disease.

So, how can you prevent Alzheimer’s disease? By supporting research. While Sarah Palin, FOX and the rest of the science ignoratti mock “fruit fly research” and the GOP seeks to cut support of science – you can make a difference.

Donate to the Alzheimer’s Association – and if you can’t afford to, then at the very least, contact your elected officials. Let them know that we can’t afford to let Alzheimer’s disease research stop.

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