Alzheimer's disease (also known as Alzheimer's disease or simply Alzheimer's) is a life-changing condition of people. It can affect almost anyone and is much more widespread than you can imagine. One in eight Americans aged 65 and over have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and an additional in five women and one in ten men can expect such a diagnosis during the remainder of their lives. Alzheimer's mostly affects people over the age of 65, and manifests itself through rapidly progressing dementia. The disease is most likely caused by brain micro-injuries that accumulate over the years. This accumulation can manifest as a minor lesion, observable by MRI, and is often mistaken for age-related changes, then gradually grows to the point where it can be noticed by an expert, then eventually by anyone. While there is no known cure once Alzheimer's disease sets in, there are ways to decrease the chances of your life being turned upside down by Alzheimer's.
Steps
Step 1. Know the symptoms
Knowing what the symptoms are will allow you to contact a doctor in time. Often, doctors can still prescribe drugs that will help in the early stages. If Alzheimer's disease progresses without any prevention being done, help may come too late. Symptoms of dementia and also of Alzheimer's disease are as follows:
- Total short-term memory loss (for example, repeatedly asking, "I am 3:27 am; what time are you doing?" - and things like that).
- Being unaware of the time / place (say "I want to go home!", While you are already home).
- Forgetting names and people, close friends and / or family members.
- Misplacing things - for example, repeatedly putting clean dishes in the fridge or stove for no reason.
- Unusual and bizarre disorientation in places where one has lived for years - getting lost easily, not knowing how to get help, forgetting old landmarks, etc.
- Denying that you have something wrong; even if symptoms are indicated.
Step 2. Know who has a higher risk of getting the disease, and stop possible risk factors
People who have:
-
Diabetes (high sugars) have a higher risk of getting Alzheimer's - they need:
lower and CHECK your blood sugar.
-
High blood pressure or high cholesterol are at high risk - they need:
lower and CONTROL high blood pressure.
-
Smoking (59% higher chance of Alzheimer's) - they need to:
decrease and STOP tobacco consumption.
-
Small cardiovascular and ischemic events such as "transient ischemic attack" are evidently doing light damage, very small injuries and hundreds of very small injuries may not be noticed on an MRI - they need:
decrease and STOP progressive cardiovascular diseases. "
-
Abnormal production of beta-amyloid peptide, which builds up, damaging the brain - they need to:
lower and stop such production with appropriate biological and chemical measures (activities, food, herbs, medicines, etc.).
Step 3. Live healthier
Many things characteristic of a healthy lifestyle also prevent Alzheimer's:
- Make sure you get plenty of aerobic exercise (increase your breathing and heart rate for several minutes, several times a day, working or playing, swimming, etc.)
- Keep your mind busy too. Try doing crosswords, playing scrabble, sudoku or chess, etc.
- Eat healthier. Mediterranean cuisine is especially recommended. This basically means eating more vegetables, fruits (cooked tomatoes: lycopene) and legumes (beans) and ceasing to consume margarine. Change your oil: Cook with olive or coconut oil (fatty acids) instead of cheaper vegetable oils or butter (and don't use lard or "vegetable fat"). Eat oats, even if they are out of style. Use oatmeal (gluten-free). Cut "white" foods like bread and sugars! Also, eat a small piece of dark chocolate (around 15 grams) every day such as an extra dark chocolate with 60% cocoa, the more expensive dark chocolate specialties contain 65 to 80% cocoa. Consume the more bitter, or special black one (without caramel filling and without sweet milk chocolate); this refined treat increases energy, while lowering blood pressure by several points.
- Take good multi-vitamin supplements. Take vitamin C (2000 to 3000 units). Vitamin C blocks tumor development caused by nitrates and nitrites found primarily in processed pork, bacon, ham, canned meat and sausages (per PubMed NIH.gov). Vitamin B9, especially when taken with folic acid, has been shown to prevent the deterioration of the brain, which essentially causes Alzheimer's. There is also evidence that women who take estrogen during menopause have a lower risk.
Step 4. Fight the inflammation that causes brain damage
Omega-3 fatty acids are useful, especially docosahexaenoic acid (or DHA, fish and shellfish), but not α-linolenic acid (or ALA, vegetable oils and nuts). Omega-3s linked to phospholipids (fish and poultry eggs, milk) are more bioavailable compared to Omega-3s linked to triglycerides (fish oil). As is often reported, omega-3 fatty acids help keep the level of inflammation low in every part of the body. Being overweight increases inflammation; so look for ways to boost your omega-3s. Eat wild fatty fish caught in the high seas three times a week (good balance of eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA and DHA). Eat lots of nuts and some whole grains, oats are gluten free! Take 1000 mg of concentrated and purified fish oil (DHA: EPA) every day. Although chia seeds contain omega-3s (mostly ALA) they are not useful since the human body cannot convert ALA to DHA. Eat almonds or walnuts or roasted peanuts without salt.
- Eat foods that contain Omega-3s linked to phospholipids such as milk, egg yolks, fish eggs (bottarga, caviar) etc.
- Take coenzyme Q10 supplements, also known as ubiquinone or vitamin Q (soft gel capsules, not hard capsules) which may be what you need to keep your energy levels high, and which is essential for every cell in your body (also of the brain)!
- Be careful. Many cases of Alzheimer's are found in people who have had a concussion after age 60 or repeatedly in their young years (brain damage).
Step 5. Check out this alternative, berberine:
A possible factor for fighting Alzheimer's suggested by some recent research. If you are being treated by a doctor, ask him to try berberine: carefully review the research on this medical herb, also called berberine hydrochlorate and berberine chloride, including the risks; Research shows that there may be potential beneficial effects in fighting Alzheimer's disease using berberine (which is used in India and China, but for different purposes)) but more studies are needed to verify its effectiveness.
Step 6. Take note of the research on berberine that shows how it:
helps prevent injury to biomolecules from oxidation in the brain, inhibits certain enzymes that degrade important memory molecules, reduces peptides that interfere with proper memory function, and lowers lipids that interfere with cerebral blood circulation. And? It is a substance naturally extracted in the laboratory or derived from the body of various plants (roots, rhizomes, stems and bark) including "European berberis, hydraste, coptis, maonia, phellodendron, and Indian barberry": the latter two are sold online as a herbal product, drug / medicine. It is possible to buy a products based on the leaf or root of berberis, maonia etc., or the purified barberine extract.
- Barberin modifies the action of a single Alzheimer's progenitor protein, called amyloid-β or Abeta peptide (Aβ), decreasing its secretion. However, monitoring a single marker may also not be an indicator of a possible cure. A recent study suggests that this accumulation of Aβ is a trigger that leads to pathological manifestations of Alzheimer's
- Berberine changes the body's processes to get better, being an antidepressant. In addition to decreasing certain Alzheimer's-indicator enzymes in your physiological chemistry
- Feel better with berberine, thanks to its antidepressant-like action on the mind,. However, this getting better is in no way connected with preventing Alzhemier. Likewise, no berberine-based herbal product is officially labeled or authorized by any competent authority as a treatment for the prevention of Alzheimer's.
Step 7. Improve your type 2 diabetes with berberine:
In regulating glucose metabolism, fasting and post-meal insulin levels have been evaluated to have the same effects as metformin, a prescription drug for type 2 diabetes.
Lower your "triglycerides and total cholesterol". "Berberine's activity was better than the drug metformin" in lowering "triglycerides and total cholesterol" and "regulating fat metabolism" which it "decreased and was significantly lower than the metformin group."
Advice
- It is also recommended that you drink some alcoholic beverages at least every week to decrease your chances of getting Alzheimer's - but it's not recommended to start drinking if you don't already.
- Having social contacts and keeping in touch with the world helps keep your mind young and active.
Warnings
- Get a medical check-up on a regular basis and pay particular attention if there are any cases of Alzheimer's in your family.
- Do not take any supplements except on the advice of your doctor.