Alz disease is a horrible condition which can strike at any age but particularly affects the elderly. How can we avoid it? Are there things we can do in our everyday life which would reduce the chances of suffering later?
Alz disease or Alzheimer’s disease to give it its full title is preventable for many and if, like me, you have personal experience of the condition affecting a loved one you will know these simple measures are not too high a price to pay to avoid it.
There has been excellent research done in this field and here is a list of 10 steps we can all take to avoid ending our lives in an institution where we have no control over our lives and little idea of where we are or what we are doing.
Avoiding Alz Disease – Things to Do
1. Stay Alert: Studies suggest that the mental stimulation given by work, continuing education, reading regularly, playing games to challenge your mind, learning a foreign language or taking up a musical instrument—can all help prevent loss of short term memory.
2. Vary Activities: Enjoying social or leisure activities may also diminish your risk of Alz disease. Researchers have found that seniors who engaged in a variety of leisure activities—such as hobbies, trips, visiting their folks, volunteering, or taking part in social events— have a lower risk of alz disease. Go on, have some fun!
3. Stay Physically Active: Physical Exercise helps to keep your brain in good shape. Exercise improves mental alertness and keeps you agile mentally as well as bodily. It improves blood flow to the brain. It also reduces Alz disease risk factors such as hardening of the arteries and elevated blood pressure.
4. Reduce Stress: In excess, cortisol, the stress hormone, can damage the part of the brain most affected by Alz disease. Stress can be reduced with meditation techniques like, yoga, relaxation and breathing exercises. Getting the care you need to combat chronic stress, depression, insomnia , and other emotional issues may also help prevent AD.
5. Good Nutrition is Vital: Keeping your weight down and eating only healthy fats, eliminating saturated trans-fats that increase the risk of AD is really important to your health both mentally and physically.
Be proactive and take charge of your diet
* include, B-Complex vitamins —folate, B6, and B12, and leafy green vegetables which help reduce levels of a substance called homocysteine which is specifically linked to linked to AD.
* Use good quality Olive Oil, or better still coconut oil for cooking.
* Take Omega-3 fatty acids in flax oil, flax seeds and oily fish.
* Ramp up the Antioxidants – include vitamins C and E by eating fruits such as blueberries and vegetables such a spinach and seaweed.
* Drink at least 1 ounce of water a day for each 2lbs of your body weight
Green Juicing is fantastic, possibly the single most effective thing you can do.
6. Herbs and spices have a beneficial effect on memory for instance Turmeric, the yellow curry spice. In India people have an unusually low rate of Alz disease which is thought to be linked to the regular use of this spice.
7. Prevention Better than Cure: Protect your head. Head injuries promote the onset of AD Wear seat belts, use bike helmets, and wear bright or reflective clothing at night.
8. Avoid tobacco and excess alcohol; they can damage your memory. Research suggests that modest drinking may actually help but not more than two drinks each day for men; only one for women
9. Other Drugs: The jury is out on this one. Daily low doses of aspirin may prove helpful in preventing AD, but please talk to your doctor about possible side effects. For those with elevated cholesterol levels, statin drugs may help but improving your diet always beats taking drugs.
10. Control Chronic Conditions:
- Keep an eye on the world by getting regular sight and hearing tests and wearing your hearing aids and glasses. This enables you to engage more with your surroundings and keeps you mentally more alert.
- Catch medical disorders like heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol early to reduce the chance that they will damage your mind.
In short, keep active mentally and physically, look after your general health, protect your head – there is a powerful computer in there, avoid substances which may poison you and feed your body and your mind on the best food you can find.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
This information on alz disease is not intended to replace the care provided by your own Doctor. It is not intended nor can it be a replacement for qualified medical advice.
Always seek the advice of your medical advisor or other qualified health professional before starting new treatments and ask any questions you may have about a symptom or medical condition.
©copyright 2010 http://50pluslifedesign.com Alz disease
{ 1 trackback }