Site navigation and social media links
Alzheimer’s- Are You Aware?
Health | November 09, 2019
November is Alzheimer’s Awareness month. When it was passed by former President of the United States Ronald Reagan, less than two million people were diagnosed with the disease. Now, that number has jumped to an estimated 5.5 million; around the world, close to 44 million have either Alzheimer’s or a form of dementia. Experts fear that by the year 2050 up to 16 million people in the US will have it. To help spread the word, I wanted to share a few tips on how to support brain health and prevent its decline. Keep in mind that none of this information should ever take the place of a doctor; it’s just general information. With that out of the way, let’s jump right into the post! [1] [2]
But First, the 101
Before we get into the juicy bits of this post, let’s go over what Alzheimer’s is. Alzheimer’s, or Alzheimer’s disease, is named after German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer, who was the first to document it. It’s an irreversible disorder in the brain that worsens over time. And it’s one of the primary causes of dementia, a label for a group of symptoms that occur as a result of brain cell damage. These symptoms include mood changes to short term memory loss, difficulty solving problems, personality changes, confusion, misplacing things, and trouble to complete everyday tasks (amongst plenty others). In Alzheimer’s, the main, and well-known, symptom is memory loss. Dementia-like symptoms tend to follow it, like hallucinations, personality changes, and no longer recognizing familiar or common things.
While there are treatments that can help to manage Alzheimer’s, no known cure currently exists. And unfortunately, the disease is fatal. At best, these treatments can extend life expectancy and make dealing with the symptoms a lot easier.
So, how does it happen? Science shows that it’s a result of both damage and death to the cells of the brain, which shorten it over time. No one knows why this happens; there are only theories and correlations. For instance, two of the main characteristics of Alzheimer’s include amyloid plaque and tau tangles in the brain. Amyloid plaques are groups of leftover proteins that cling together and block communication between brain cells. When left untreated, the plaque will cause the nerve cells to die. Tau tangles are literal tangles of a protein known as tau that makes up structures in the brain that transport nutrients to brain cells. Normally, these proteins are pretty even. Once they start twisting and tangling themselves up, the structures start collapsing and prevent the brain cells from receiving nutrients. They’ll eventually start dying off.
The double-whammy of built-up plaque and twisted proteins disrupting nutrient transfer is believed to create the environment for cognitive decline. [3] [4] [5]
Prevention is Key
When it comes to preventing Alzheimer’s, the keyword is lifestyle. According to the Mayo Clinic, “There’s strong evidence that several factors associated with leading a healthy lifestyle may play a role in reducing your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia… Population-based studies suggest that factors associated with overall good health may also reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive decline. These factors include regular physical activity, eating a healthy diet and keeping your brain active through lifelong learning.” [6]
Luckily, we have a few things in our toolbox that can help to keep our brains working like a well-oiled machine. While it’s one thing to promote a healthy diet, it’s another to describe what a healthy diet is like. And even that gets tricky- what may work for me may backfire against you. You need to factor in bio-individuality, that no two people are ever alike and will have different needs and requirements for their health. With this in mind, there are still some specific things that can be done to maintain a healthy brain.
These include:
- Sleep. Don’t pass this off! The reason why it’s vital for brain health is that during sleep, your body is detoxifying itself. Our brain has a unique way of doing that with the Glymphatic System, which is responsible for purging dangerous “wastes” like plaque that can quickly build up and create damage. Recently it was shown that sleep deprivation increased plaque in the brain, giving fuel to the belief that Alzheimer’s is the result of this dangerous build-up. [7]
- Exercise: I may be a trainer, but the more I learn about the holistic benefits of it, the more I realize that it’s more than rocking a bikini. It’s been shown to increase healthy blood flow to the brain and stimulates the creation of new neurons in the brain (a process referred to as “exercise-induced neurogenesis”). You’re not just building muscle; you’re building a better brain! Why care about new neurons. Well, they decline during Alzheimer’s. It’s now believed that a lack of neurogenesis is tied to Alzheimer’s. And what better way to maintain it? [8]
- Foods: Max Lugavere, author of the best-selling book Genius Foods, researched the specific foods that are known for lowering inflammation, increasing longevity, and supporting brain health. You may already be familiar with them, which include avocados, salmon, blueberries, almonds, leafy greens, dark chocolate (cacao) and olive oil. (Here’s a post that goes into these in more detail!) [9] [10]
- Learning: Never stop learning! It challenges your mind and keeps your brain on its feet. Much like exercise, if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. Acquiring new skills is like fertilizer for brain cell growth, which in turn can prevent cognitive decline. Find ways to pick up something new. Documentaries, picking up a different language, switching up your workout style, puzzles- don’t keep that brain on autopilot and do something with it! [11]
Don’t Delay- Prevent Today!
Like that little rhyme? In all seriousness, if we want to improve our health as a nation, we need to start with ourselves. Once we do that, we set the standard for the generations to come and inspire others to improve. We can fight back! Even though there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s, the best that we can do is give our body the best chance it deserves. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to give your brain a little extra love with those tips in mind!
Sources:
[1] https://www.seniorliving.org/memory-care/alzheimers/awareness/
[2] https://alzheimersnewstoday.com/alzheimers-disease-statistics/
[3] https://alzheimersnewstoday.com/what-is-alzheimers-disease/
[4] https://www.brightfocus.org/alzheimers-disease/infographic/amyloid-plaques-and-neurofibrillary-tangles
[5] https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-are-signs-alzheimers-disease
[6] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/expert-answers/alzheimers-prevention/faq-20058140
[7] https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/sleep-deprivation-increases-alzheimers-protein
[8] https://stm.sciencemag.org/content/11/490/eaax1726
[9] https://www.well.org/healthy-body/genius-foods-6-superfoods-for-brain-health/
[10] https://jimkwik.com/kwik-brain-066-when-to-eat-for-optimal-brain-function-with-max-lugavere/
[11] https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/learning-new-skill-can-slow-cognitive-aging-201604279502
Private Member |
Metformin has shown conclusive evidence over many years of studies to help down-regulate the gene expression that leads to alzheimer’s and dementia, as well as the gene expressions that encourage cancer. mTOR inhibitor I believe is the term for drugs that can do this. Also there have been several studies that show the insulin nimetic class of drugs called “glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors” (brand name Victoza) act as a shield to the brain against the proteins that cause degradation of the brain in alzheimer’s disease. Genetic testing I believe is the way to go to prevent diseases, so that your doctor can prescribe treatments appropriate for your genes, but diet and exercise do go a long way for staying young and healthy.
Private Member |
switzerland/, france
Interesting that the list of food supporting brain is on the keto side of the array. Dont see sugar there… and metformin is a drug for treating diabetes too, so definitely a link with sugar/insulin pathways involved.
I am on keto currently because my cognition was not satisfying recently, and mood swing , brain chatter, irritable… fatloss is an bonus, but definitely supporting my brain was reason number one, and no cancer please.
Private Member |
ellijay, ga, united states
Regarding that…it’s interesting…I remember reading an article where the author was proposing that Alzheimers is essentially the highest HIGHEST form of diabetes and that keto is a very good way to help control it. I’m no expert, so I don’t know, but it was interesting, nevertheless.
It’s a scary topic for me. My Grandma suffered from it for 11(?) years before passing away and it was heartbreaking to see the very intelligent woman decline. She was relatively healthy before, but she did drink diet coke every day (I won’t TOUCH the stuff). My Grandma on my Mom’s side suffered a *different* sort of dementia (not Alzheimers…but something else.) in her later years. Soooo…yeah, it’s something I pay attention to. (And my Grandparents on my Mom’s side led a very unhealthy lifestyle — smoking, no exercise, and the typical “southern food” thing going)
Private Member |
Type 1 diabetic here, and there is a strong link between elevated blood sugar levels/high spikes in blood sugars contributing to developing alzheimer’s disease. From what I’ve read, it is a very large topic and there are many contributing factors, low brain weight from smoking is an under reported one (since that habit is becoming less and less common.) Only in nutrition books do I see alzheimer’s disease being referred to as ‘type 3 diabetes’ and although there is a link between poorly controlled diabetes and ALL manner of age-related diseases, I don’t buy it and think that it’s a scare tactic. Diet is important but I genetics and gene expression seem to have the most influence on what disease a person develops. Also herpes strains of viruses like epsteen barr, which is why it pays to be a germophobe.
As far as diet coke and phenalilyne (sp?) is concerned, it is an addictive chemical and diet coke has a lot of caffiene to make people become even more addicted when they drink it, but to say it causes brain disease is a very far reach. It has to be taken in massive doses to cause damage to brain tissue, and I think I read somewhere that that is only in people that have existing brain damage. I feel like that misinformation was spread by lawyers and just stuck.
Metformin acts on the liver mostly to help control blood sugar, but the way it protects against cancer is in the hormonal balancing properties it has. It’s hard to explain, but I’ve been taking it for two years, and as time goes by, problems I used to have with my body in even the most subtle ways become a distant memory. Growing up as a type 1 diabetic, there was stuff that went wrong with me all the time. I feel younger now then I did at 18, by a long shot!
Metformin is far more than just a diabetes drug, if you do not have diabetes you can take it and it won’t do anything to you blood sugar (don’t listen to people that say it will.) How it works with alzheimers I can’t really feel yet, but I believe because of how powerful metformin is. For cognition, I hear that lions’ mane mushroom is very effective. From the mushrooms I’ve tried and the power I’ve felt from them, I believe the hype. Fun fact, mitake mushroom is very similar to metformin, which is made from the greek lilly.
Private Member |
santa cruz, ca
I love the discussion you started! Very fascinating!!
Private Member |
switzerland/, france
You could do a post on “learning” tips, as I dont think it means going as hard as learning a new language or physics. Though I would going back to school. Some say that games are a good start, and my nanny did plenty daylong.(simple hidden words to find)
I prefer picking my brain with knitwear design ( and it is knitting seasooooon ) or a new game I play with my kids called Ramses, which is about short memory and a bit strategy. I also like logic games riddles. Looove logic riddles.
Private Member |
The strangest thing I’ve noticed that makes my brain work faster is reading comic books/graphic novels. Something about seeing the pictures and reading the dialouge I feel engages both sides of the brain, Tony Buzan wrote about using both sides of the brain to stay young mentally. I do not believe that mental decline has to happen with age. It’s a matter of investment and the brain’s potential is literally limitless.
Private Member |
switzerland/, france
I think knitting also gets the 2 sides of brain working, or at least it does something that other activities dont. Sweater time, I do my own design and thinking projecting how to put a 3D piece from single stitches on needles is the creative but also technical aspect I like. I also enjoy orienteering, you get to run wild and make a brain map in 3D to find your way as efficiently as possible and reading maps etc… I am sure that activities that get your brain to work multi angle is the nest to create connections
Private Member |
And for genetic testing, I mean from a hospital or qualified health care provider. PLEASE DO NOT USE 23 AND ME. I’ve heard nothing but bad things about that company and you do not want your genetics to get into the wrong hands.