Alzheimer's Tips

 As aging continues, memory lapses may become increasingly common. Is it Alzheimer’s disease?

“Dementia is a symptom, and Alzheimer’s disease is the cause of that symptom.

Alzheimer’s disease affects approximately 5 million people in the United States. It is a brain disease that gradually destroys a person’s memory and ability to learn and carry out daily activities; some Alzheimer’s patients may also experience abrupt changes in personality and behavior. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s disease, and there is no way to predict how fast the disease may progress in any individual.

Alzheimer’s disease is deterioration of nerve cells, which are responsible for cognitive skills and memory functions. These nerve cells, which control your behavior, personality, and other bodily functions, such as breathing, digestion, and circulation, die gradually; and the conditions progress from bad to worse, and even some regions in your brain may shrink. Memory loss or dementia is the first visible sign of Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer's Disease Tips

(1)  Your brain health is your heart health: what is good for your heart is also good for your brain. In other words, you need good circulation to ensure efficient pumping of blood to your brain to nourish your brain cells with oxygen and nutrients. Remember, your heart pumps about 20 percent of your blood to your brain. High blood pressure and high cholesterol are not brain friendly, because they cause blockage and build-up, and thus preventing the free flow of oxygen and nutrients to your brain. Control your numbers: cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and body weight naturally.

(2)  Eat a healthy brain diet, which is a diet for a healthy heart, as well as a natural diet with little or no toxins that may damage the brain cells. For example, coconut oil and ginseng benefit the brain.

(3)  Control your body weight: do not become obese. A long-term study of 1,500 adults found that those who were obese in middle age were twice as likely to develop dementia in later life, and those who had high cholesterol and blood pressure had six times the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease.

(4)  Free radicals cause oxidative damage to brain cells and tissues. Free radicals come from the toxic environment, as well as from toxic drugs and processed foods. Environmental free radicals cause oxidative damage to brain cells and tissues. No matter what, your brain is exposed to heavy metal toxins. Detox your body to remove its toxins on a regular basis for a healthier brain!

(5)  Learn to breathe right, because breathing affects your intake of oxygen to your brain. Optimize your breathing by learning how to breathe correctly, as well as by maintaining good posture at all times, because good posture and correct breathing go hand in hand.

(6)  Quit smoking, which interferes with blood flow and oxygen to your brain. Smokers are at a much higher risk for dementia.

(7)  Exercise regularly to control your blood sugar to maintain your heart health, and to pump more blood to your brain.

(8)  Keep your brain busy. Use it or lose it. Learn a new language, a musical instrument; play memory games.

(9)  Avoid stress in life. Stress may impair the normal functioning of your brain cells. Relax your mind with deep meditation, which is an antidote to stress. Research has shown that those who regularly meditated showed an increase of DHEA (anti-aging hormone); that is, those who meditated for more than 5 years were physiologically younger by more than 10 years than their chronological age. Meditate to make you younger and healthier for longer

(10) Maintain an active social life. Research has found those with a socially active life are better protected against Alzheimer’s. Often as you get older, your support system shrinks and you are unlikely to seek new relationships.”

The above is from Health and Wisdom Tips.

 Just remember, if it’s Alzheimer’s disease, there is not much you could do. Anyway, the consolation is that you wouldn’t have the memory to worry about that. The important thing is to keep your mind healthy and to increase your mind power.

Stephen Lau