Alzheimer's disease

What is Alzheimer's disease?

Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease

Risk factors for Alzheimer's disease

Root / primary causes of Alzheimer's disease

Prevention / remedies / treatment / recovery from Alzheimer's disease

References

What is Alzheimer's disease?

Good news if you feel anxious every time you forget someone's name. Alzheimer's is a modern lifestyle and diet-caused disease, and much of it is preventable.

About 34 million people around the world suffer from Alzheimer's disease (AD), and it is the most common form of dementia. It is one of the fastest-growing degenerative diseases, and its prevalence is expected to triple over the next 40 years. There is no conventional medical cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death. With awareness, you can substantially lower your risk of developing this dreadful malady.

AD is most commonly diagnosed in people over the age of 65, but it can occur much earlier. The average life expectancy after diagnosis is seven years. Less than three percent of individuals live for more than fourteen years after diagnosis.

Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease

Early symptoms of AD are often mistakenly thought to be manifestations of stress or aging. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events.

Longer term symptoms vary with each individual, and sometimes it may not be diagnosed for years. As the disease advances, symptoms can include:

  • Confusion.
  • Irritability and aggression.
  • Difficulty with language.
  • Mood swings.
  • Long-term memory loss.
  • Withdrawal from family and society.
  • Gradual loss of body functions, ultimately leading to death.

Risk factors for Alzheimer's disease

A study (1) showed that as many as half of AD cases worldwide and in the USA are attributable to the following factors. These seven primary risk factors for Alzheimer's disease are all modifiable. They are:

  1. Cognitive inactivity or low educational attainment. Basically, mental laziness. In particular, social isolation is the major risk factor. Not learning new things, or not subjecting yourself to novel situations is also bad.
  2. Physical inactivity.
  3. Diabetes.
  4. Hypertension (high blood pressure).
  5. Obesity.
  6. Depression.
  7. Smoking.

Root / primary causes of Alzheimer's disease

  1. Intra-cellular infection with pathogens. Usually a virus, small bacteria or protozoa. These parasites live inside cells, and some shed their own cellular walls to better hide from the immune system. Thousands of these microorganisms can live inside a single cell; eventually the cell walls burst and they spread to a new cellular host. These pathogens mostly affect the brain, nerves and immune system rather than other parts of the body. For example, toxoplasma gondii infection is associated with schizophrenia, mood disorders and cognitive impairment. (3) Chlamydia pneumoniae has been found in the brains of nearly all multiple sclerosis patients, and the majority of Alzheimer's patients. (4)
  2. Toxins. Accumulation of a wide variety of toxins to which the brain and nervous system are exposed. Foods are the most common and major source of toxins, usually accompanied by a wide variety of digestive problems.
    A range of estrogen-like hormones and chemicals (xenoestrogens) in the environment cause a wide variety of hormonal problems.
    A huge range of other toxic pollutants in our homes, everyday environment, personal care products and water are so diverse and so individual to each person, that it is difficult to connect the dots between the toxin and the ailment.
  3. Brain / mental inactivity and lack of stimulation.

Prevention / remedies / treatment / recovery from Alzheimer's disease

Here are some changes that you can make to your diet and lifestyle that will substantially reduce your risk of getting Alzheimer's. As I explain in Grow Youthful, this type of lifestyle will also make you look younger, feel younger and more energised, will slow your ageing, and prevent many other degenerative diseases.

  • Diet. Alzheimer's is a disease of sugar metabolism. (2) A primary cause is high blood sugar and high blood insulin. Most processed foods, take-aways and restaurant foods today have sugar added. Avoid quick, easy processed foods and take-aways. Spend a little time preparing a vegetable salad. Eat bananas - the potassium in bananas helps to lower your blood pressure. Get sufficient protein from fish, poultry, meat, eggs, nuts and yogurt. Use saturated animal and dairy fats and coconut oil. Avoid polyunsaturated vegetable oils, which are the prime cause of cell membrane degeneration.
  • Lose weight. Middle age obesity has a strong connection with Alzheimer's. Grow Youthful Tips offers many practical ways to help reduce inappropriate hunger. Eat nutrient-dense, full-fat foods. Avoid sugar, sweet fruit juice, and foods made with refined carbohydrates (breads, pastries, cookies, diet and other snacks, refined pasta and so on).
  • Socialise. Isolation and lack of daily physical interaction with other people is the NUMBER ONE risk factor for AD. Our large brains have evolved for social interaction and all the complexity that comes with it. Brain scans show that when you have a conversation with someone, and pay attention to that person while talking to them, your brain lights up more than with any other activity.
  • Take a class. Higher education is linked to lower rates of Alzheimer's. Learn a new language, take a dance class, play chess or another game with someone. In particular, try to involve interaction with people in your new learning. Also, do something that is completely different to what you have done before!
  • Get sufficient natural vitamin D.
  • Get sufficient iodine.
  • Quit smoking.
  • Get moving. Inactivity is strongly linked to Alzheimer's risk. Even 15 minutes walking every day is highly beneficial. Half an hour is better, and an hour can change (and save) your life. Gardening, swimming, any activity is great - and better than none.
  • Get sufficient sleep. Insufficient and irregular sleep is linked to Alzheimer's and many other degenerative diseases.

References

1. Barnes D.E., Yaffe K. The projected effect of risk factor reduction on Alzheimer's disease prevalence. Lancet Neurol. 2011 Sep;10(9):819-28. Article

2. Bijal Trivedi. Eat Your Way to Dementia. New Scientist, 1 September 2012.

3. Fekadu A. et al. Toxoplasmosis as a cause for behaviour disorders - overview of evidence and mechanisms. Folia Parasitol (Praha). 2010 June; 57(2):105-13.

4. Balin BJ. et al. Chlamydophila pneumoniae and the etiology of late-onset Alzheimer's disease. J Alzheimers Dis. May 2008; 13(4):371-80.

Copyright © 2003- David Niven Miller    www.growyouthful.com Disclosure

Alzheimer's disease. Symptoms, risk factors, prevention